After finishing a glass of the 2012 Playtime Red from the folks at Shannon Ridge a question popped into my mind: Which came first, the label or the wine?
The two match so well, it is difficult to determine which inspired the other. On the bottle rests an homage to the pin up art of World War II fame, with its teasing, ingenue-like promise of a good time. The wine itself is rousing and fun, to put it as succinctly as possible.
“We wanted it to be approachable, fruit forward and juicy,” explained Joy Merrilees, director of winemaking and production at Shannon Ridge, also home to several staid labels, such as Vigilance and (no surprise) Shannon Ridge. “It”s a summer barbecue, hang out wine everybody can enjoy. The name is casual; that”s what we were going for.”
Indeed, the Playtime Red is one of those rare wines that seem to yearn for a comfortable chair, a bag of chips, a group of friends and a game of football on the big screen — that kind of casual. It is packed with berry flavors, without being overwhelmingly sweet. It gives subtle winks, without causing one of those musings from Paul Giamatti”s Miles character (remember “Sideways”?): “A little citrus. Maybe some strawberry. Passion fruit and, oh, there”s just like the faintest soup?on of asparagus and there”s just a flutter of, like a nutty Edam cheese.”
You can simply relax and sip, possibly even while decked out in Raiders silver and black.
For those who must deconstruct, however, Playtime welcomes with come hither aromas of red berries and soothing rubbed oak, with just a peek at something spicy. Take a sip and cut strawberries, mixed juice and hard candy hold sway. The finish is enthusiastic — lingering without losing its fresh character.
“If you want nuances, you can find them,” Merrilees reminded. “There is a serious side to wine, and we do those. But this is inexpensive and easy to drink.”
While in their Shannon Ridge and Vigilance guises, the winemakers produce some impressive single varietals. Playtime Red, however, results from a blend of Zinfandel, Grenache, Petitie Sirah and Barbera grapes, all from the Red Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area) overlooking Anderson Marsh.
Zinfandel makes up close to 70 percent of the mix, bringing with it a food friendly nature. It pairs nicely with comfort foods — burgers, barbecue, slaw and other backyard sides — which, in turn, allows it to stand on its own in a living room.
Call it the Stella Artois of wines, something the Bud Light crowd can enjoy on an aspirational day and a Chateauneuf-du-Pape aficionado can still appreciate on a lawn chair afternoon.
“You can even put a chill on it,” Merrilees pointed out, before cringing out of habit at the thought of an iced red. “We get to do whatever we want. No one is a snob here.”
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
