Gallo Wines, experimenting in small production wines, have launched Apothic Red 2009. To introduce Los Angeles press and tastemakers to their newest creation, Apothic Red and winemaker Boyd Morrison, hosted a five-course family style dinner at the trendy Beverly Hills’ Vietnamese-centric Red Medicine restaurant. Apothic Red 2009 possesses all those flavor profiles California wineophiles have come to cherish – intense cherry and berries flavors paired with caramel and vanilla mid-palate sensations. The guests enjoyed comparing notes while tasting Apothic Red 2009 with each diverse menu item.
History of Apothic Red
In late 2006, two winemakers, a veteran and the protégé Boyd Morrison, put their creative palates together to utilize Old World traditions of blending varietals while infusing New World power-punched flavors modern wine lovers crave. Morrison, the quiet but up and coming winemaker to watch, blended spicy Zinfandel, America’s most distinctive grape, with smooth Merlot and lush, dark Syrah to create Apothic’s distinctive flavor profile.
“We are very proud of what we have developed with Apothic Red,” said winemaker Boyd Morrison. “We selected grapes from California’s diverse vineyards to ensure that our unique blend delivers our signature intrigue and intensity upon every sip.”
Apothic’s Name Heritage
Apothic Red was inspired by an Apotheca, a mysterious place where wine was blended and stored in 13th century Europe or as the dictionary defines it as the name given by the Romans to the room in the upper part of a house in which the amphorae containing wine were placed, to be subjected to the heat of the sun from the roof, and the passage of the smoke from the fumarium, above which the apotheca was usually situated. Aptly named, Apothic Red 2009 offers a wine that is complex enough to be paired perfectly with beef bourguignon or duck confit as well as a chocolate pot de crème or fruit tart. With both the fruit and sweet notes, it borders on a flavor profile similar to port.
Viticulture Notes
The lighter yields and smaller berries of 2009’s crop due to extended winter temperatures contributed to the diverse flavors and aromas of Apothic Red 2009.
To taste Apothic Red 2009 for yourself or possibly serve at your next dinner party, it retails at $14 and sells online at the Barrell Room or at these locations.
Red Medicine
Red Medicine is not your typical Vietnamese restaurant. In fact, Chef Jordan Kahn claims it’s NOT a Vietnamese restaurant, but merely inspired by its elements of mint, cilantro, Thai chili and steaming bowls of noodles. He has trained in a number of America’s best restaurants, most recently at the helm of opening restaurants for Michael Mina. Red Medicine possesses a casual atmosphere with wooden tables, self-serve silverware in jars on the table, servers in jeans, but the food is quite cerebral and sophisticated. Some favorite menus are the chicken dumplings, the oyster mushroom vegetable dish, and the beef brisket (for parties of 5 of more). Red Medicine serves until 2 am. www.redmedicinela.com
