Bogle Phantom Proprietary Red Blend

Bogle Phantom is a California red blend, and the style leans on Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Mourvèdre. The blend can shift from vintage to vintage, so treat the grape list as the usual makeup, not a fixed recipe. At 14.5% ABV, it is a full-bodied, high-extract red. Expect ripe blackberry, black plum and dark cherry, with the sweet-spice, vanilla and toasty notes that oak ageing typically adds. Petite Sirah usually supplies deep colour and firm, grippy tannin. Zinfandel adds jammy fruit and a peppery lift. Mourvèdre adds dark, earthy and meaty depth. Styles like this tend to finish long and warm, with plush fruit and a little tannic grip at the end. At the table, the wine's weight and tannin call for rich, savory food. Grilled or smoked beef, such as ribeye, brisket and short ribs, works well, because the fat softens the tannin. Barbecue with a sweet-smoky glaze suits the ripe fruit. So do burgers with sharp cheddar, lamb chops, sausages and pizza with cured meats. Aged hard cheeses like Manchego or aged Gouda also match its structure. Delicate fish and light salads would be overpowered. Very hot, spicy dishes can make the 14.5% alcohol feel more prominent. Serve it at roughly 60 to 65°F (15 to 18°C), which is a little below typical room temperature. A wine this alcoholic can taste hot and heavy when it is too warm, and about 20 minutes in the fridge before opening usually brings it into range. Wines of this style often benefit from a short decant. Thirty to sixty minutes, or simply pouring it into a decanter or wide pitcher, will open the aromas and relax the tannin. Use a large-bowled red wine glass, such as a Bordeaux-style glass, so the fruit and spice have room to develop. This is meant to be drunk young. Bottles in this style are made to be enjoyed within a few years of release, while the fruit is at its most vivid. The tannin from Petite Sirah could allow modest cellaring, but there is no reason to expect it to improve a great deal with long ageing. For best results, open it over the next few years, with a decant.