The Prisoner 2007 & Rust en Vrede 2000 Estate Red

I brought these two bottles of wine to dinner the other night. We had grilled marinated steak with steamed asparagus and pureed cauliflower (looked like mashed potatoes but tasted sweet and light).

The R&V Estate Red 2000 (Stellenbosch, South Africa)($35) was rated 92pts Wine Spectator (WS) and was in This bombshell of a wine is the way all South African wines should be made. 58% Cabernet Sauv, 29% Shiraz, 13% Merlot

Visual: Dark Brick Red, Heavy Legs
Nose: Dark Fruits, Blackberries, Plum, Smoky, Currants
Palate: Blackberry, Black Pepper, Cherry, Tannins that ROCK your mouth and get you ready for that next bite or sip.

Very complex wine. You don't find wines for this price with the Tannin structure and Fruit flavors that this South African wine has for under $100. This Blend should be considered the Bordeaux blend of South Africa.




The Prisoner 2007 by Orin Swift ($35) from California is one of my favorite wines of the last few years. Every year the blend is different with there always being at least 50% Zinfandel. This year had Cabernet, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Charbono, and Gernache. The 2005 Prisoner was the #17 Wine in the World (WS) and the Prisoner has always scored in the lower 90's the past few years.

Visual: Deep Purple, Heavy Legs
Nose: Sweet Red Berries (Zin), Blackberries (Syrah), Licorice (Petite Sirah)
Palate: Blackberries and Black Cherries, Mocha, Toffee, Licorice. Coats you mouth(Zin) with very small tannins

If I would have put The Prisoner up against any other wine that evening The Prisoner would have ran away with the blue ribbon but the R&V is a treasure if you can find it. The Prisoner you can get around VA for about $35 but hurry up b/c Orin Swift only makes so much then you have to wait for next years.