There's a Sinister Hand in My Wine

I mentioned in a recent post that I had visited the local Binny's superstore and picked up two really interesting wines from Owen Roe in Oregon. The first was the Abbot's Table consisting of grapes harvested from the Yakima Valley.

The second had an even more interesting back story. As it turns out, winemaker and owner Owen Roe is a descendant of the Irish patriot Owen Roe O'Neill. His family crest depicts a particular event in family history.

The story goes that the O'Reillys and the O'Neills were competing for a particularly choice piece of ground that both families strongly desired.  In order to determine which family received the ground they agreed to a rowing competition where the first to touch the ground was awarded the land.

One of Owen Roe's kinsman saw that they were falling behind so he took his sword and severed his hand and threw it on the ground (thereby "touching" first). The O'Neill's were able to take possession of this ground as a result and the gentleman with the severed hand?

He became the king of this land. Now that's what I call thinking outside the box.  I'm pretty sure from that point on the O'Reilly family became sticklers for putting all the rules out there . . . and specifically stating that all body parts must remain attached to the owner to count.

But that describes the "do what it takes" attitude that I think Owen Roe brings to his wines -- especially to his Sinister Hand blend. One of the things I liked about this wine was its homage to a good Chateauneuf du Pape.

Loosely translated as the Pope's New Castle, Chateauneuf du Pape leans heavily on the Grenache grape (as much as 80% of the blend can come from the Grenache grape. This grape is valued for its fruitiness and added body without a lot of tannins.

Frankly, this wine was a real pleasure to drink.  It exhibited a lot of the fruit characteristics of the Grenache but really benefits from the blending with Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsoult. Together this wine brings a depth that can stand up to a steak and the subtlety to not overpower tilapia.

Here's how Owen Roe describes the wine:  "Aromas of spicy red hots, cinnamon and pine lead to a bursting mouth-feel of cassis, white pepper and granite. Fruity notes of raspberry and blackberry enhance this structured, firm tannin blend and finish with hints of rosemary and clove."

I can't really say that I can get that out of the wine but I will say that it surpassed my expectations. And even though I wouldn't likely give up my left hand for this wine, I will be venturing back to Binny's to pick up some more of this wine because it's sold out online.

Guess I'll have to wait until next year!