Caravel Wines Reserve Zinfandel 4-Pack
$65.99 (Normally $128.25) 49% off List Price
2008 Caravel Zinfandel Reserve
CT link above

Winery website

I drank a bottle of this wine recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. It pretty much hit all my pleasure buttons for an easy-drinking Zin. Fruit forward but not sweet. A little jammy with raspberry tart, cherry compote, strawberries, cream of cassis, some spicy bramble and moderate oak. Smooth tannins on the short/medium finish. The only minor quibble I have is that it didn't improve at all on the second day. That leads me to believe that it is more of a drink-now wine than something you would want to hold for any length of time. This is a wine that will drink equally well with or without food. It was heavenly when paired with some Candy Basket truffles.

First sucker, suckers!

YOO!! Wooters,

Its a late night here in Cali for us folks. We look forward to chatting with you tomorrow. If you get a chance join our fb page at https://www.facebook.com/outcastwines


We are makers of Caravel and Outcast wines.. Cheers! Thanks for joining us on our Wine Journey

unusually quiet tonight

Cesare wrote:

Wine Woot is no longer able to ship to Virginia. Click here for more info.

But for the second day in a row it seems that they can ship to VA. It's not listed in the buzzkill states and VA was lit up yesterday. Did something change?

Virginia is NOT listed as a potential ship state. Read the notice again. It states due to buzzkilling laws the wine can only be shipped to the states listed.

dalylink wrote:Virginia is NOT listed as a potential ship state. Read the notice again. It states due to buzzkilling laws the wine can only be shipped to the states listed.

Okay fair enough but VA is lit up for yesterday's offering of Proud to Serve Sauvignon Blanc.

chipgreen wrote:First sucker, suckers!

I noticed first purchase from CA @ 1:30 into the sale. This is the third time the actual first sucker hasn't gotten their due credit, as this has also happened to both Sparky, myself, and now another CA purchaser. I think woot and Rick Perry is trying to tell CA something, move out.

Oh, and thanks for the TN's.

rjquillin wrote:I noticed first purchase from CA @ 1:30 into the sale. This is the third time the actual first sucker hasn't gotten their due credit, as this has also happened to both Sparky, myself, and now another CA purchaser. I think woot and Rick Perry is trying to tell CA something, move out.

Oh, and thanks for the TN's.

Probably because I attempted to purchase it first (I hammered the big orange button like it was a Wootoff Big Office Cubicles) but got denied initially because of a snafu with my email addy. I switched payment methods and it went through. There was another wooter whose name showed briefly as first sucker then it changed to me.

Ohio State wins the First Sucker Bowl and is crowned WW champ!

You get to live in CA, that should be enough.

EDIT: and off I go to shovel 6" of snow from the driveway...

outcastwine wrote:YOO!! Wooters,

Its a late night here in Cali for us folks. We look forward to chatting with you tomorrow. If you get a chance join our fb page at https://www.facebook.com/outcastwines


We are makers of Caravel and Outcast wines.. Cheers! Thanks for joining us on our Wine Journey

Welcome, can you speak to the specific vineyards that make up this blend, why choose fruit from each site and what each site added to the final blend that made you feel it was complete.

chipgreen wrote:
First sucker, suckers!

You aren't very good at this easing back on purchases thing.

Sparky 2.0

So I opened a bottle of this earlier in the week. Unfortunately for me I had maybe half glass of this. The nose was jammy. On the first sip I got spicy, almost like black pepper that lingered. Didn't mind that at all. Quite liked that flavor. However I got hint of vanilla and overwhelmingly tobacco flavor. Like cigar smelling in your face tobacco flavors. Unfortunately for me, that was it. Even an hour and a day later I just couldn't get passed the tobacco flavoring. So definitely not my style.

On another note though, hubby loved it and drank my unfinished glasses. He does smoke cigars on occasion so he didn't mind it. He thought he'd like to try it while smoking said cigar to see how it'd go together.

I had a chance to taste this a few days ago. I noted that this was a California AVA Zin, 14.5%. I'm not a huge Zin drinker, so take this with a grain of salt. The only Zins that I routinely purchase are Wellington and Pedroncelli. There was also a plastic cork, which I hate because they ruin nice wine tools. Have to dig up the old crappy wine tool I bought at a convenience store somewhere outside of Hickory… Ah there it is!
Opened the bottle and poured about 1 oz and then let it sit, planning to come back in a few hours.
Well, there is an open bottle of $15 Bordeaux from last night, might as well have a glass while I wait for the Caravel bottle to breathe…..
OK, 2 hours later we taste the Caravel…
Color: red, very red like a Chianti.
Nose: Not much fruit at first, a strong green briary scent and also undertones of something sweet. Not a fruit bomb. The nose is unique – not off-putting, but not fruity, it's almost hard to find any fruit on the nose. The nose reminds me of some South American wines I've had.
Taste: now there’s the fruit. Cherry, Raspberry, Red Fruits, mild tannins and mild acidity. There’s some definite sweetness there as well, maybe a touch of RS or maybe its just the Zin.
A moderate short finish.
Overall this a very easy drinking wine and one I think would go well at a BBQ party. It’s not my particular style, as I prefer higher acid, but I think it’s one that many people will enjoy.
Unlike Chip, I noticed an improvement the next day. The strong briary aroma had dissipated and the fruit had come through on the nose. The wine felt less disjointed and much more complete.

SWMBO Notes:
Nose of grass. Taste of cherries. Not a bad wine.

CAGrl wrote: However I got hint of vanilla and overwhelmingly tobacco flavor.

I did get some vanilla and tobacco as well, but I rolled the vanilla into "cream of cassis" and didn't notice the tobacco as prominently as you did.

North316 wrote:You aren't very good at this easing back on purchases thing.

Sparky 2.0

I've been trying to limit myself to mostly the "must buys" like recent Ty Caton and Stillman Brown offers but I enjoyed this one far too much to let it pass by. Bottle for you if you want it!

chipgreen wrote:I've been trying to limit myself to mostly the "must buys" like recent Ty Caton and Stillman Brown offers but I enjoyed this one far too much to let it pass by. Bottle for you if you want it!

Based on the notes, sounds like my style. I'll try a bottle.

jhkey wrote:
Unlike Chip, I noticed an improvement the next day.

When you folks say "next day" are you leaving the bottle open over night? Please help this newishbee...

bowl44 wrote:When you folks say "next day" are you leaving the bottle open over night? Please help this newishbee...

I do believe that some people leave the bottle opened, uncorked. I do not though. Once you open a bottle and recork it, you are trapping some oxygen into the bottle which will slowly change and often open up the wine (think really slow decanting).

Everyone does things differently. I usually recork my reds and just leave them on the counter. Some people recork and put in the fridge (I do this with my whites and dessert wines). It really all depends on when you plan to finish the wine. If you leave it completely uncorked, you should probably finish it the next day (maybe longer depending on the wine), as the air really speeds up the aging process.

Some people even have really fancy Argon gas dispensing units and keep their wine for weeks after opening.

I happened to pick up a bottle of this earlier in the week, which I planned on bringing to my usual card group (4 married couples). To make things a little more interesting, I also brought a bottle of 2007 Wellington Zin (SV) and a 2008 Elsbree RRV Zin. For purposes of this review, I will only comment on the Caravel.

PnP
Color: medium dark burgundy with moderate legs when swirled.
Aroma: minimal, but something sweet, possibly strawberry
Flavor: spicy, possibly pepper, flat cola and a little vanilla

Since the pork ribs were still cooking, we let this sit about 45 minutes, or until the ribs were done.

Flavor: a little deeper or more pronounced now. Tasters still thought strawberry, some cherry, more pepper and vanilla; not jammy though in our opinion.
Finish: pretty smooth, with no acid ending upon swallowing.
Food pairing: this was by far the WOTN for going with the ribs. While the other wines were okay, this was the perfect match.

Concensus: everyone liked this wine and would want to drink it again with BBQ items like ribs, chicken, etc. For $16 a bottle, this is a solid purchase.

North316 wrote:I do believe that some people leave the bottle opened, uncorked. I do not though.

Everyone does things differently. I usually recork my reds and just leave them on the counter.

Yeah, on the somewhat rare occasions I don't finish a bottle, I've re-corked and left it on the counter. I can't say I've ever felt the wine improved by the next day, usually to me it's not as good as the previous night.

bowl44 wrote:Yeah, on the somewhat rare occasions I don't finish a bottle, I've re-corked and left it on the counter. I can't say I've ever felt the wine improved by the next day, usually to me it's not as good as the previous night.

I use a Vacu-Vin to suck the air out of the bottle.

As for wine tasting better on the second day, I find this is the case with reds more often than not but it's rare that a white wine tastes better the next day. JMHO.

I also use a Vac Vin!! It works very well. I have even used it on a beer growler with great results!!

cortot20 wrote:Welcome, can you speak to the specific vineyards that make up this blend, why choose fruit from each site and what each site added to the final blend that made you feel it was complete.

Thats a good question.

The grapes for this wonderful wine come from several regions. A breakdown is below:

Lodi - 45%
Monterey - 39%
Sonoma - 10%
Mendocino - 6%

The three partners work with different wine makers, wine growers and sometimes outside consultants to bring together the essence of California Wine. That being said, for the Caravel our goal is to create a wine that people enjoy drinking, without leaving a permanent hole in the wallet. For this wine, our process was not that scientific. We tried blending of different regions until we found a blend that work well for us. Luckily we kept track of it so we could replicate it the next year.

chipgreen wrote:I did get some vanilla and tobacco as well, but I rolled the vanilla into "cream of cassis" and didn't notice the tobacco as prominently as you did.

I'm realizing that event the slightest hint of tobacco and it's not my style. For me I really really don't like it. So it ends up overpowering all other flavors as I can't get over the tobacco. But like I said that's me. It might not have been prominent but for me it was the flavor killer.

jmdavidson wrote:I happened to pick up a bottle of this earlier in the week, which I planned on bringing to my usual card group (4 married couples). To make things a little more interesting, I also brought a bottle of 2007 Wellington Zin (SV) and a 2008 Elsbree RRV Zin. For purposes of this review, I will only comment on the Caravel.

PnP
Color: medium dark burgundy with moderate legs when swirled.
Aroma: minimal, but something sweet, possibly strawberry
Flavor: spicy, possibly pepper, flat cola and a little vanilla

Since the pork ribs were still cooking, we let this sit about 45 minutes, or until the ribs were done.

Flavor: a little deeper or more pronounced now. Tasters still thought strawberry, some cherry, more pepper and vanilla; not jammy though in our opinion.
Finish: pretty smooth, with no acid ending upon swallowing.
Food pairing: this was by far the WOTN for going with the ribs. While the other wines were okay, this was the perfect match.

Concensus: everyone liked this wine and would want to drink it again with BBQ items like ribs, chicken, etc. For $16 a bottle, this is a solid purchase.

Thank you for your comments on the Caravel Zin. We have received an abundance of positive comments on this wine and its predecesor before under Caravel. Our team is a mix of A wine aficionado, A wine drinker of Elegance from Belgium and a guy who received his wine pallet a few years ago drinking $5-10 bottles. Choosing blends and making wines get challenging for us as a team as we get to the end of the process. We all have varied opinions which root from lands far apart. It's nice when we actually all agree that we can go to market with a wine that we all agree on. It is a wonderful excitement for the three of us when we get positive comments from our customers. We love you guys! Thanks for joining our journey to making fine wine.

jmdavidson wrote:I happened to pick up a bottle of this earlier in the week, which I planned on bringing to my usual card group (4 married couples). To make things a little more interesting, I also brought a bottle of 2007 Wellington Zin (SV) and a 2008 Elsbree RRV Zin. For purposes of this review, I will only comment on the Caravel.

PnP
Color: medium dark burgundy with moderate legs when swirled.
Aroma: minimal, but something sweet, possibly strawberry
Flavor: spicy, possibly pepper, flat cola and a little vanilla

Since the pork ribs were still cooking, we let this sit about 45 minutes, or until the ribs were done.

Flavor: a little deeper or more pronounced now. Tasters still thought strawberry, some cherry, more pepper and vanilla; not jammy though in our opinion.
Finish: pretty smooth, with no acid ending upon swallowing.
Food pairing: this was by far the WOTN for going with the ribs. While the other wines were okay, this was the perfect match.

Concensus: everyone liked this wine and would want to drink it again with BBQ items like ribs, chicken, etc. For $16 a bottle, this is a solid purchase.

Thank you for the great comments.. For me (Anuj) I love all feedback. I get tingly when its Great Feedback. During the day I work at a High tech firm and at Night I work on the Wine. Wine is a ever - growing passion for my team and I. The work we do during the day provides the necessary funding to work on the Wine.

We really take the wine group seriously and appreciate every comment you folks take to time to write. As a wine guy people ask me, "wouldn't it be great to have a wine that everyone loved?" I say, " then now you are in the Soda business."
We love wine as it provides everyone their true freedom of expression.

Thank you for the wonderful comments and thoughts again!

Cheers!

With only ABV, lacking pH, TA, and no comments regarding 'drink now' or 'can hold till xxxx' I'd appreciate some additional input to help make a buy decision. Drink now Zins are fine, but those with the stuffing to lay down some years are enticing. What was the mix or old/new oak, toast?
Nice label art.

Anuj, any thoughts or additional info?

rjquillin wrote:With only ABV, lacking pH, TA, and no comments regarding 'drink now' or 'can hold till xxxx' I'd appreciate some additional input to help make a buy decision. Drink now Zins are fine, but those with the stuffing to lay down some years are enticing. What was the mix or old/new oak, toast?

Anuj, any thoughts or additional info?

I would suggest this as a drink now or within a couple of years. Definitely Ready to enjoy today. As for the Oak, it was laying in American oak for about 18 months. I would characterize this wine as a well balanced wine with scents of Vanilla and spice. This wine has a lot of things happening with it as it finds its way out of the glass.

outcastwine wrote:I would suggest this as a drink now or within a couple of years. Definitely Ready to enjoy today. As for the Oak, it was laying in American oak for about 18 months. I would characterize this wine as a well balanced wine with scents of Vanilla and spice. This wine has a lot of things happening with it as it finds its way out of the glass.

Based on the tasting notes I'm reading, I'm guessing that wasn't any more than 50% new oak, if not much less?

outcastwine wrote: As a wine guy people ask me, "wouldn't it be great to have a wine that everyone loved?" I say, " then now you are in the Soda business."

I love that line. I wish more than just most small producers thought that way.

Hey Anuj! It's Carrie from Monday mornings! Great to see you and your wines here on Woot!

outcastwine wrote:Thank you for the great comments.. For me (Anuj) I love all feedback. I get tingly when its Great Feedback. During the day I work at a High tech firm and at Night I work on the Wine. Wine is a ever - growing passion for my team and I. The work we do during the day provides the necessary funding to work on the Wine.

Hey Anuj! It's Walter. Good to see you on Woot! Good luck with sale event.

rjquillin wrote:With only ABV, lacking pH, TA, and no comments regarding 'drink now' or 'can hold till xxxx' I'd appreciate some additional input to help make a buy decision. Drink now Zins are fine, but those with the stuffing to lay down some years are enticing. What was the mix or old/new oak, toast?
Nice label art.

Anuj, any thoughts or additional info?

In my opinion, the oak was well balanced, it was not an oaky wine, so I would guess minimal new oak. I would also guess a higher pH and lower TA, as I didn't notice much acidity on the palate. This is definitely a drink now wine and as I guessed and jmdavidson confirmed, a good BBQ wine.

bowl44 wrote:When you folks say "next day" are you leaving the bottle open over night? Please help this newishbee...

In this case I recorked the bottle and left it on the counter, no gas, no vacuum.

wls508 wrote:Hey Anuj! It's Walter. Good to see you on Woot! Good luck with sale event.

Thanks Walter.. great to see you here. Who would think you are a wooter! HAH! Its been too long my friend. I hope to see you guys very soon. We need a reunion

siamese1 wrote:Hey Anuj! It's Carrie from Monday mornings! Great to see you and your wines here on Woot!

Carrie, Great to see you here as well. It is such a small world. Wine and Woot making it smaller. Hope to have you attend our next Wine Release event! Cheers!

North316 wrote:I love that line. I wish more than just most small producers thought that way.

Thanks! Some folks get offended, but it's the reality of why Wine is such a beautiful thing

outcastwine wrote:Thanks! Some folks get offended, but it's the reality of why Wine is such a beautiful thing

You gained the respect of more than a couple of us with that kind of attitude. Way to own what you do and do so honestly!

Dear WW, ever since I put hardwood floors through out my house I have broken 4 wine glasses, Please offer some wine glasses
thank you
fred
(looking on the brite side, no white carpet to clean the next day)