Arsonist Red Blend 2016

MATCHBOOK WINES

Arsonist Red Blend
2016

Country
United States
Regulated designation
American Viticultural Areas (AVA)
Region
California
Varietal(s)
Petit Verdot 52 %
Malbec 26 %
Cabernet Sauvignon 22 %
Colour
Red
Sugar
Dry
Producer's website

About this winery

Why Matchbook? As a farm kid growing up in the late 1950´s and early 1960´s John Giguiere was a confirmed pyromaniac starting various things on fire such as his father´s wheat field. At one point, fearing total ruin from his kids burning him out of the house and farm, his father took them to the city jail for an hour stay to impress upon his brother and him the futility of their fascination with fire. John and his brother answered at a later date by graduating from random fires to the...

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Production notes

The Arsonist wines showcase what Matchbook do best in the Dunnigan Hills. These wines are sourced from Matchbook's best vineyard sites and vinified in their finest barrels. Matchbook treats every small lot as a unique wine, nurturing its special qualities. At the final selection, the best barrels from the best lots come together to make truly exceptional wines.

Tasting notes

Expansive aromas of violet, rose petal, saddle leather and orange peel. Broad flavors of blackberry, plum and cassis fill the palate; a hint of dark chocolate and baking spice adds complexity to the blend. Firm, but refined tannins add good structure and long, silky finish. Power and grace in a bottle!

Press reviews

Blue Lifestyle International

- 93 points -

February 2021

Opaque, garnet color, rich plum nose, rich, chewy and intense; mostly Petit Verdot with Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, velvety texture with notes of chocolate, mocha and spice, dense and balanced.

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 Wine Enthusiast

- 92 points -

October 2020

This wine is super concentrated and complex in its array of red and black fruit flavors, with subtle oak spices and a rich texture. A blend of Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a mouthcoating effect and a lingering gorgeous finish.

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Wine Spectator

- 90 points -

November 2021 (Vintage 2018)

Aromatic, offering a compelling mix of cardamon, palo santo, iron, cedar, vanilla and campfire notes, with juicy, dense cherry and boysenberry flavors at the core. Plenty of harmony on the finish. Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now.

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 Wine Enthusiast

- 90 points -

August 2018 (Vintage 2015)

This is a concentrated and truly dry Bordeaux-style blend that has a blackberry aroma and flavors of black cherry and dark chocolate. Firm tannins and good acidity give it plenty of structure, so it will easily stand up to steaks, chops and ribs. Made from Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

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