two 2008 Owen Roe reds

Owen Roe 2008 Sinister Hand

I’m always seduced by wine labels from the Pacific Northwest. A few weeks back we tried some Columbia Valley reds that I picked up at Berkeley Bowl West merely because of the price and the attractive labels. Today, I’ll report on two Owen Roe reds that I got at Whole Foods, mainly because of the stunning labels.

Do wineries hire consultants to design their labels? Owen Roe either must do that or perhaps they’re especially brilliant and talented in design. Their Abbot’s Table label with its stocky medieval looking tower surrounded by trees with a cloudy sky in an old fashioned printed style really caught my eye. And the Sinister Hand with its bloody severed left hand is so disturbing looking that it makes me really want to try the wine.

I paid a bit more for these than neatly fits in my budget: $24 for the Abbot’s Table and $25 for Sinister Hand. Oh well, you gotta live!

2008 Sinister Hand: This is a blend of mostly Grenache with 35% syrah and 3% mouvedre. The OR web site gives a disturbing history of the wine that nevertheless explains the label and the name:

On this label the family crest depiction of a severed left hand tells the story of a rowing competition among the O’Neill’s & the O’Reilly’s (Owen Roe was an ONeill). Whoever touched land first after rowing across the lake was rewarded with the land he touched. Lagging behind, one of the kinsfolk grabs his sword to cleave his hand and pitches it ashore to touch land first. He won the land and eventually ruled over it as king.

Creepy, right?

It was a dark purplish red with berry on the nose. It had a medium body with raspberry and cherry flavors. There was a slight chocolaty bitterness in the middle of the taste followed by a longish peppery finish. It had a distinct taste that did not remind us of California, French or Australian wines. It must be the Pacific Northwest terroir, as it was a bit like the Columbia Valley reds from a few weeks ago. It was good.

Owen Roe 2008 Abbot's Table

2008 Abbot’s Table: This wine is a mad blend of everything and the kitchen sink. The OR site says it contains:

24% Zinfandel, 22% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 10% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Blaufrankish, 4% Malbec

In that sense, the wine reminds me of some of the blends that we tried at David Coffaro last April.

This wine was a transparent deep red with earthy notes on the nose. It had medium body that seemed “flat” to Hegui. I thought it was a little unbalanced with the acid lending sour notes. It had a metallic taste and a chocolaty finish. Just so-so.

So that’s it. Owen Roe has a zillion other wines from which to choose. They’re fun so I’m likely to pick up some more as time goes on.