WINE PICK: Broadside 2018 Chardonnay & Cabernets

Today’s pick is Broadside Wine. You may be familiar with the instantly recognizable label designs, as well as their reliably delicious flavors. The TasteTV wine reviewers recommend the following three as ones that combine great value with an attractive price.

We talk with Anna of Wine Hooligans to find out a bit more about this winery, and why she admires these specific wines.

Winery Name: Broadside

Owner: Wine Hooligans LLC

Winermaker(s): Adam LaZarre, Director of Winemaking; Brian Terrizzi, Winemaker for Blackletter Cabernet

Established: 2006

Interview with Anna Frizzell

Wine Hooligans

Hi Anna, you have a lot of wines to chose from, why are these your wine picks for Broadside?

I thought the Broadside 2018 Margarita Vineyard Cabernet would be a great selection for dads. It’s a single vineyard Cabernet for less than $25 and is amazingly rich and bold for the money.

And, for those looking for something even more special, the Broadside Blackletter Cabernet is just that. It all starts in the vineyard with hand-picked fruit coming from a hillside vineyard called Grosso Kresser and select blocks from the Margarita Vineyard. Further hand-selections are made at the winery during crush, followed by a slow fermentation with native yeasts present on the grapes themselves and ambient strains living in the winery. The final lots spent over 20 months in French oak barrels before final blending. This is a very special bottle with only 900 cases produced.

What are the most exciting attributes about these wines?

Well, in addition to the above, the Broadside 2018 Chardonnay recently made it onto Food & Wine’s list of 12 Excellent Affordable Wines to Buy Right Now.

We also picked up a 90 point score from Vinous on this vintage.

Congratulations on those high points!

The Margarita Vineyard is an amazingly special place at the southernmost tip of Paso Robles. Vineyards are located on a working ranch in the Santa Margarita Ranch AVA and sit amongst ancient oaks, with incredible bio and geological diversity. Vineyards were first planted in 1999 and are SIP certified (one of the strictest standards for environmental protection).

The Chardonnay is very much what you want in that varietal, and does not disappoint. The TasteTV wine tasters particularly enjoyed the melange of ripe blackberry, smoky leather and subtle tobacco elements in the Broadside 2018 Margarita Vineyard Cabernet. Are there any elements of terroir in these wines that the drinker should notice?

Absolutely. The terroir of Paso Robles contributes greatly to the excellence of our wines. [There is a lot of research] dedicated to talking about the soils and terroir of Paso for your reference.

These three Broadside wines can absolutely be enjoyed on their own, but of course we often like to have something delicious to eat. With which foods do you recommend these pair, Anna?

I’d recommend a spring pasta for the Broadside 2018 Chardonnay. Something like rigatoni with English peas, carrots, green garlic and toasted walnuts. The Broadside 2018 Margarita Cabernet goes will with BBQ pork—something really juicy and delicious. The Broadside 2018 Blackletter Cabernet has more structure, but still has a sense of lushness and I think pairs really well with seared fillet mignon or a mushroom fettuccini.

Is this wine better as a Mother’s Day Gift or a Father’s Day Gift?

Not to be sexist, I’d say most any mom would be happy with the Broadside Chardonnay and I think either of the Broadside Cabernets would make an excellent Father’s Day gift.

TasteTV WINE RATINGS

  • 3.75 out of 5 Stars: Broadside 2018 Central Coast Chardonnay – $17.99 SRP
  • 4 out of 5 Stars: Broadside 2018 Margarita Vineyard Cabernet – $23.99 SRP
  • 4.3 out of 5 Stars: Broadside Blackletter 2017 Paso Robles Cabernet – $79.99 SRP

Find them at www.Broadsidewine.com