Grown on “old vines” planted in Mendocino County’s reddish clay soil, the quadruple blend of carignane, zinfandel, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon grapes have a palate-pleasing complexity rarely found at this price point. Using “old vines”—vines that have been typically used for thirty years or more—produces a smaller quantity of fruit than using younger vines does; but each grape from these vines is packed with ripe, juicy flavor.
A popular blending grape, carignane provides the tannic structure, deep violet color, and an alcohol content that is often high. While the zin brings leathery aromas and spicy cherry-berry to the party, the merlot contributes sweet plum and black currant; leaving the cabernet to add a bit more oomph!
LadyBug wines, made by Lolonis Winery, are organically farmed. The winery literally uses lady bugs—to eat the bad bugs. Instead of using synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers (or antibiotics and growth hormones), the folks at Lolonis bought a few hundred thousand praying mantises and millions of ladybugs to live in their vineyards and eat any grape-noshing insects. Ladybugs do not like grapes.
All that Wild Kingdom background aside, Ladybug Red Cuvee V serves up a tongue-tapping montage of flavors. It is fantastic with ketchupy cheeseburgers, seared salmon, roasted baby eggplant, BBQ chicken and grilled portobello-gruyére panini pressed to perfection. Fun and frisky, it’s your every night delight or a perfect picnic treat. Ladybug, ladybug, fly over here, fly over there…
Let’s go!
LadyBug Red Cuvee V Lolonis Winery
1905 Road D
Redwood Valley, CA 95470
925-938-8066
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