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- A Review of Apothic Dark Wine: Is This a Good Bottle? - July 6, 2022
Table of Contents
Apothic Wines History
The name Apothic was inspired by “Apotheca,” an enigmatic place in the 13th century Europe where wine was blended and stored. Only the most distinctive California grapes are used to craft the wines which create bold flavors, tasting notes, and intense aromas. The winemaker strives to tell a story with the grapes and unique flavour, anything from drama, to intrigue, to romance any wine lover will appreciate.
Apothic wines demonstrate the creativity and innovation which is found in every bottle of Apothic Wines. Let’s explore Apothic Dark and you can decide if it’s the right wine for you between all their unique flavors!
Apothic Wines has a range of wines that are produced by E.J. Gallo, California’s largest wine exporter. From the first Apothic Red wine release in 2010 to the six varieties they currently produce, Apothic Wines has become known for their full-bodied, fruit-forward wines with some residual sugar.
Wider selection, more states delivered (and Canada too!), a better refund policy, and an easier to use website. Drizly has clearly established themselves as the market leader and our preferred option here!
Apothic Wines
Apothic has an interesting website with a virtual tour – through the Shazam app – of their wine cellar. There is also an interactive Tasting Challenge that Apothic describes as a “night of bold tastes and intriguing moments.” The Challenge uses either Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to guide you through your tasting.
Wine consumers loved the easy-drinking style and Apothic now has six varieties of blended wines:
- The red blend is made with Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It has notes of black cherry, vanilla, and mocha;
- The white blend is made with Chardonnay, Riesling, and Moscato grapes. It has notes of peach, honey, pineapple, and vanilla spice.
- Inferno is red wine that has been aged in charred, white-oak whiskey barrels for 60 days. It has a variety of notes and strong whiskey characteristics including maple, spice, red fruits, caramel, cedar, and black tea.
- Crush is made with Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Pinot Noir, Teroldego, Petit Verdot, and other grape varieties. It has notes of ripe berries, cherry, rhubarb, caramel, and milk chocolate.
- The brew is made with Petite Syrah, Teroldego, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and other grape varieties and infused with cold-brewed coffee. It has notes of coffee, red fruit, and toasted oak and less caffeine than a standard cup of decaf.
- Dark is made with Petite Syrah, Teroldego, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Tannat.
What Does “Red Blend” Wine Mean?
In the United States, a red blend wine is any red wine that is not produced from one single grape, but a mixture of grapes. Red blends sell more by volume than Pinot Noir or Merlot. Wine producers make blended wines because it allows them to design the taste and flavor profile of a wine.
Wine producers start with a red wine base and add other grape varietals for spice, richness, depth, and to enhance acidity. If they want to soften the tannins in a Cabernet Sauvignon, they can add Merlot. Syrah grapes can add more flavor to a watery Pinot Noir.
A problem with classifying red blend as a type of wine is that there is no specification as to which grapes must be contained in the wine. Any red wine grape could be used, from Merlot to Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon to Syrah – and every other red wine grape that is grown. Basically, whereas most Cabernet Sauvignon wines within the same region will have similar taste profiles, you cannot expect all red blends to have similar taste profiles.
While red blends are generally medium- to full-bodied with a rich, juicy flavor and relatively easy on the wallet, it does not necessarily have to possess that flavor profile. It is a matter of trial and error and tasting the red blends to see which one suits you best.
In Spain, Rioja wine has customarily been produced with Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Graciano grapes. The most important reason that wine producers blend wines is that the wine will appeal to more wine drinkers when it contains dark, fruit flavors and low acidity.
In fact, Wine Enthusiast lists red blend varietal wines from around the world and they all taste significantly different. Wine Enthusiast states the following about Red Blends:[i]
“Wines under the red blend category vary in color, aroma, flavor, structure, and ageability. Red blends from cool climates tend to be light and bright, while those from warm climates tend to be bold and dark. The varieties used, the region where they were grown, the season, as well as winemaker decisions, all play an essential role in how a red blend will taste.”
How Are Red Blends Actually Made?
Making a Red Blend is a labor-intensive project. Each grape varietal is individually crushed and fermented. When the juice has been extracted, the wine producer creates the blend through blending trials. There is a lot of tasting and trial and error before the blend is considered complete. At times, white wine grape juice is added to provide further tones and balance.
Apothic Dark
The Apothic Dark, a limited-release wine, is a fuller, more savory, red blend and uses the Shiraz/Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel, and other grapes. It is a very dry wine with dark berry flavors of plum, blackberry, and blueberry combined with luxurious notes of chocolate and coffee. It is often described as rich, bold, and intense with a 14 percent alcohol content. Apothic Dark has a dark purple color, medium tannins, and a smooth finish.
Apothic Dark has won a number of awards, including a Silver medal in the 2018 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, a Bronze medal in the 2017 Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition, a Gold medal in the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, and a Bronze medal in the 2016 TEXSIM International Wine Awards.
The average price for a bottle of Apothic Dark is nine dollars and it has an aggregated critic score of 86 out of 100. Enjoy Apothic Dark at room temperature. It pairs well with beef, lamb, poultry, veal, pot roast, strong cheeses, and wild mushroom risotto.
Apothic Dark Red Blend reveals depths of blackberry, black cherry and blueberries with rich notes of shaved dark chocolate and mocha, creating a long, silky finish.
There is even a list of cocktails which can be created using Apothic:
- Dead of Night with dark rum, lemon juice, ginger beer, and a lime.
- Midnight Blossom with crème de violette, elderflower liqueur, blackberries, and champagne;
- Dark Crimson Spice with bourbon, lemon juice, ginger beer, and cinnamon bitters
- Dark Blackberry Cobbler with lemon juice, simple syrup, pomegranate juice, club soda, and blackberries.
Why Should You Drink Apothic Dark?
Pros:
- Deep, dark, luxurious color
- Good legs that stand up in the glass
- Tannins in the wine are surrounded by a taste of richness
- The bold flavor of wine pairs well with bold flavors
- A great wine for beginning red wine drinkers due to dark fruit flavors
- The inexpensive – average cost is $9.00
- Eye-catching labels
- Good marketing and fun website
Cons:
- The unique and lingering taste means you would not want to drink this wine every day as a table wine
- Grapes probably blended with sugar and grape juice for the unique, rich taste profile
Other Red Blend Alternatives
There are a lot of choices when deciding which Red Blend wine to drink. Learn about some of the world’s most famous blended red wines and the grapes that are used to produce them[ii]:
|
Wine Name |
Region |
Grapes in Wine |
|
Red Bordeaux |
Bordeaux, France |
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec |
|
Red Bourgogne |
Bourgogne, France |
Pinot Noir, Gamay |
|
Chianti |
Tuscany, Italy |
Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, others |
|
Amarone Della Valpolicella |
Veneto, Italy |
Corvina, Molinara, Rondinella, Others |
|
Red Rhône |
France, Australia, USA |
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Others |
Vivino has comprised a list of the ten best California Red Blend Wines:
|
Wine Name |
Region |
Grapes in Wine |
|
Napa Valley, California |
Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Charbono |
|
|
|
Napa Valley, California |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sangiovese |
| Dylan’s Ghost Proprietary Red |
Napa Valley, California |
Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Syrah |
| Castello di Amarosa La Castellana |
Napa Valley, California |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese |
| Justin Savant |
Paso Robles, California |
Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon |
|
Sonoma, California |
Grand Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Alicante, Bouschet, Carignan, Mission, Shiraz/Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Trousseau |
|
| Kenzo Estate Rindo Red |
Napa Valley, California |
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc |
| Venge Vineyards Scout’s Honor Red |
Napa Valley, California |
Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Charbono, Syrah |
| Murrieta’s Well Small Lot Zarzuela |
Livermore, California |
Touriga, Tempranillo, Souzao |
|
Napa Valley, California |
Petite Sirah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec |
The Prisoner is now the most recognized red blend, leading the resurgence of interesting blends by incorporating Zinfandel with the unlikely mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Charbono.
The Cave Blend is always one of our most approachable and attractive wines. The nose is very fruit forward with blackberry, and ripe plum.
Big bold red blend, juicy red currants, ripe plums, and ripe summer cherries with enough structure to sustain it but not overpower your taste buds.
A bold yet elegant Super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese, our Lady of Castle will slowly reveal her secrets over the years.
This is a bold wine that combines ripe fruit with full textures and balances nicely on the palate making it a great pairing for full flavored foods like BBQ, Venison, or roasted leg of lamb.
Heady, yet refined and polished, with boldly expressive black raspberry, orange peel and spice box flavors.
As the flagship red wine in the collection, rindo is the singular expression of the estate's magnificent diverse vineyards, that grow an alluring mosaic of Bordeaux.
This delicious red blend honors our late and beloved Labrador Retriever, Scout. This wine is based on a tradition of producing a full bodied and delicious red.
This wine is lively and energetic with a juicy mouthfeel and wonderful structure through the mid-palate.
The Investor is a red wine that beautifully blends together the unique flavors and expressions of Merlot, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, resulting in a powerful, yet approachable assemblage with significant fruit presence.
And finally, Wine Spectator lists a wide variety of Red Blend Wines. The highest-rated wines on their list are:
|
Wine Name |
Region |
Rating |
Price |
|
Napa Valley |
96 |
$95 |
|
|
Washington |
95 |
$60 |
|
|
Gorman, Cabernet Sauvignon-Petit Verdot Red Mountain The Albatross |
Washington |
95 |
$80 |
|
Washington |
95 |
$60 |
|
|
Washington |
95 |
$26 |
|
|
Washington |
94 |
$50 |
|
|
Washington |
94 |
$55 |
|
|
Napa Valley |
94 |
$20 |
|
|
California |
94 |
$60 |
|
|
Australia |
94 |
$100 |
The 2016 Proprietary Red shows blackberry, ripe plum, blueberry, cocao andcedar on the nose. The palate is silky and focused, showcasing red and blackcurrant, crushed blackberries, tobacco, and more.
This is as aromatic as any young Camerata has ever been. Red and black fruit interplay on the palate with minerality and spice weaving in and out of the fruit framework.
Blended with 20% Petit Verdot, this unusual offering brings notes of mushroom, herbs, smoke and dark cherries. It's tightly wound with a firm squeeze of tannins.
The Evil Twin exemplifies the power and beauty that resides at Red Mountain. The reds of the area tend to express dark black and blue fruit, deep concentration, complex textures, high levels of tannins and as previously noted, have good aging capabilities.
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FAQ’s About Apothic Wine
When opened, the red Apothic wine can last up to 6 days, if the bottle is closed with a cork and is kept in a cool and dark place, whereas the Apothic white wine can be used up to 5 days if kept in a fridge with a cork on the top.
The red Apothic wine has 156 calories per 1 glass, the Apothic white wine has around 120 calories per 1 glass and the Apothic rose has around 147 calories per glass.
This is really up to personal taste, however, Apothic recommends that you drink your wine at room temperature or mildly chilled, in order to be able to enjoy all of the notes of the wine.
Red wine is known as a doctor for your heart if you drink it in moderate amounts. In fact, many doctors even recommend drinking 1 glass of wine every day, because of the antioxidants it consists that prevent heart issues and artery diseases.
Conclusion
If you enjoy dry, red, fruit-forward wines, you will enjoy Apothic Dark. The Prisoner and Apothic Dark are two of my favorite red blends and I can recommend them highly for beginners and sophisticated wine drinkers alike. Have some fun and try the Apothic Tasting Challenge with Alexa or Google Assistant. You may just find your new favorite wine! To your health!
Recommended Reads:
- If you are interested in finding out more about the Apothic Wine Collection, check these articles on Apothic Rose Wine and Apothic Dark Wine.
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