Category: Accolades

The Palm Beach Post Swirl Girls recommended our 2007 Matchbook Tinto Rey and Extra Virgin Olive Oil in their December 16 Round-up: Reds under $20 column:

“2007 Giguiere Family Matchbook Tinto Rey, California ($17 crewwines.com) – With a deep garnet color, this blend continues the depth in its aroma of black cherry, other dark berries, dark chocolate and oak. The palate is a surprise in that there’s not as much fruit as the aroma might lead you to believe. In fact, despite that it’s a New World wine, it tastes more like an Old World with 44 percent tempranillo, 36 percent syrah, 13 percent cabernet sauvignon, 5 percent graciano and 2 percent petite syrah. The earth notes come through more than the berries, it was a bit acidic up front and finished long and dry. It’s a full-bodied, slightly tannic wine, although it did soften as the night went on. So, do yourself and the wine a favor, and let this big boy sit for an hour or more to enjoy the spicy berries and oak influences, perhaps imagining yourself picnicking amongst the hills of Spain.

Matchbook Tinto Rey Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($15 for 750 ml,crewwines.com ) – I’m not sure what constitutes proper descriptors for tasting olive oil, nor have I ever taken any tasting notes for olive oil. But when the bottle of wine sent for review from Matchbook comes with a bottle of their olive oil, well then, my duties as a Swirl Girl are extended beyond the grape. The cold-pressed oil is made from Spanish and Italian varieties grown in California, and has a deep yellow color with a green cast. It’s very fragrant, and pours from the bottle like syrup. It has good weight on the palate, a creamy texture with rich and hearty flavors, and then finishes with a pepper note. I didn’t taste the Matchbook oil against other olive oils, so I can’t say anything relative, but I can say it was delicious. I mixed it with aged balsamic vinegar for a spinach salad, and the oil coated the leaves with its flavor prominent in every bite.”

http://www.pbpulse.com/dining/swirlgirls/wine-reviews/red-wine-wine-reviews-swirlgirls/2011/12/16/round-up-reds-under-20/

Rich Breshears, the East Oregonian Wine Guy, featured our 2007 Matchbook Tinto Rey in his December 9 column:

“The Giguiere family from Zamora, Calif. has been producing wines since 1983 under a label that they took to the moon. The R.H. Phillips brand was their baby, producing great wines such as Toasted Head and EXP. They sold to Vincor in 2000, and John Giguiere worked as CEO of Vincor until 2005.

The family started Matchbook, Mossback, Chasing Venus, and Sawbuck, which I’ve written about in other articles.

I was excited to try Matchbook’s “King,” in their 2007 Tinto Rey. This red table wine is the Giguiere’s favorite wine and I’ve been looking forward to trying it for some time. A mix of 44 percent Temperanillo, 36 percent Syrah, 13 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 percent Graciano and 2 percent Petite Syrah make this wine a huge combination of Spanish and Bordeaux varietals. The Spanish varietals give off huge flavors of spicy red berries, with black cherry and blueberry coming from the Syrah, cedar and rummy tobacco runs from the flavors of the Cabernet Sauvignon, with tannic structure and pepper coming from the Petite Syrah. This wine is beautifully complicated, with aromas and flavors from beginning to the very end of the finish. Enjoy with any kind of red meat. I followed the suggestion from the winery and made lamb pops with rosemary and garlic. It was oh so good!”