Tusk N Red

You gotta love the name Tusk N Red, so called because its kinda 00’s funky but also because its a Californian wine with a touch of Sangiovese. Tusk N Red is from Mendocino county, north of Sonoma, and has a bevvy of grapes in the blend including Zinfandel, Syrah, Petit Syrah, Carignane and Sangiovese. Check out the video below to see how Tusk N Red fared against a real Tuscan Red, the Fattoria il Pupille Morellino di Scansano.

http://www.viddler.com/player/a76fee8e/

Not really a fair fight as Fattoria il Pupille is a top class producer of Morellino di Scansano. Neither of these wines were bad for the price though the MdS is clearly the better made, better structured wine with the Tusk N Red being a very quaffable, fun, easy drinking effort and, actually doing a fairly good job in aping a Tuscan red.

Mendocino Wine Co. Tusk N Red 2004 – BORDERLINE – £9
A light purple colour in the glass with a forward nose of dark cherries, plums, chocolate and herbs. A soft supple palate with high acidity and low tannins, a food wine of medium body that is easy drinking and enjoyable but not special. Borderline Buy/Pass. 86 Points

Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano 2006 – BUY – £12
A dark red/light purple in the glass with typical notes of cherry with blackberry, plum and earthy notes playing back up. On the palate the wine carries good fruit through to a mid length finish on a well structured wine that could probably do with some time out of the bottle. Chewy tannins, but a rounded wine and a good priced example of MdS. 90 Points

Where can I buy this Wine? (MdS)
Americans – Fame Wines – $11 (half) or PlanetofWine – $17
Europeans – Enoteca Italia – €7.50
Brits – Classic Wine – £12

Leave a Comment
Any opinions on either of these wines or Morellino di Scansano welcome. Favourite fake accent ever? Daphne from Frasier? Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins? I gotta come close!