Wine Notes: 14 Hands Hot to Trot Red Blend

Baby Grapes in Oakville, CA

14 Hands is a small winery located in Eastern Washington. They have a great value Cab Sauv that I've had many times, but this was my first time trying their blend.

This red blend is predominantly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Petit Verdot.

First impression: heavy on the spice and oak.

1) Color: Rich, dark purple
2) Nose/Aroma: Blackberry, blackcurrant and spice
3) Mouthfeel/Taste: Jammy, peppercorn, and clove. The finish was lacking strength and the spice and oak opened too strongly, leading to an underwhelming and unbalanced experience.
4) Score: 75. This wine was not particularly structured or accessible. I tried it both alone and with a hearty Italian dinner, and it was not remarkable either way. The blend was clumsy and it really needed a better finish to balance the powerful spice.

Here's the scale that I'm basing my score on:

Wine Spectator’s 100-Point Scale:
95-100 — Classic; a great wine
90-94 — Outstanding; superior character and style
80-89 — Good to very good; wine with special qualities
70-79 — Average; drinkable wine that may have minor flaws
60-69 — Below average; drinkable but not recommended
50-59 — Poor; undrinkable, not recommended