In old Armenian, Karmir, means crimson red. Bob Bagdasarian winemaker and winery owner at Kings River Winery has taken several wine grapes known to be teeth-stainers, Alicante Bouschet, Tempranillo and Syrah and has created crimson in the glass. I meet Bob sometime back while visiting his winery with Lance Huntress with Huntress Media shooting some video to for a video collage for a few Central Valley wineries (you can take a peek at the video by using the link at the end of this post). Bob was a gracious host and took the time to give me the grand tour of the winery and the vineyard. I will be doing some video reviews on several of Kings River Winery wines in the weeks to come. During a recent visit Bob was at the winery and he asked which wines I had selected during the visit. I let Bob know I would really like to feature one of his wines that many people might not be so familiar with and Bob suggested his 2015 Karmir.
Karmir is a blend of 60% Alicante Bouschet, 20% Tempranillo, and 20% Syrah.
About Kings River Winery
Kings River Winery sits on the 40-acre farm in Sanger, CA that Bob Bagdasarian was raised on as a child. Since 1954, Bob and his family have grown everything from grapes for wine and raisins, peaches to plums, and apricots on this little piece of wine grape growing paradise just south of Fresno. In 2012, Bob decided to follow his passion and focus only on what he loves most, wine. He planted 12 different varietals of wine grapes on the 40 acres and began building a Kings River Winery, with wine making equipment unmatched by any winery in this region. Adding the finishing touches in 2014, Bob’s vision for a premium boutique winery, that would also fill the need for special event venues in the area, finally came to fruition and even today Bob has plans for expand the wineries ability to host other special events.
Alicante Bouschet is a major player in the crimson blend is appropriate. Alicante Bouschet is a unique grape as most red grapes it is only their skin that appears red. What make this wine grape so different? If you peel back the skin of an Alicante Bouschet grape, you’ll see what separates it from the rest. Unlike other grapes, which have clear flesh, Alicante Bouschet has red flesh. (Be prepared for purple teeth!)
Tempranillo comes in at 20% of this blend, Tempranillo pairs well with all types of food because of its savory qualities. Spanish cuisine, which includes roasted vegetables and cured meats creates an exceptional pairing. However, the grape is diverse and not only pairs with Spanish food, but it also works well foods from all over the globe. If you’ve never tried Tempranillo before, you may find it has a similar taste to that of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon and in the blend it delivers contributing flavors of leather and cherries.
Syrah also is 20% of this intriguing blend. Syrah can vary greatly depending on where it is grown and how it is cared for by the winemaker. Some tastes to look for are Blackberry, Blueberry and Boysenberry and can range from tart to jammy. It has a range of flavors, from smoke, bacon, herbs, red and black fruits, white and black pepper, to floral violet notes. When aged in oak, Syrah takes on flavors of vanilla and baking spice.
FOOD PAIRING AND KINGS RIVER WINERY'S – 2015 KARMIR
The intense smoky-sweet flavors of Alicante Bouschet beg for equally intense foods including barbecue, teriyaki, carne asada and grilled vegetables, but you need not stop there. Consider as well dishes that use tomato sauces as it cuts well through the tannins and you will find this wine is a great match with pizza.
Brief video that features several Central Valley wineries, including; Kings River Winery Fresno and Madera Counties - California Corks "Central Valley Wine Country". Enjoy!