Fetzer Crimson Red

By Chris and Sherry Hardie

Fetzer, one of California’s better-known wineries, has been making wine since 1968 and is the nation’s sixth-largest producer.

The winery was recently sold to a Chilean owner and launched two new blends in the past year — a white called Quartz and this red called Crimson.

The wine is a blend of syrah, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and petite sirah and is made for the masses in mind. Winemaker Dennis Martin calls it smooth, sociable, well-blended and slightly nontraditional. In that spirit, the wine was launched with a social media campaign.

The wine is very approachable with a distinct and jam-like fruit flavor that flirts with sweetness to make it appealing to even beginning red wine drinkers.

Sherry: “Bright fruity cherry and strawberry flavors with red licorice.” 3-1/2 stars

Chris: “A chocolate bouquet with flavors of raspberry, strawberry and cocoa.” 3 stars

Available locally for about $8.

Coming next week: Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Red Blend