Hello Everyone,

As I write this, Brood X, the largest of the broods of seventeen-year cicadas is about to emerge from the ground. According to Scientific American, there can be as many as 2.4 million cicadas per acre. This will result in a deafening cacophony of mating calls for five or six weeks as the members of Brood X party through their adult phase of life.

If you feel the need to take the edge off of all that noise, or if you just wish to party along with the cicadas, I have a red wine recommendation for you. This month, we have a new offering from Treasure Hunter wines; Centurion, a 2018 Napa Valley red blend.

Treasure Hunter is a label whose wines consist of small lots purchased from prestigious
producers who, for various reasons, find themselves with extra wine. The upside of this is that what you get in a bottle of Treasure Hunter is high-quality wine which would cost significantly more if it were sold under the label of the producer. The downside is that these are one-off batches which are gone forever when the last bottle of the lot is sold.

Centurion is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petite Verdot, and 10% Petite Sirah. It has a nearly opaque, deep ruby hue. The nose is redolent of Napa Valley fruit. There are strong aromas of blackberries, black currants and black cherries, with hints of dark chocolate and cocoa. These flavors carry through the palate of this medium to full-bodied wine and mingle with silky tannins and just the right amount of oak. The mild acidity shines on the medium-long finish.

If you enjoy Napa Valley red wines, there is much to like about this proprietary red blend from Treasure Hunter—including the price. It is a great deal at $19.99. However, you should buy it soon. Although we have an ample supply at O’Bryan’s for now, there were only 460 cases produced. As with the cicadas, Centurion has a lot of presence but it won’t be around for long!

Cheers!
Frank