2009 Wattle Creek Triple Play Mendocino Red Half Case

Tastes like: Blueberry, black raspberry, plum
Pairs with: Grilled foods
Good for: Parties, informal get-togethers
Drink this: Now, or until 2015
Alcohol: 14.5%

6 x 2009 Wattle Creek Triple Play Mendocino Red

This wine is a total showoff – and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's massive, and the tannins are chewy and mouth-coating; the finish seems to last forever. Perfectly delicious – and perfectly priced – this juice should be served when you have friends over and some burgers charring away on the grill. (And, sure, even veggie burgers will work.) Triple Play is my go-to party wine.

Triple Play is a beautifully balanced – yet completely unorthodox – blend of Syrah (88 percent) Petite Sirah (8 percent) and Viognier (4 percent). Stick your nose in the glass and get socked with a load of sweet, black fruit, toasty oak and melted chocolate, along with a bouquet of briar patch, raspberry and plum, all dusted with mocha. In the mouth, you'll experience powerful flavors of cherry, wild berry and wild strawberry. This is what happens when you grow grapes in a place like Yorkville Highlands, where the growing season is even and long from the warm, sunny days and cool nights (from the close proximity to the ocean).

But forget about the technical details. Just know that for this price, you won't find a better-tasting wine for your next barbecue. It's certainly what I'll be serving all summer.

Tasting Note
This powerhouse red will please any and all sentient beings. If you don't like it, you don't have a pulse. This wine craves food, fire and flame, so don't be bashful: Throw everything on the barbecue. Char will only elevate the vibrant blueberry, black raspberry and plum, as well as the nutmeggy, vanilla, mocha, cherry palate that lingers and awaits your next gulp. Secondary aromas bring about a minty and earthy component that will complement your dining hour.

—Punky Mahle

Punky Mahle has more than 15 years of experience in the wine and food industries, most recently with luxury resorts. Before joining Lot18 as a Napa/Sonoma Wine Specialist, Punky was a sommelier with The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz., and the wine director for the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix. Punky currently lives, works and plays in Napa Valley. She’s thrilled to share her backyard with Lot18 members and be able to bring the region’s most exciting wines to the community. Learn more about Punky here, or follow her on Twitter: @punkytime