Urban wine making has become the Nuevo of the big city. Now a days it is not uncommon to find wine being made in a warehouse in Brooklyn or a boutique shop in Portland or an entire neighborhood surrounding urban wineries such as San Francisco. As is common with some winemakers the grapes can be trucked in from various locations as long as the drive is not too long to spoil the grapes. From my perspective urban wineries started to pop up and become more of a popular concept about 5 or 6 years ago. And I’ll admit at the time when it was “new” I thought they had a different profile and wasn’t too sure about the quality but as time progressed I have definitely changed my mind. These people are putting the same effort and trying to compete with the same, old school, long standing, vineyards and wineries all over the world. These wineries are no different than a winemaker who decided to start a winery in the country.
Saturday was a hot day in the city and which is unusual for San Francisco; therefore, its really hot outside the city. A good friend of mine had told me about a friend of hers who is a winemaker on Treasure Island, we should check it out. Treasure Island is a man made island in the San Francisco Bay created for the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939. After that the island became part of the US Military, held the world fair, and an overall historical landmark. After the use from the Military the island became a little more industrial and rundown. However, recently a few people gathered, decided, lets purchase a warehouse bunker and make wine! So they did. There are 14 wineries on the island.
Bravium is the label my friend’s friend is the winemaker. He creates beautiful Rosés and Bold red wines. Lucky I Proprietary Red Blend was one of his first creations and gives an awesome insight into his talent for winemaking. Our day was spectacular enjoying wine as the cool ocean breeze bustled through the open bunker door in a very rustic tasting room. So casual and such a great time being with friends, laughing, and having a great time staying cool even in the sun. We even were able to enjoy a couple of barrel tastings from some of the other wineries featuring their wines. Everyone was easygoing and just living life.
Wine Notes:
Nose: Cassis, Plum, Black Raspberry, Fennel bulb, Espresso
Taste: Big Red Fruit, Red Plums, Hint of Allspice, Bitter Chocolate with a kick
Big Bold Wine that would stand up to BBQ, Pizza, or just hangin outside with friends. The wine has a velvety smooth finish, with little tannins but just enough. Nice balance and doesn’t fall flat on the back of the throat but doesn’t have a huge after taste either. The blend is created from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Zinfandel. This is also a Non-Vintage wine meaning the grapes used could be from different vintages but not all are from the same vintage.
