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Conspire
| Owner(s) | Amy Aiken |
| Web site | www.meanderwines.com |
| Link to this site |
Napa Valley winemaker Amy Aiken crafts wines under the Meander and Conspire labels. She operates a virtual winery, using an old barn on her property as her tasting room. Her husband, Joel Aiken, was the well-known winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyards in the Napa Valley until 2009.
A Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is offered under the Meander label and a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc are produced under the Conspire labels.
The wines are sold through a mailing list with limited retail distribution.
Articles About Conspire
Reviewed Wines
2008 Conspire Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.4%, $30.
·
Moderate reddish-purple robe. Demure
aromas of black cherries with heavy oak in the background and a strange “auto garage” scent. Relatively light
weighted black cherry core with a burnt flavor and prominent oak. Could be an off bottle. Decent at best.
Reviewed August 13, 2011
ARTICLE »
2008 Conspire Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., $40. Crafted by Napa Valley winemaker Amy
Aiken.
·
Moderately deep reddish-purple color in the glass. Aromas of dark red cherries, strawberries, subtle
spice, “automobile garage,” and smoky oak. Medium-weighted flavors of cherries, black raspberries and
strawberries with an underlying smoky, tarry note. Fresh and clean with soft tannins and lively acidity. I am not
a fan of smoky Pinot, but there are consumers who seem to enjoy it and they may welcome this wine. For me,
the smoky, burnt flavors simply tarnish the pretty fruit in this wine, although they tend to diminish over time in
the glass. Tasted twice a few months apart. Unsatisfactory.
Reviewed November 2, 2011
ARTICLE »
2008 Conspire Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.4%, $30. · Moderate reddish-purple robe. Demure aromas of black cherries with heavy oak in the background and a strange “auto garage” scent. Relatively light weighted black cherry core with a burnt flavor and prominent oak. Could be an off bottle. Decent at best. Reviewed August 13, 2011 ARTICLE »
2008 Conspire Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., $40. Crafted by Napa Valley winemaker Amy Aiken. · Moderately deep reddish-purple color in the glass. Aromas of dark red cherries, strawberries, subtle spice, “automobile garage,” and smoky oak. Medium-weighted flavors of cherries, black raspberries and strawberries with an underlying smoky, tarry note. Fresh and clean with soft tannins and lively acidity. I am not a fan of smoky Pinot, but there are consumers who seem to enjoy it and they may welcome this wine. For me, the smoky, burnt flavors simply tarnish the pretty fruit in this wine, although they tend to diminish over time in the glass. Tasted twice a few months apart. Unsatisfactory. Reviewed November 2, 2011 ARTICLE »
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