Nota Bene Cellars 2005 Miscela

*Bottle #35: Nota Bene Cellars 2005 Washington State Miscela

*Price: $29 (free for Erin though, somehow scammed my way again...)

*Running Tab: $447

I'm done with Italians, I swear.

This one just happens to be an Italian-named blend but Washington born and raised grapes! Look! I'm making larger steps out of my little circle of bias!

This one doesn't even use any Italian varietals and is a Bordeaux style blend. See!

A new world blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, Nota Bene - "N" for Tim Narby and "B" for Carol Bryant - was formed by the three star-crossed lovers over a bottle of Chateau Margaux 1982. I'm talking Narby, Bryant and the wine. The triangle began at first sip and has been a consist affair since 2001, but can be traced back to an amateur crush (of grapes) in 1986.

Bryant, the self-proclaimed "company Latinist" (information acquired from their handy, dandy Web site), transcribes the Latin root of "amateur" to amo, meaning "to love." She feels wine "must be the product of love."

Aw, the good old days when wine was produced for the love of the wine, not the love of the money. But what do I know, I just drink it.

"Note well," as Nota Bone translates from Latin, is what Narby and Bryant have done well. After a few trial and errors, they believe their blend epitomizes the state of Washington. The Seattle-based cellars sources from several of the region-specific profiled vineyards the state is growing in repute for.

After a heavy wait time in the glass (I'd say 15 minutes post-initial pour) and followed with devious swirling sessions, the 2005 Miscela came of age. The nose exhibited aromas of blackberries, oak and a later very distinct vanilla extract note. On the negative sounding side, but not necessarily so, a modest cherry-chapstick scent rose up along with something vegetal. And I couldn't help but find an aroma that I've been finding a lot in Cabs lately - Fig Newton. Yeah, those cookies your grandpa eats. Doughy but dried-fruit-like. Very strange.

With a delicate attack, the Miscela doesn't really appear too sharply on the tongue until the mid-palate, where I got a rush of deep red fruits, chocolate and tannins that grip your mouth like a firm yet professional handshake. Warm at 14.8% alcohol per volume - which, in the state of Washington, is given a 1.5% leeway up or down on the scale and usually means it's around 15.2%+ - but tasty after it really opened up.

You all know how I love the story behind the wine song and dance and I never like to sound like a disappointing, patronizing parent but... I kind of expected more. Especially with 11% Malbec in the blend, a Bordeaux varietal I love so much for its spicy qualities, I thought there would be more of a kick behind them perdy red colors and flashy titles.

Score: 6.