The Wine Experience

Wine of the Week!

Conundrum 2006 $24               

If you like putting together puzzles then you should be a winemaker!  We’re here with a wine of the week that thrives on putting the pieces of the wine puzzles together -Conundrum 2006. 

Conundrum is a blended white wine crafted from several varieties - Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and Muscat, among others…but only the winemaker knows. 

No matter, the result is a delectable wine that offers subtlety, complexity and fresh tasting drinkability.  We taste some pear but with honey and apricot… then a bit of vanilla too and an overall tropical flavor.  It’s medium bodied and not “fat” in your mouth but with a silky texture and clean taste. 

This is an excellent wine to serve as a starter with shrimp or cheeses and olives, but I love this wine for the Easter ham dinner choice if that’s your tradition.   But it’s perfect with chicken and seafood entrees too… especially with an Asian influence.

Conundrum 2006 runs about twenty four dollars… and lets your taste buds enjoy the puzzle!

Pop the Cork™.

Wine on the Radio - March 14, 2008

The "puzzle" of Conundrum lies partly in guessing the range of grape varieties we use, because we never reveal its exact composition.

To create the layered flavors that go into the Conundrum blend, we brought in Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the Napa Valley, Muscat Canelli from Tulare County on the Central Coast, and Chardonnay and Viognier from our vineyards in Monterey County.

About on-quarter of the wine lots were fermented in stainless steel in order to preserve their individual fruit characteristics. The remaining lots were fermented in a combination of new and seasoned oak barrels for up to ten months.

We continue to have success in the twist-top closure. As a winemaker and someone who insists on wines without faults, I believe this closure is the right tool to protect the aromas and flavors that developed in the vineyards and were preserved in the bottle.

Tasting Notes:
Soft tropical notes of guava and cherimoya, also peach and honeysuckle. The rich perfume is supported by concentrated and focused layers of peach and apricot nectar, pear and green melon with spicy vanilla notes. The creamy texture and balanced acidity carries through the palate for a long finish
Jon Bolta
Winemaker/Production Director

Released October 2007
Suggested serving temperature: Lightly chilled
Conundrum Wine History:
Conundrum was born from a core idea: why couldn't a wine mirror--in complexity and creativity--the dishes being invented by a new generation of chefs who had no allegiance to the traditions and rules of the past? From our first vintage, 1989, we were determined to make a dramatically different white-wine blend that would surpass the scope of single-varietal wines.

Blending several grape varietals together is a centuries-old tradition for both red and white wines. Vintners learned early on that just a small amount of Cabernet Franc or Merlot could complement and extend the flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon and that a little Sémillon could round and soften the herbal edges of Sauvignon Blanc. But we wanted to venture into a wider arena. Just as chefs were exploring the fusion of flavors from classic to contemporary, from east to west, often combining savory, spicy, herbal and fruity flavors in one dish, we wanted to explore how non-traditional combinations of grape varietals would work together. We wanted each varietal to be distinctive but still complementary to the others and to the foods we were enjoying.

Conundrum stands on its own as a brand, still owned by the Wagner family. Caymus Vineyards, where Conundrum was developed, now focuses exclusively on Cabernet Sauvignon. Plans are moving ahead for a dedicated Conundrum facility scheduled to be built in Monterey County, close to the sources for most of the grape varietals that make up the wine.

Past Recommendations, Picks, and Wines of the Week

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently.  A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list.  Well, don't stop buying it because of that.  In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts . . . first, prices are approximate.  They'll vary.  Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly!  Now, all that said, here is a summary of links to our suggestions.  Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

Read the fine print . . .

Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas.  If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink. 

Our information is well researched.  Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication.  At the same time, recommendations change.  Also, there may be significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors.

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