WOW: Not Just TV Dinners, Swanson

WOW: Wine of the Week

Not Just TV Dinners:  Swanson Vineyards


While wine drinkers may not first think of TV Dinners when approached with the name "Swanson," that was the norm in the early 1950s when first the Swanson name made a splash.

Today though, the Swanson name is VERY well know for its quality red wines and ever expanding portfolio.  Uncorked is pleased to have had the opportunity to offer three of their selections to our clients.  Enjoy!

Winery Notes

For more than half a century, the Swanson name has been recognized primarily for frozen food products, as in the famous TV dinners the family launched in 1953, which, at that time, was a groundbreaking innovation in the food business.

Twenty-five years ago, the Swanson family chartered another innovative course, this time into the world of wine. Commencing in the mid-1980’s, they were one of the earliest producers of Napa Valley Merlot.

Today, while its wines are extraordinary, the mission of Swanson Vineyards is straightforward: to celebrate the simple pleasures in life, made better with wine. And the winery continues to evolve into something even more extraordinary. By collaborating with some of America’s finest cultural talents, Swanson Vineyards invites its guests to reinvent how they live and entertain with wine and its many accoutrements.

Swanson Pinot Grigio 2010 Tasting Notes

"Bright, fresh pear and peach fruit mingle with litchi and Meyer lemon aromas in the complex nose of this wine. On the palate, these aromas are translated directly into the generous flavor profile. There is a nice weight in the mouth due to the synergy of the Oakville Estate components: Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay." - Winemaker Notes

Swanson "Alexis" Cabernet 2008 Tasting Notes

"The 2008 Swanson Alexis Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep ruby color.  The wine was not fined nor filtered, in order to maintain maximum flavor intensity and texture.  On the nose, super-ripe black cherry and cassis mingle with blackberry and plum.  Initial flavor is juicy, with sweeter concentrated black fruits, yielding to a firm, yet balanced underlayment of ripe, supple tannins and integrated French oak.  Overall, the wine exhibits what we consistently strive for in making Alexis Cabernet -- layers of nuanced flavors, a velvety texture and a persistent finish.  This wine will continue to age gracefully through at least 2020." - Winemaker Notes
Blend: 86% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot

Swanson Oakville Merlot 2008 Tasting Notes

"The 2008 Swanson Oakville Merlot is a charming wine, reminiscent more of the Right Bank of Bordeaux than Napa Valley. The nose offers black cherry, plum, and dried red cherry with notes of well-integrated sweet oak and mocha. Firm, ripe tannins characteristic of our Oakville Estate vineyard fill the palate nicely. In the mouth look for raspberry, black cherry, and red licorice. The Petite Verdot contributes a graceful top note of verve and spice. Velvet-smooth and long on the finish. Should continue to improve in the bottle with the optimum drinkability continuing through 2017." - Winemaker Notes