Three more “50 Project” wines to report on in today’s blog.

First was a 2010 Layer Cake Shiraz (from dear friends LR and JR).  The Layer Cake (a perfect wine name for a birthday, IMO) was a dark red in the glass, with a fabulous mushroom/leather aroma.  I tasted hints of vanilla and pepper in the mouth, and the wine had a nice long finish.  Wine Spectator awarded this wine 88 points, saying:  “An earthy wine, showing a strong tar and black olive component to the dark berry flavors, finishing with a refreshing balance.”

Next up was a 2009 Louis M. Martini Cabernet (from my longtime Red Sox partner in crime, BP).  This was a perfectly elegant Cabernet: a gorgeous garnet red in the glass, with aromas of tobacco and smoke.  The wine had great tannins with a long finish.  According to the Louis M. Martini web site:  “This wine exhibits a deep burgundy color with intense aromas of cassis, sweet herbs and hints of pipe tobacco. Intriguing flavors of ripe black cherries, deep, briary red fruits, and old world complexities linger throughout the finish. This is a well structured and balanced wine that is medium-to-full-bodied and is ready to enjoy now or can be aged up to 5 years.”  (InMyCups note: sounds like I drank this beauty at exactly the right time.)

Lastly, a 2007 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley’s Oakville region (from the fabulous PS and LS).  The wine (from “Purpura Vineyard” – bit of an inside joke) was outstanding: big, bold and beautiful.  Wine & Spirits magazine gave this Cab 92 points, saying: “From the Groth family’s estate vineyards, this has the lush fruit of a classic Oakville cabernet. The structure is lean and firm, with purple and blueberry fruit running straight through it. Sleek mineral tannins keep it tight, revealing a profile that will expand over time in bottle.”

The 50 Project bounty continues in my next post: wines 9 and 10.