Event
Open Bottle - Merkin Chupacabra Red Blend 2012
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Time: 04:00pm - 08:00pm
Type: Wine Tasting
Location: The Wine Cabinet
Event Free
Each Thursday we open just one bottle of exceptional wine.
One that not only do we think is excellent, but that has received critical plaudits as well.
Usually rated in the 90's, we discount it by 20 - 40%.
A great wine at a great value.
It's what we do to be certain
Every day is a Special Occasion at The Wine Cabinet!!
Featuring:
MERKIN VINEYARDS
“CHUPACABRA”
Red Blend 2012
Luna County, New Mexico
50% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 14% Petit Sirah.
And now for something completely different, 
fun and DELICIOUS. A limited availability wine from
NEW MEXICO, made by a
Rock Star.
Maynard James Keenan is, for all intents and purposes, a Rock Star. The co-founder of rock music acts TOOL, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer has entered a realm where he is an unknown … winemaker.
Last month Maynard James Keenan (MJK) came to The Wine Cabinet and I had the pleasure of a private tasting of his complete portfolio. The wines were amazing and on par with similar priced wines from California. But the thing
that struck me was this man wants to be known as a famous winemaker not a rock star/cult personality even though if he exploited his stardom he would sell easily 10 times the amount of wine to his Tool fans alone! I respect this and commend him in his efforts to reinvent himself, besides he offered The Wine Cabinet a great deal to introduce his wines to the Northern Virginia community.
Our Thoughts…
This is a serious wine from one of the hottest emerging wine growing areas in the United States. The wine is bright, with deep layers fruit flavors and aromas of blackberries, currants and ripe plum. On the nose, this wine shows its youth; red and black fruits, especially bing cherry. A big wine indeed, oak, fruit, however, it is well balanced. On the palate, the wine shows its jamminess especially with black fruits; black currants, black fig, black plum. It goes down smooth and has a long finish. Drinking well now, but will age well for up to 5 years. A great summer red to pair with your backyard BBQ (particularly grilled meats! Full bodied yet restrained.
Our regular price $29.99
Special Private Sale Price Tonight
Only $23.00 a bottle
if you buy 6 or more bottles the price
drops to $20.00
Click here or Call us at 703-668-WINE(9463)
What’s a Chupacabra?
A Trickster, a Shape Shifter, The ever elusive shadow who mutates with the Sun and Moon. One year a Dragon, another a Snake. This is MJK’s mystery blend. Think forest, not trees. Think weather, not rain. Stare and the CHUPACABRA who dwells in your heart and not in your head will vanish. Only a true Alchemist can draw holy blood from a stone and the CHUPACABRA is his opus, phoenix, and child.
About MJK.......
Keenan is known as the lead singer of the multi-platinum rock bands Tool and A Perfect Circle. He has released four studio albums with Tool, and three with A Perfect Circle. In 2003, he created Puscifer as a side project and has subsequently released two studio albums. Since rising to fame, Keenan has been noted as being a recluse; however, he does emerge to support charitable causes.
In addition to his music career, he has performed improvisational stand-up comedy and ventured into acting. He currently owns Merkin Vineyards and the associated winery, Caduceus Cellars, and also partly owns Stronghold Vineyards, all of which are located in Arizona, where he lives.
A descendant of Northern Italian winemakers and founder of the 
alternative rock group Tool, Maynard’s winery is located in Verde Valley of Arizona. Merkin Vineyards currently owns four different blocks all sitting above 4200 feet.
Among other business ventures, he is a partner in the Los Angeles restaurant Cobras & Matadors, and also owns an organic produce market in Cornville, Arizona, which features a food court and a tasting room for his wines.