Raise a chalice to the Season 7 premiere ofGame of Thrones this Sunday with a trio of California wines inspired by everyone's favorite fantasy show.
To make some wines that truly kill it, HBO Global Licensing partnered with Vintage Wine Estates and acclaimed winemaker Bob Cabral—named 2011 Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast—whohas slayed more than 100 wines during his career, scoring 95 points and above. Cabral's a big fan of the show, and sought out to craft wines that would be dramatic and complex enough to reflect the series, which is Dramatic and Complex, what with its Seven Kingdoms, complicated familial relationships, and death, death, death.
The resulting wines draw inspiration from the sigils of the show's noble houses, which are also represented on the intricate labels that mimic Lannister Gold.
2016 Chardonnay, Central Coast
This is not a wine of the North. Bright and tropical, this Central Coast chardonnay ($20) is best sipped throughout the long summer in a sunny paradise like Essos—or August through September in San Francisco. Influenced by the Golden Lion of House Lannister, it's fittingly rich and elegant, without tasting overly buttery or oaky.
2015 Red Wine, Paso Robles
We imagine this Paso Robles red blend ($20) would be Tyrion Lannister's drink of choice: An easy, everyday sipper (and the booziest of the three), it's a diverse blend of tempranillo and malbec that's reminiscent of a Spanish-style wine from a southern region like Dorne—think hints of plum, cherry, and a peppery finish. This powerful union of multiple grape varietals also serves as an appropriate metaphor for the sigil of House Targaryen: the Three-Headed Dragon. Keep a bottle of this handy for for keeping warm while you guard the Wall.
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Made with primo grapes from Napa Valley (hence the $50 price tag), this is a wine worthy of representing the fan-favorite house that refuses to fall, House Stark and its powerful Direworlf sigil. With notes of darker fruit and vanilla and smooth, soft tannins, this cab ready to go for the season premiere, but it can also lay down for the long winter ahead, aged until the White Walkers arrive and desperate times call for a trip to the cellar.
// Game of Thrones wines are available at BevMo (1301 Van Ness Ave., SF) and online at gameofthroneswines.com.
