The wines of Atlas Wine Co.
You won’t see Atlas Wine Co. on a bottle’s front label — it’s the parent company for the Oro Bello and Omen brands. You also won’t find a rhapsodic account of the vineyard’s soil type or the vintage’s wind conditions. In fact, there’s a low-hanging-fruit quality to these wines’ branding: Omen, whose label shows a haunted-looking church, is meant to evoke the Gothic vibe popularized by “the Prisoner and also that dark-spooky style popular with craft beer,” winemaker Alexandre Remy says. Oro Bello, its label embossed with golden teardrops, advertises: “Treat yourself and your friends to these dazzling drops of California sunshine.” But the wines speak for themselves.
Oro Bello Chardonnay California 2016 ($17.99; 13.8%):
To my palate, the best of Atlas’ offerings. Tropical fruit, especially pineapple, dominates the nose, with an unmistakable whiff of candy necklace. Not mineral or stony, but a wine that trades between exuberant, tropical fruit and honeyed, creamy richness. Textured and rich — a wine of tension. 30% from the Piziali Vineyard in Sonoma’s Chalk Hill AVA, 70% from Lodi.
Omen Pinot Noir Oregon 2016 ($19.99; 13.9%):
I found the Pinot, from Oregon’s Rogue Valley AVA, to be the weakest wine in the lineup. Simple, with flavors of red cherry, baking spice and vanilla, it’s light bodied yet somehow hot, lacking a full midpalate. Still, it’s fully dry, which makes it appealing within the sub-$20 Pinot Noir category.
Omen Zinfandel Sierra Foothills 2015 ($19.99; 15%):
Floral and supple, showing the grape variety’s red- and black-fruited aspects. A dialed-down Zinfandel, hinting at baking spice, chocolate and roasted meat without shouting them. Acid is firm, not screaming.
Omen Cabernet Sauvignon Sierra Foothills 2016 ($19.99; 14.56%):
If Cabernet Sauvignon teeters between fruit and herb, Omen’s version is solidly fruit. Yet it isn’t exactly rich; the wine is juicy and slightly tart, full of currant and balsamic-dipped strawberry, accented by sandalwood. Soft, but you’ll pucker enough that you’ll want another sip.
Omen Red Blend Sierra Foothills 2015 ($19.99; 14.5%):
Ah, the famous “red blend,” that term beloved by market watchers and loathed by wine geeks. (Ask winemakers in Bordeaux and Chateauneuf du Pape if they’ve heard about this “red blend” trend. Seriously, go ahead.) But Atlas knows that its targeted audience goes crazy for California’s valuepriced kitchen-sink red blends — and I’d take Omen’s over Ménage à Trois, the Prisoner or Apothic any day. Refreshing — perhaps even slightly reduced at first sniff — the nose is carried by a high tangerine-peel note. It’s tarter than the other Omen wines, with a greater perception of acidity, but with a bigger structure. Its tannins are fine and supple. Chocolaty and generous, full-bodied but not at all syrupy.