Guardian Cellars - the reds

 Several weeks ago now I had the opportunity to attend a wine tasting event at a lovely restaurant in the Strip District - http://www.cioppinoofpittsburgh.com/. 
I sampled several wines and talked with the wine maker, Jerry.

Without further ado, the line up of reds:

Chalk Line
(a blend of: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot)
site:  a lovely shade of ruby.
nose: at first the meatiness struck me, but then it gave way to stewed plums with a few spices tossed in.  A touch of over ripe strawberries as well.
palate:  dark red fruits, continuing on with the meatiness and a decent body.  The alchol was up there, near 15% I think.

Gun Metal
(a blend of: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc)
site:  Dark ruby.
nose: Vegetable, meaty, dark.  Almost a roasted meat that was rubbed down with espresso note about it.  And the meat was grilled with red peppers.
palate:  It was green, not sure if the grapes or the wine should have aged longer.  I'd give it 2-3 years to work itself out in the bottle.  It has structure, the tannins, that would lend to longer aging as well.  If you can wait that long - I know too many people who can't.  (I'm not one of them, I have a collection of wines waiting to be done in a vertical flight.)

Alibi
(a blend of: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc)
site:  Darker shade of ruby.
nose:  Barnyard!  This smelled like there was more cab franc in it than the previous wine (Gun Metal). Notes of espresso rub in this one as well, but more integrated vegetable notes.
palate: Dark, earthy, dusty, dirty - pretty much all the things I love in a red wine.