Critter label? Check. Screw cap? Check. All signs say that a casual, fruity wine is on the table tonight. And here we are: The “Stampede” Bold Red Blend from 14 Hands.
14 Hands is owned by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and is Washington’s second largest winery (after Ste. Michelle itself). Ste. Michelle created the 14 Hands label in 2005 as a restaurant-only wine. Later, they decided to pitch it to grocery stores, and consumers began spying 14 Hands in the wine aisle as well as at Chili’s.
Originally just three wines (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay), 14 Hands now has a whole stable of spin-off brands including the ultra-premium “Reserve” tier and estate-grown Vintage Series. They also dabble in consumer-friendly alternative packaging, including cans and half-bottles.
As a new wine drinker, I remember encountering 14 Hands on chain-restaurant menus and at happy hours. My 21-year-old self recognized it as a red wine that was appropriately priced–always good, but never great. In a way (and perhaps by design) it always seemed secondary to the food. When you’re having the $12 sirloin and baked potato special at Outback and you need a Cab (any Cab) to wash it down with, 14 Hands is there. Giddyup.
I got a big ole box of 14 Hands as a holiday gift, including three red blends with horse-themed names: “Hot To Trot,” “Run Wild,” and today’s “Stampede.”
Of course we are going to taste (and possibly even drink) all of them. But is 14 Hands still a just-fine equine wine, or is time to put this pony out to pasture? Let’s pour!
When I see “Bold Red Blend” on an American wine label, I immediately think “Zinfandel fruitcake”–but this is not that. Nope. It’s surprisingly lean, sparsely oaked, and Syrah-driven on the nose. Tart, fruity aromas with black cherry, soft black plum, cedar, cola, peppercorn and light baking spices. The structure is dry and medium-bodied, with medium tannins, high alcohol, and a short, cherry-juice finish. Medium-plus acidity at most, despite the soured plums and cherries that are its most noticeable flavor characteristic.
Not to get all up on my high horse, but…I really disliked “Stampede Red” right out of the gate. The main varieties (Syrah and Petit Verdot) are not my favorite grapes, especially at this price tier. I found it thin and sour and uninteresting in its juicy black-fruit flavors.
But “straight down the drain!” is not something we do in this household. We wait and we re-taste. After a day of being open on the counter, the wine improved quite a bit, developing earthy notes of mulch and cocoa nibs, but hanging on to its fruit-driven simplicity on the palate.
In the plus column, “Stampede” Bold Red Blend is a passable table wine: Not too sweet, not too heavy in tannins or oak, and adequate as a partner to both rich and acidic foods. I paired a glass with oven-roasted tri-tip and herbed carrots, and another glass the next evening with spaghetti marinara.
Bottle: 14 Hands “Stampede” Bold Red Blend (2022) – Washington, United States
Variety: Syrah (44%), Petit Verdot (26%), Merlot (18%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%)
ABV: 14.5%
Suggested retail: $10.99
My rating: 7.7 (out of 10)
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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