Cool cats crave copious cups of coveted California concoction

Cougar Juice... REALLY?

Well, according to a young clerk at one of the Liquor Marts in Brandon, that’s what some industry insiders are calling it these days.

A couple of female friends of mine were shopping for a selection of wine recently. And like many people I know, they are particularly fond of Apothic Red, that easy-drinking, smooth-and-soft, fairly sweet California product that seems to please almost every palate.

Even I keep thinking I’m not partial to it, and truthfully, it is a bit too sugary for me to drink on a regular basis. But every time someone pours me a glass of it, I always shake my head and think, “Honestly, this is not bad at ALL!”

Anyway, when these friends had searched the shelves and couldn’t find the Apothic they were seeking, they asked for assistance. And because they’re fun-loving, embrace-the-moment kind of folks, and exude that energy all the time, the clerk apparently made a judgement call — the right one — and trotted out the “Cougar Juice” reference for their anticipated amusement.

My friends howled with laughter, and ensured this little tale was retold to me.

When it was, I howled. And I figured everybody should hear the story. Hence this column.

While the “cougar” moniker, when it first became part of the common vernacular, used to exclusively refer to ‘women of a certain age’ who were quite literally on the prowl for younger men, I think now the term has expanded to merely refer, in an all-encompassing way, to females around the age of 40 and older — in some cases, substantially older.

So I got to thinking about the folks I know who really like — and I mean REALLY like — Apothic Red. And there’s only one guy in the group. All of the others are women who are (gulp) over the age of 40.

Well, OK — there’s one who’s 30 and another who’s 39 and five months. But every other female Apothic Red fan I know is in her fifth decade of existence — or more. Heck, even Mayor Shari Decter Hirst commented at the Westman Wine Festival Gala Dinner last October that Apothic was now the house red at her home. And I hope I’m not letting the cat (or should that be cougar?) out of the bag, but Her Worship, like me, belongs in the over-40 category.

So how come this wine is so popular? Well, I can’t explain why it’s such a hit with 40-plus women. But I can say that it’s rich and robust, with a fair bit of depth, and has that certainly-not-dry-but-not-insanely-sweet quality that seems to suit all manner of tastes. It boasts big fruit flavours because it’s a blend of lush, dark Syrah, spicy Zinfandel and smooth Merlot grapes. It has aromas and tastes of mocha and chocolate. And the mouth-feel is truly velvety.

And apparently, that combination is something that most folks find charming, especially for $14.99 a bottle. It reminds me, in many ways, of the J. Lohr 7 Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon I so adore, which also hails from California. It’s smooth and supple, deep and rich, but while the J. Lohr still has a touch of sweetness, it’s considerably drier than the Apothic AND it sells for $20.96.

So not only is the Apothic a reasonable red to drink, its price-point seems to be one that people are prepared to, uh, swallow. And six bucks difference, not to mention the extra 72 cents in tax, is certain to help Apothic Red maintain its legion of fans.

Adjunctly, through one friend, I managed to turn another, who is an Apothic devotee, onto the J. Lohr, and she loved it, too. But again, the cost difference has both of them turning, time and again, to the Apothic. While they probably prefer the J. Lohr — well, one does for sure — it’s a matter of about $80 difference a case, and that’s just not affordable for many people’s budgets.

Another suggestion for Apothic fans who are really watching their bottom lines, is The Bear Flag Smooth Red. Although this wine is considerably thinner and lighter than the Apothic, it, too, has a fair dose of sweetness. It’s not complicated, but for the price — $12.99 — I think it would make plenty of folks happy.

And should you want to go sweeter yet, the Pelee Island Semi-Sweet Merlot is also $12.99 a bottle. It’s fruity, medium-bodied and has many of the attributes of the Apothic, although I stress again, it’s sweet. But it’s very pleasant and was a big hit at a reception I attended a few years back.

Here’s a bit of news for die-hard Apothic Red fans of any age, if they swing both ways. (If, that is, they enjoy both red AND white wine!) The E & J Gallo winemakers who created Apothic Red are working diligently to create Apothic White, a product that’s expected to hit the market in probably about a year’s time. According to Gallo’s representatives in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with the Apothic Red an actual phenomenon, the winemakers want to make sure they do the white “right.” That way, they’re hoping to have another sensation on their hands.

Oh, and those rumours about Apothic Red being in short supply in Manitoba? While there was a dearth of it for a brief while (which had several folks panicking and buying as many bottles as they could find), I have it on good authority that there are currently almost 2000 cases of it in Manitoba. So that should keep the Cougar Juice flowing — at least for awhile!

Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition June 23, 2012