Review: Wines of Cycles Gladiator, 2014 Vintage
If you’ve ever been in a California supermarket, you’ve probably seen Cycles Gladiator on the wine shelves. Oddly, I’d never tried it even after years and years of seeing its Art Nouveau-inspired labels, turned off by its rock bottom pricing.
The brand has changed hands in recent years, moving from giant Constellation to a new company called Wine Hooligans. Under this leadership, Cycles Gladiator is now being overseen by winemaker Adam LaZarre, formerly of Hahn Estates. Today the fruit is all being sourced from the Central Coast (and carries that appellation) but the price is remaining at a low $10.99 per bottle.
Five wines make up the brand’s pantry. Three are reviewed here. Let’s see what these Cycles can do!
2014 Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay Central Coast – Modestly buttery, with restrained vanilla that pairs beautifully with the wine’s brisk apple notes. Subtle nutmeg notes emerge on the finish, but the wine stays in a nice band that is both fruit-forward but not overpowered or overly dessert-like. A real crowd pleaser at a great price. A- / $11
2014 Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast – Fruit-forward, with chocolate overtones and notes of burnt walnut shells. The body plays up vanilla, some roasted nuts, and more chocolate notes. Initially quite jammy, it eventually settles down and lets the chocolate do more of the talking. That said, the sweetness here might clash with some dishes, but it’s not a bad effort at this price. B / $11
2014 Cycles Gladiator Petite Sirah Central Coast – A divisive wine, for sure — intensely smoky up front, with herbal and vegetal notes not far behind. The fruit here feels like jam at best, canned at worst — almost pruny. The finish fades quickly, but it leaves behind a brown sugar residue, mixed with raisin and plum notes, that is hard to shake. C+ / $11
2014 Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast
$11
