Apothic Crush Wine Review
Apothic Crush wine is a red blend that comes from Modesto, California, USA.
Over the years, Apothic has grown its lineup to include several different wines. I’ve had the opportunity to review most, if not all, of them.
If you’re interested in comparing the wines from Apothic, here are the reviews I’ve done:
Apothic Inferno (Aged in whiskey barrels)
Apothic Dark (Most similar to Apothic Crush)
Apothic Red (Another red blend)
Apothic White (A white wine blend)
Apothic Rose (Apothic’s foray into Rose.)
Apothic Brew (Apothic’s coffee infused red blend.)
Apothic Crush Review
I shared this wine with my friend Al, who is always a great help when it comes to wine reviews.
From the bottle:
A decadent red blend that combines red fruit flavors with notes of caramel and a velvety smooth mouthfeel.
We tasted the 2014 vintage of Apothic Crush.
Appearance
In appearance, Apothic Crush is very deep purple in color. You’ll see a lighter purple meniscus on the edge.
The wine is very opaque with little to no light able to shine through.
It’s a very leggy wine. The drips took awhile to get going, but once they started it was an onslaught of heavy legs! And, they were very slow to fall.
Aroma
The wine’s aroma is deep, rich and noticeable from afar when poured.
Up close, you get notes of black cherry along with hints of mocha and sweet cinnamon.
We both commented that we noticed very little alcohol in the aroma.
Apothic Crush alcohol content 14.5% by volume per the bottle.
From the aroma alone, it wouldn’t seem as though it would be that high. But, the richness of the aroma definitely masks the alcohol.
Taste
We didn’t notice any of the cinnamon from the aroma carrying through to the taste.
But, the mocha and black cherry definitely did and those were the primary flavors in this wine.
We commented that Apothic Crush is “easy drinking” and “smooth and sippable.”
Mouthfeel and Tannins
We both felt the wine’s tannins were noticeable all over the palate. For myself, I had an immediate strong tingling sensation on the tip of my tongue.
We generalized that the wine’s tannins were velvety and supple.
And, the overall mouthfeel was silky smooth.
Finish
The finish of Apothic Crush is quite long.
You may note a nice balance between the flavors and the tannins.
Overall Opinion
Overall, we both really enjoyed this smooth red wine blend.
We liked that it was silky smooth and flavorful and were appreciative of the balance this wine maintains across all its layers.
I’ve found the other Apothic reds to be very unique in flavor. And although enjoyable, I found them to NOT be a wine I would want to have over and over again.
However, I think Apothic Crush breaks that mold and IS a wine you can keep around as a “house wine.”
To me, that was the biggest difference I noted with this particular blend from Apothic.
So… Recommend! Plus it’s a bit lower in price than some of the other Apothic reds out there.
Apothic Crush price $9.99.
Suggested Food Pairing
Let’s start with what NOT to pair this with. I wouldn’t pair this with a grilled steak as I don’t think it would hold up. It’s a bit too smooth for that.
I should also note that I would drink this now and not worry about letting it age.
What I would pair this with is either a Gruyere Cheese or Lump Blue Crab Cakes.
And finally, my friend thought this would go nice with a Waldorf Salad or with a dessert such as a Cherry Cobbler.
Bought my very first bottle of Apothic Red bottle of wine. I was so excited after reading the flavors! I pour my first glass and it straight up tastes like vinegar. like no flavor but vinegar. I was so sad because I thought it would be so good to taste the mocha and cherries. I bought this bottle from a store that just freshly stocked it and I opened and drank right away. not sure why it tastes like this.
Well that’s no fun. Sure sounds like a wine fault with the bottle… Maybe oxidization or vinegar taint.
If you can return it for another bottle, that might be worth doing.
You should definitely be getting some bold flavors with this wine and not just vinegar.
Yikes! I have to whole-heartedly disagree with this review. Mind you, I’m no certified or accredited wine conniseur, and to be clear, I LOVE their Apothic Red, but we found this Apothic Crush to be downright ‘awful’. It’s got a very acidic, tannic, almost off-putting aroma and taste to it. I certainly won’t be buying it again, but then, obviously, your mileage may vary.
Hey Joe, thanks for chiming in.
All opinions are welcome here!
Cheers!
Jon
Hi Jon,
I am sipping the Apothic Red as I write. I have tried the Red, Dark and Crush, but not the inferno. The Dark is my favorite followed with the Red. Crush was OK, but not on my regular list. These would certainly be my House wine.
As to pairing, I have paired the Dark with Ribeye off the grill, but would the Red with Seafood, like Scallops or Jumbo shrimp and Grits. I’m not adverse to having it with Icecream, on occasion.
I have many friends who spend much more on their wine and have collections of dozens, if not hundreds of different wines. I drink the Apothic wines, because they are affordable for everyday consumption. At Kroger, I pay around $7 per bottle, when I buy a case at a time.
My hat is off to E & J Gallo for consistency and affordability. I’m on the East Coast, so it has to come a long way to get here.
Hi Karl, thanks so much for commenting!
Love you pairing ideas. I think we’re similar in that we like to mix things up a bit.
Appreciate all the info you shared and wish you well… Cheers!
I think it would be delicious with some homemade hummus..garnished with feta, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil , toasted almond slivers, black olives, fresh basil, roasted garlic, basalmic glaze, and a small amount of chili sauce..on some crostini crackers… Oh My!!! ;)
Thanks for commenting Lisa… You’re making me hungry!
I dumped it down the sink after one sip. Good thing it wad given to me and I didn’t buy it.
I’m glad it was given to me!!!
I loved it!!! I don’t drink a full glass …
I like to sip my wine with crackers and
cheese with a little gourmet fruit spread… it is the perfect compliment to my wine tasting adventure!!!
I don’t drink a lot of wine or alcohol so
I’m sure I’m less educated about it…
but so far I’m enjoying it!!!! ;)
I have honestly been surprised at how positive the reviews of this wine are. I bought it on a whim and there’s not a single person in my household that liked it. In fact several glasses were poured out.
I enjoyed the aroma of the wine, but the taste left it undrinkable to me.
Thanks for commenting Tee!
Ya, it seems people either Really Like or Really Disklike some of the Apothic wines. They’re rather polarizing.
Here’s hoping your next wine selection treats you better… Cheers!
Tried this red wine, and it’s disgusting!
I like both apothic red and apothic crush, but they don’t tell you weather it should be drank cold or at room temperature.
Thanks for commenting Ada!
True, they don’t give any recommendations. But, the good news is, it’s totally up to you!
I happen to like my reds at room temperature (in the 60’s F). Some people like their reds slightly chilled.
You might try experimenting to find out works best with you.
Cheers!
Hello folks, I do wine demonstrations here, so I can tell you that Apothic recommends the Crush to be served chilled, while their other varietals such as Red and Dark are better served at room temperature.
Thanks Sean!
Hello. I’m Nancy elderly and disabled. I like a dark red wine for siping. Does the Appothic Crush good for sipping? The last red I drank was very bitter. Didn’t enjoy at all.
Thanks for commenting, Nancy.
I think Apothic Crush is just fine for sipping!
Let me know if you try it and tell me what you think…
Cheers!
Jon
All red wine is suppose to be drank room temperature.
I just tried the apothic crush and am liking it alot. It is so smooth and enjoyable. I usually like a Pinot Noir but I may switch to this for a while. Was looking for the grape variety used when I came upon this site. It doesn’t tell me anything on the bottle. Yep, a new favorite.
Thanks for visiting and commenting Nancy!
Ya, Apothic tends to keep the grape varieties in their blends a mystery.
Cheers!
I’m drinking it right now and while I don’t find it bad in any way, it seems almost flavorless. Could it be too smooth? If I hadn’t opened the bottle myself I would almost think it had been watered down or something. I notice a lot of caramel on the nose, some light fruitiness. Maybe it’s just too light for my tastes.
Thanks for commenting Greggory… interesting to hear the flavor seemed washed out.
I’m wondering if others are going to start noticing this too or if you had a unique bottle. Hard to know.
Thanks again… Cheers!
It tastes good with cream cheese and royal fig preserves/ combined with wild blueberry fruit spread on an Isola
Crostini cracker
I’m looking for a Red I can drink! Having a problem finding a good light tasting red-do not enjoy a thick tasting wine.which seems to be what a lot of people drink.Any suggestions would be appreciated.Love your reviews
Thanks for commenting Linda and I’m glad you’re enjoying the reviews!
For something lighter, give Pinot Noir a try.
Here’s a suggestion for a nice Pinot Noir: David Bruce Pinot Noir
Another one that might be a bit softer: DeLoach Pinot Noir
If you don’t mind a little dryness, reds from France are often a bit lighter than the heavy blends we’re seeing come out of the US.
I recently reviewed a Northern Rhone red you might try: E Guigal Crozes Hermitage
Hope that helps!
Oh my gosh this is the Best wine I have ever tasted! It goes perfect with Pecans!
I’m sipping on some Crush right now. Most of the review was right on point, but I’m noticing an unpleasant sourness after swallowing. Not sure if this is intentional or if I got a bad bottle. I love the richness and fruitiness though!
Hi Jimmy,
Thanks for reading my review and commenting!
It could have been a bad bottle with too much acetic acid in the wine. Especially if the sourness was similar to a vinegar taste.
We’ll have to keep an eye out and see if anyone else is noticing the sourness you encountered in their bottles.
Hopefully not a trend, but you never know.
Cheers!
Jon
Oh – a new pairing that we just tried the other day & that was spot on (for us at least) – Apothic “Crush” with “Turkey Cutlets Marsala”. The slight sweetness of the “Crush” matched perfectly with the very slight sweetness of the Marsala in the sauce without making for an overpowering sweetness from either. It was a very nice match.
Thanks Bonnie! I but that was a great pairing… Balancing a slightly sweet wine with slight sweet food is a great way to test out a pairing.
Thanks for sharing that!
Cheers… Jon
We too have been enjoying the Apothic wines – the “Dark” still our hands-down favorite.
The “Crush” has been the only wine I’ve ever tried where I actually tasted the “caramel” notes other reviews have mentioned. Since I never notice the “notes” that other wine-lovers notice in wines, this was a fun “first” for me.
But as such, even though it’s not what I would call a “sweet” wine, I find its food pairings limited. Wouldn’t pair it with any sort of seafood, but can see it with poultry, particularly something with fruit in the recipe, like many duck dishes. Other than that, it’s a nice wine to enjoy all by itself.
Hi Bonnie, thanks for commenting.
I have to agree with you. In the end I think it’s more of a sipper on its own.
I think I liked “Crush” better than “Dark.” For me, Apothic Dark is very novel in flavor and more of a “once in awhile” kind of wine.
But that’s just me. I say Drink What You Like!
Cheers… Jon
Good advice Jon from a novice, not too smart wine drinker.
Thanks Les, though I’m sure you’re plenty smart!