Unusual Suspects: Red Wines from Germany

February 3, 2018 By Clive Pursehouse Leave a Comment

There may be no other country in the world that is synonymous with a single grape the way Germany and its wines are associated with Riesling. The fact is that there are plenty of other white varieties that do well in Germany, but there is little doubt that Riesling is its gift to the wine world.

White wines in Germany account for nearly 70% of total wine production, and it’s not just Riesling, grapes likeMüller-Thurgau, Pinot Blanc, Kerner, Silvaner and even Chardonnay go into a number of outstanding blends. There are red wines produced in Germany and they are really, really delicious. The two leading grapes are one you know, and one you may not.

Pinot Noir, in Germany is called by the German name, Spätburgunder, they are German after all. Pinot Noir, or Spätburgunder makes up more than 10% of total wine production in Germany and not too far behind is Dornfelder. Red wines grow in a few of Germany’s different wine regions, but most notably the Ahr Valley, as well as Baden and Württemberg. However red varieties are planted throughout Germany because well, variety is the spice of life.

2014 Dr Heyden, Oppenheimer Pinot Noir, Rheinhessen, Germany $18

If you’re into pure expression of Pinot Noir, this wine fits the bill from vineyards in the town of Oppenheim. From a fairly new estate, established in 1999, the Dr. Heyden Weingut wines are lithe and expressive. This Spätburgunder will make you a believer in German Pinot Noir and the price is hard to argue. The aromatics are earth and mineral driven, with aromas of mushrooms, turned earth, black tea and red currant. The palate is light, lively and brisk. Flavors of black tea, brambleberry and lots of minerality issue forth a really expressive wine for a bargain price. If you’re into exploring what Pinot can do in different sites, I urge you to track this wine down, you feel well rewarded.

2011 Georg Albrecht Schneider, Dornfelder, Rheinhessen, Germany $12

This is a tremendous wine experience for $12. Dornfelder is a hybrid grape, that is far younger than the seven generation Schneider winery operation. Dornfelder was actually created just for the German wine climate. While white wines have always done well, red wines have struggled in the cool, northern climate. Dornfelder, with its dark hue and round body was a wine Germans could really get behind as a home grown red. Lush, full bodied, and loaded with flavor. Still, Dornfelder comes off with substantive acidity, so it still does really well as a food wine, and some styles tend toward a sweet red fruit component.

The Schneider Dornfelder makes a very strong case at 7 years old. It’s lush, but still very fresh, with aromas of baking spice, cola and loads of berry fruit. The palate is mouth filling but not heavy, you get a fruit driven flavor profile with freshness and and complex fruit flavors. If you were served this wine blind you could easily mistake it for a Pinot Noir, or Gamay from Beaujolais.

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Love the Zin, Ate the Dinner; Thanksgiving Zinfandels

November 3, 2017 By Clive Pursehouse Leave a Comment

Zinfandel arrived in California as part of the Gold Rush of the 1850s. Its origins though are in Eastern Europe and the wine growing regions of Croatia. After Prohibition when the California wine industry was nearly decimated there was a time when folks mistakenly believed that Zinfandel was a grape unique to the West Coast and California, but it’s ancestry can be traced through Puglia in Italy, where it’s known as Primitivo across the Adriatic to Croatia. In Croatia the grape is known as Crljenak Kaštelanski, which rolls right off the tongue.

California Zinfandel though has taken on a life of its own. The grape thrives in warm temperatures and its ripeness and richness developed in that California sunshine make it the state’s one true signature grape. Zinfandel does well in a variety of areas from Lodi to Mendocino as well as the Dry Creek Valley, where it may reach it’s greatest expression from old, gnarled vines.

Zinfandel is also a wine that does really well come Turkey Day. The rich, spicy character of Zinfandel, and the wine’s relative approachability makes it a crowd-pleaser. The spicy, fruit driven palate also sets it up nicely with a variety of side dishes and it will absolutely stand up to some of the fattier foods that grandma might send your way.

2014 Angry Bunch Lodi Zinfandel, Lodi, California $16

Simple, straightforward, ripe and rich. This Lodi Zin is loaded with rich black fruit aromas, and hints of barrel spice. The palate is packs a wallop in terms of dark fruit flavors, notes of mocha, pepper and cocoa powder lead into the finish. The Angry Bunch Lodi Zinfandel comes from vineyards near the Mokelumne River in Lodi where you’ll likely find some of America’s oldest Zinfandel vines. This wine is a people-pleaser, nothing really to get angry about here folks.

2014 Angry Bunch Mendocino County Zinfandel, Mendocino, California $19

A slight contrast in style from vineyards in the Mendocino Ranches surrounding the Russian River. This wine has an acid and a bit of elegance that the straightforward Lodi did not. Aromas of dried violet, dried herbs and fig. The palate has a lift to it that really balances the ripeness of the Mendocino Zinfandel. Dried fig, prunes and hints of garrigue, along with a bit more structure and a nice kiss of acid at the end.

2014 Ravenswood Old Vine Zifandel, Sonoma County, California $17

Mostly Zinfandel with a bit of Petite Sirah and a few other grapes in the mix, this wine from Ravenswood comes across as a classic California Zinfandel. Notes of vanilla and espresso along with black cherry aromas communicate the time spent in oak. The palate is high octane intensity. A black fruit core surrounded by flavors of smoke, mocha and a touch of white pepper. Ravenswood sources this fruit from 50 to 100 year old Zinfandel vines throughout their Sonoma County holdings.

Urge to Splurge:

2014 Ravenswood Belloni Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, California $34

The elegance goes all the way to eleven on this single vineyard bottling from Ravenswood from the tiniest of plots. A 7.5 acre vineyard in the Russian River AVA; Belloni fruit is rare and so this is quite a treat. 100% Zinfandel with aromas of dried fig, sage and dried violet and a touch of sweet wood. The palate offers an almost old world character of dried fruit, hints of earth, herbs, clove and nutmeg. A wine that speaks to the more elegant side of the typically muscular Zinfandel.

2014 Ravenswood Teldeschi Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, California $34

In the Dry Creek Valley, Zinfandel finds its raison d’être. The conditions, the old vines and the grape seem to find a harmony that in other places eludes it. This bottling from Ravenswood, particularly at under $50 is perhaps a sort of approachable greatness for Zinfandel neophytes. The Teldeschi Vineyard was planted by the son of an Italian immigrant and for many years sold its grapes to home winemakers in Sonoma. The founders of Ravenswood struck up a deal with the Teldeschi family for this fruit, and the wine has become a flagship. The aromas are a mix of pepper, espresso and blueberry, the palate is medium weight, with flavors of fennel, earth, blackberry and a dusting of mocha. The structure is undeniable, and the finish goes on well into the dessert course.

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Oh Sherry, the classical wines from Jerez

June 19, 2017 By Clive Pursehouse Leave a Comment

Sherry, is a complicated, misunderstood, and all too often dismissed wine. These are wonderful fine wines, not just for cooking with, folks.

The name Sherry comes from an anglicized version of the wines place of origin, the Spanish region of Jerez. Winemaking there dates to the Phoenicians in 1100 BC but the Sherry wines are a stylistic original and all wines called “Sherry” must originate in this part of southwest Spain.

There are a number of factors that make Sherry such a unique wine. Similar to Port and Madeira, Sherry is fortified, that is to say, after the grapes ferment, a grape based spirit is added to bring the overall alcohol percentage up. The final percentage depends upon the Sherry’s classification. The wine is then aged in barrel, in some cases for a very long time. Sherry barrels are often selected because they’re porous and allow more oxygen to enter. In some styles of Sherry space is left in the barrel for flor yeast to form, this yeast bloom creates a seal and protects the wine from oxidizing further.

This oxidized style made Sherry popular very early, certainly in Spain but far beyond, as the wine was able to withstand both the difficulty of travel by ship, and the long time between production and consumption. Sherry wine was wildly popular in England thanks to Sir Francis Drake, and supposedly was on board the ships of Columbus. Word is Magellan had more Sherry on board than he did weapons as he prepared to sail around the world.

Perhaps the coolest thing about Sherry is the use of solera barrel aging process. The wines are always listed without a vintage because of this sort of age-blending approach to winemaking. This is done via a group of barrels called a solera, and contributing barrels or criaderas. The finished wine is removed from the solera barrels, and other wine is blended into those barrels from the criaderas. Criaderas have a sort of cascading effect, where younger wines make their way into the more established blend. In theory, the original solera though has wines still in the blend from the oldest vintage when the solera was established.

The four or five main classifications of Sherry are:
Fino; these wines are fortified to the lowest alcohol percentage, of 15.5% and then as they age in barrel they are protected from oxidation by flor yeast. They are typically the driest, and lightest style of traditional Sherry.

Manzanilla; a fino style of Sherry that comes from a sub-region of Sanlúcar.

Manzanilla Pasada; is a Manzanilla Sherry that has spent an extended amount of time barrel aging so that it develops characteristics more often associated with longer aged Sherries. These wines are darker in color and nuttier in flavor profile.

Amontadillo; is aged under flor yeast but then given oxygen exposure and represents a sort of mid-point in Sherry styles. It is still often dry but more darkly hued than the fino styles of Sherry.

Oloroso; is a wine that is aged a longer time, and as a result the additional exposure to oxygen creates a more rich, darker wine.

There are three different grapes used in Sherry production. Palomino, Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel. Palomino makes up almost ninety percent of Sherry production, as the other two grapes tend toward a sweeter style.

Delgado Zuleta “La Goya” Manzanilla,Sanlúcar Barrameda, Jerez, Spain $13 (half bottle)

This is a thinking person’s aperitif. Aromas of nutshell, and salt, and hints of lime zest. The “La Goya” is considered the flagship wine of Delgado Zuleta. The wine typically ages in barrel for around 7 years. The wine is assembled like all sherries in a solera style. This particular wine was launched by the winery in 1918 and so it’s likely that their solera dates to that year. The palate of the wine mixes in youthful citrus notes with more established bready elements (thanks to the yeasty character). There are hints of olive, mint and thyme, and notes of kumquat flavor.

Williams & Humbert Don Zoilo, Oloroso 12 Years Old Sherry, Jerez, Spain $21

Williams & Humbert are like many of the historical Sherry cellars in the Jerez region, they were established hundreds of years ago by British companies that drove some of the earliest markets for these and other fortified wines. (You’ll see very much the same thing in the Portuguese city of Oporto.) The Williams & Humbert vineyard holdings are absolutely enormous, over 1,000 acres and they boast the largest wine cellars in the world.

From the Palomino grapes, aged in the solera barrels for 12 years. Aromatics of honey, dried fig and poached pear. The palate is full, yet not quite rich. Flavors of caramel, almond and more fig. The finish is fine, dry and velveteen.

Williams & Humbert Dos Cortados Palo Cortado, Solera Especial, Jerez, Spain $44

This wine is an embodiment of the coolness of Sherry.The Dos Cortados solera actually dates to the founding of Williams and Humbert in 1877, and it’s around 300 barrels. Imagine the work that goes into all the barrel blending and topping.

Dos Cortados refers to a “second cut” or a second introduction of grape spirits into the wine. This wine as a commercial production is quite a rare treat. The aromas are of honey, caramel and dried fig, with a rich orange hue. The palate is almost luxuriant, raisins, prunes and almonds. The finish is one of balance and elegance.

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20 Wines Under $17 for 2017

January 8, 2017 By Clive Pursehouse Leave a Comment

It’s a new year and perhaps you’ve made some resolutions? Losing a few pounds, eating healthier, not watching so much television? No judgement. In any case, perhaps your resolution included exploration, in which case I offer you a to-do list of wine exploration. Twenty wines, under $17 for 2017. Good luck, and have a great new year.

Sparkling:

Sparkling wines are often seen as just a way to ring in the New Year, but I suggest that keeping your good fortune in mind on an everyday basis is the positive way to approach 2017. To that end, here are a handful of sparkling wines to help you celebrate the everyday.

14 Hands Winery, Brut, Columbia Valley, Washington $10

Certainly an everyday celebration pricetag, the 14 Hands Brut from Washington State’s Columbia Valley is a blend of many grapes and offers classic, yet quaffable qualities in a sparkling wine. Fermented using the same in-bottle technique as is used in Champagne this sparkler offers lots of cut Granny Smith apple, and citrus creme.

Valdo “Oro Puro” Prosecco Superiore di Valdobbiadene, Italy $12

Not all Prosecco is created equal, and this bottling from the DOCG of Valdobbiadene-Conegliano shows why. The Glera grape’s true home is in these steep hillside vineyards. Savory herbal notes mix with cut pear and apple, and the classically floral elements that make Prosecco one of the great sparkling food wines of the world.

Domaine J Laurens Cremant de Limoux Crémant Rosé, Languedoc, France $15

The Crémant Rosé from Domaine J Laurens is a pretty pale pink and aromatically fruity with red currant, and rhubarb notes. The palate is crisp and fruit forward and there’s a fair bit of body from this blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir. Rich flavors and great acidity make for a nice balanced wine.

Zardetto Prosecco di Treviso Brut, Italy $12

A blend from vineyards within the broader Prosecco DOC indicated by the di Treviso. Classic Prosecco aromas of white flowers, chamomile and apple skin. The palate is lean, angular and loaded with citrus zest, underlined with notes of kitchen herbs and hints of apricot.

Non-Vintage, François Montand Brut, Jura France, $11

Brut sparkling wine is classical and clocking in at $11 marks one of the most ridiculous bargains on the wine planet. Aromas of white flowers and honey, flavors of baked bread, chamomile and ripe stone fruit. An incredible bargain from one of the most serious sparkling producers outside of Champage, making outstanding bubbles in the funky and cool Jura region.

White Wine:

Perhaps you’re a loyal white drinker, looking to expand your repertoire beyond that go-to Chardonnay. Or, maybe you’re one of those “red wine only” folks, in which case this list might push you to test your comfort zone a little, it’s a new year, take a chance.

2014 Wente Morning Fog Estate Chardonnay, Livermore Valley, California $11

California Chardonnay has perhaps developed a bit of a bad reputation based on the overly oaked models, this value priced Chardonnay shows that restrained use of oak results in an easy drinking balanced Chardonnay from California. The aromas are baked apple, and vanilla, but the palate is a balance of bright sweet, tropical fruit rounded off with notes of cinnamon.

2014 Los Dos White, Campo de Borja, Spain $9

Bright crisp and loaded up on fruit. This blend of Muscat and Chardonnay is all fruit all the time. Aromas of passion fruit, mango and pineapple come through with great clarity given the wine’s steel fermentation. The palate is bright, zippy and full of pineapple. As under $10 bottles go this one is a steal, and a change up on your typical white wine blends.

2014 Casal Thaulero Orsetto Oro, Trebbiano, Italy $15

Trebbiano is a classic white Italian variety and this one fits the bill. Lean, angular and complex compared to many American white varieties, a bit exotic. With aromatics and a palate somewhat reminiscent of an Older World Chardonnay. Aromas of sweet hay, lemon and sage and a palate with a lot of complexity, notes of pollen, honey and candle wax. If you’re looking for new wines to explore this one is perfect.

2015 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon $15

Willamette Valley Pinot Gris is far and away Oregon’s most popular white wine. It’s fruit forward, round character balanced by bright acidity makes it almost universally enjoyable regardless of your personal preferences. This bottling from Willamette Valley Vineyards, one of Oregon’s largest and most consistent quality producers shows why. Aromas are exuberant with sweet fruit, ripe cantaloupe and a round mouthfeel that delivers pineapple, ripe stone fruit and honey.

2015 Tall Sage Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, Washington $12

As Chardonnay goes this wine clocks in at a fairly high alcohol percentage, north of 14% but that doesn’t show up on the palate. Rather than phenolic this wine is bright and zippy. The use of stainless steel tanks during fermentation highlights the crisp, fruit forward character of this Washington Chardonnay with aromas of cut stone fruit and white flowers. The palate is equally zesty with a citrusy hallmark of lime and grapefruit.

Red Wines:

You’ve had your fill of Merlot perhaps and for 2017 you’ve resolved to discover new wines varieties and new regions of the wine growing world. I’ve got you covered on both.

2014 Bodegas Caro, Aruma Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina $11

Frankly, it seems a little crazy to me that you can get a wine this good for $11. Argentinian Malbec faced a sort of identity crisis at the height of its popularity. A homogenity of style took hold and the reason the wine became so popular in the first place in Argentina, it’s ample fruit forward character, sort of got lost. This Aruma bottling from Bodegas Caro, arguably one of Argentina’s highest quality bodegas is an insane bargain at $11. There is a litheness to this fruit forward wine which makes it all the more enjoyable, bright red and blue fruit aromatics mix with hints of crushed stone. There’s a surprising acidity, and an incredibly elegant structure that highlights a fruit focused flavor profile. Outstanding wine. Look for it.

2013 Juan Gil Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain $12

Spain may be the single greatest wine value producer in the world. Seemingly the Spanish, throughout their country are cranking out well made wines always south of the $20 price tag, and this well made offering is no different. Monastrell is the Spanish name for Mourvedre, and this wine is a well made example. Intoxicating aromatics of black fruit and barrel spice, and hints of smoke. The palate is rich and redolent. There is ample oak influence on this wine resulting in a velvety mouth coating body. The flavors of dusty blackberry, tobacco and sage round out this masculine, rich wine.

2013 Tridente Tempranillo, Castilla y Leon, Spain $12

Bonus points for outstanding label art on this bottle from Bodegas Triton. While most folks think of Tempranillo from the classic region of Rioja, this grape is made throughout Spain. This wine is a bit brighter than the aforementioned Monastrell, and this is typical of young Tempranillo which really emphasizes red and blue fruit notes. Aromas of candied blueberry and dried violets and a hint of barrel spice. The palate is spicy, and soft. Flavors of sappy raspberry and blackberry along with black pepper.

2014 Mastroberardino Aglianico, Campania Italy $13

Aglianico is a wine with a great historical pedigree brought from Greece to southern Italy. It was the foremost component of the most famous wine of ancient Rome, Falerninan wine, a sought after cult wine at the time. Campania may be it most well known growing region these days. Aglianico has a well earned reputation for being highly, and almost unapproachably tannic in its youth and therefore is often blended with Sangiovese to soften it. That is not the case in this Mastroberardino bottling, nor is it necessary. This wine is wonderfully fruity and relatively light bodied. Aromas of stone, strawberry and fennel and a palate of pure bright fruit, bing cherry, wild strawberry and a hint of spearmint at the finish.

2013 Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon, California $11

One might balk at the pedigree of California Cabernet in the nearly $10 bin but fret not, at least not when it comes to this bottle. Where cult California Cabernet can be a world changing experience, a well made iteration of this grape shows that California may offer a purity of fruit that you cannot find in Bordeaux. This wine is simple, easy drinking and at $11 is just begging for a pizza in the middle of the week. Yet with all that is unassuming about it’s price point and approachability, it’s still a damn nice wine. Aromas of of raspberry and streaks of fresh kitchen herbs and a bright palate of red fruits accent the palate. Raspberry and montmorency cherry with only the slightest hint of cocoa powder.

2013 Lander Jenkins Pinot Noir, California $13

A super approach and budget friendly California Pinot Noir that accents the red fruit character and hints at the elegance of this finest of fine wine grapes. Aromatics of turned earth, dried violets and red currant. The palate is sweet berry fruit, notes of clove and cola and a finish with ample acidity to make this a well paired food wine.

2013 Tie Dye Red Blend, North Coast, California $14

From two of California’s most well known red wine varieties to a “kitchen sink” blend that includes a little of those, along with nearly everything else, the Tie Dye blend, is perhaps aiming at peace and love by blending just about everything. If you like oak influence, this wine is for you. The resultant blend is loaded with barrel aromatics of cinnamon and baking spice. The palate continues to exhibit that oak with notes of cinnamon, espresso and cocoa powder. There is a streak of black fruit throughout the palate, framed by baking spices.

2014 Enrique Mendoza La Tremenda Monastrell, Alicante, Spain $12

If there’s a fitting example at just how much wine you can get for your dollar from Spain, this is it. Mendoza’s entry level Monastrell, offers a high bang for the buck and emphasis on bright fresh fruit flavors and aromas. The wine comes from thirty year old vines at an elevation of two thousand feet. The wine spent six months in neutral American oak barrels (used two to three times) and the resulting wine offers aromas of cola, baking spice and dusty ripe raspberry. The palate is lively, fresh and loaded with red fruit, tobacco and cocoa nibs. What an incredible bargain.

2014 Parducci Small Lot Blend Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendocino County, California $12

A use of restraint on the oak selection and with fruit from Mendocino County’s inland vineyards you have a wine that shows a lot of class for the price tag. Classic cabernet notes of red berry and white pepper when it comes to the aromas. There’s ample red fruit and brightness on the palate with hints of mocha and just a touch of peppery spice. A great food Cabernet from Parducci.

2014 Root:1 Heritage Red, Maipo Valley, Chile $9

This is a lot of wine for less than $10, about that I have no doubt. The aromas mix fruit, with earthen character,graphite and even hints of coffee. The palate is a core of black fruit, but what makes this wine stand out is its elegance and structure. A blend of Cabernet, Carmenere, Syrah and Petit Verdot, while this are heavy hitting varieties, the balanced blend between oak aged wine and a substantial portion done in stainless steel leaves the wine with a brightness and focus on fruit that make for a great food pairing and an undeniable bargain.

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Outstanding Food Wines from the Languedoc (All Under $20)

November 27, 2016 By Clive Pursehouse Leave a Comment

There are surely far more famous French wine regions than the Languedoc, but the Languedoc-Roussillon may be the single largest, and perhaps the oldest established wine region in France. Located in a sunny Mediterranean climate in the south of France at 560,000 acres of vineyards, as a recognized AOP, its size is astonishing. By comparison Champagne has only 76,000 acres of grape vines.

The sunny weather and rocky soil conditions make for wines of a consistent quality and interesting depth and complexity. Beyond just quantity production, the region has taken steps to continue to maintain a focus and build the region’s reputation on high quality wines. A stepped hierarchy of wine standards, and a designation of Grand Vins and Crus wines with an emphasis on site selection and old vines has resulted in this region, long known for bargain pricing to begin creating wines that just may go toe to toe with higher priced wines from Bordeaux or the Rhone.

As we know, a rising tide lifts all boats, and while the emphasis on quality has allowed higher end producers to craft some incredible high-end wines, it has benefited the region as a whole, which has long been known for it’s quality to price ratio. The entry level wines by some of the region’s best producers have absolutely soared in quality. The region has also focused on communicating terroir and cultivating a particular character in the region’s sub AOPs. Places like Faugères, Corbières and Minervois all with their particular ways of doing things, governing both quality and style of these regions within the larger Languedoc.

The wines of the Languedoc continue to be some of the greatest quality values in the world, often punching at two to three times their price point. At a recent tasting It became quite obvious that some of the region’s wines were particularly outstanding paired with a variety of foods.

Michèle Capdedon Blanquette de Limoux, Non-Vintage $17

A blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and the regional Mauzac grape, this wine is from a family that has a rich history in Limoux which runs over 400 years. One of the first wineries to commercialize their own Blanquette de Limoux and Crémant de Limoux. This is a wine that hints at higher price points with notes of honey, toasted bread and lemon creme.

2015 Mas de Daumas Gassac Moulin de Gassac, Picpoul de Pinet $12

A clear yellow hue, with green highlights, the Picpoul de Pinet is a steely, lean white wine with freshness across the board. Picpoul is one of the oldest grapes in the Languedoc and it pairs excellently with Mediterranean, or perhaps your local shellfish. Aromas of fresh citrus and white flowers and a crisp, clean, edgy palate accented by flavors of grapefruit and wet stone. The acidity soars to a bright, lifted finish.

2013 Chateau Massiac Minvervois Rouge $15

A blend of the signature Carignan with Syrah results in an herbal and earthy, mineral-driven red wine that is an outstanding food option. The estate lies in the heart of the Minervois AOC, and is surrounded rosemary, thyme and Mediterranean herbs that also show up in the signature aromas of the wines from the region. It’s a scent known as garrigue, and it makes for authentic, rustic wines that deliver great depth and character. Aromas of black plum, crushed stone and rosemary. The palate is medium bodied, and mingles together tangy black fruit with thyme and sage.

2014 Bergerie de l’Hortus Pic St Loup $17

Domaine de l’Hortus is one of the Languedoc’s most prominent quality producers and while they make plenty of higher end wines, this entry level offering is as pretty a red wine as you might find at the under $20 price point. Located near the sheer limestone cliffs of the Pic St Loup where they farm Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre that go into this blend in incredibly rocky soils. Aromatically beautiful and reminiscent of cool climate Syrah or Pinot Noir with strong notes of blue fruit and dried violets. The palate is lithe and medium bodied, and elegant beyond belief. Acid lifts the wine but overall this is an exercise in freshness and beauty.

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