Neyers, Sage Canyon, California Red Wine 2019

“Offers ripe wild blackberry and huckleberry notes that mingle with Kalamata olive and fresh sage flavors. A terrific mix of fruity and savory elements, with cigar box and malty Assam black tea lingering on the finish. Delivers polished tannins. Carignane, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Drink now through 2035.”-92WS

For Neyers Sage Canyon Red , all of the grapes are harvested as separate lots, fermented traditionally with 100% stem retention, then blended after a year of aging in neutral 60-gallon French oak barrels. The stems are kept in the fermenting must to add an exotic, rustic flavor to the finished wine. For that reason, they crush the grapes by foot, using a traditional French technique ‘pigeage’. Winemaker Tadeo Borchardt creates a blend that varies from year to year, and in 2019 the finished wine was 55% Carignan, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, and 5% Syrah. The current bottling has an exotic, lavender-like aroma, with suggestions of wild cherries, ginger, allspice, and freshly ground black pepper. The favors are generous and rich, matched by an attractive suppleness that adds to their enjoyment.