G.S.M "The Rabbit" Red Blend 2023

Intensely aromatic, complex and powerful.  Notes of hardwoods, baking spice, peppercorn and red fruit mingle in the nose.  In the mouth, the wine is precisely balanced, with great structure and a healthy acidity that mellows into a very pleasant mid-pallet weight on the second sip.  Myriad fruit notes dance across the tongue - everything from fresh cranberries to plum jam and dried cherries.  The dazzlingly long and soft finish provides a congenial refrain of each verse in this melody and every return trip to the glass shows something new.

In the far north of Mendocino County, just twelve miles from the Pacific Ocean, lies Alder Springs Vineyard.  The site is a natural wonder as well as an exceptional vineyard location.  Owner Stuart Bewely is a meticulous grower, focused on the perfect combination of variety, clone, and terroir.  The hilly landscape offers nearly ideal growing conditions: bright sun, cool nights, and phenomenal low-vigor soils.

Each variety was fermented separately in closed top stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures with twice daily pump-overs.  After fermentation, the wines were pressed and aged in gently used French oak barrels for 22 months.  The Grenache and Mourvedre were each racked twice.  The Syrah was racked 4 times.  Wines were blended three weeks before bottling to allow the blend to properly marry together.

This wine is perfect for an assortment of canapés - its balance and intensity lead to choice pairings with a diverse range of flavors.  For main course options, this wine is an easy homerun with steak au poivre, it could also do well with a swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam.  Seared pepper tuna on crispy sushi rice.