The Hedonistic Taster | № 10
by L.M. Archer, FWS | Bourgogne ML
“Wine should not be regarded simply as a beverage, but as an art of living, a pleasure.” – Henri Jayer
Welcome to The Hedonistic Taster, a binNotes | redThread™ trade sampling of artisan wines.
The title derives from the term ‘hedonistic tasting,’ coined by legendary Burgundian vigneron Henri Jayer.
The Hedonistic Taster allows me the opportunity to introduce you to some gorgeous pours through this intimate tasting format.
Santé!
Today’s Tasting:
Wrath Wines | Monterey AVA
These Wrath Wine tasting notes developed from samples derived from my recent exclusive interview with wine maker Sabrine Rodems at their state-of-the-art tasting room tucked into the foothills of Monterey AVA.
View the entire exclusive interview with Sabrine Rodems here.
Wrath Wines boasts a prodigious assortment of wines, wines borne of an epic knack for experimentation-gone-right by ‘grand alchemist’ Sabrine Rodems and owner Michael Thomas, with assistance from their merry band of winery cohorts.
Wrath Wines include three (3) categories:
Ex Anima Series | Artisan, estate-sourced wines crafted ‘from the soul,’ featuring no new oak.
Wine Maker Series | Alchemic wines showcasing clonal blends, whole cluster percentages, malolactic fermentation variations, and more.
Single Vineyard Series | Flagships wines emphasizing minimal winemaking and maximum expression of terroir.
A daunting task, drilling down into this deep well of sumptuous-to-spikey reds and snappy-to-sultry whites; this sampling focuses primarily on whites and ‘off-whites’.
View the entire Wrath Wine Menu here.
Wine: Wrath Ex Anima Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2014
Alcohol: 13.3%
Suggested Retail: $19
Specs
TASTING NOTES:
Robe: Transluscent lemon slip.
Nose: Petrichor, fleurs blanches, eau de mer, brief wheat grass backnote.
Palate: Light body + chiseled acids + elegant citrus tones = Stunning+Soul-stirring+Magnificent+Mysterious+ Ethereal+ Elusive never-ending, enticing story problem. A most unusual Sauvignon Blanc.
Suggested Pairings: Belly up to any oyster bar with this baby, and don’t look back.
❦❦❦
Wine: Wrath Fermata Chardonnay
Vintage: 2013
Alcohol: 14.3%
Suggested Retail: $35
Specs
TASTING NOTES:
Robe: Pale straw robe.
Nose: Rich butter-toast, meyer-lemon nose.
Palate: Fermata means ‘halted’ in Italian. Malolactic fermentation halted at 50%, yielding this blend of buxom fullness paired with lean acidity.
Suggested Pairings: Try this with creamy cheeses or richer dishes like roasted chicken with beurre-blanc.
❦❦❦
Wine: Wrath 3-Clone Chardonnay
Vintage: 2013
Alcohol: 14.5%
Suggested Retail: $35
Specs
TASTING NOTES:
Robe: Soft straw robe.
Nose: Almond, honey, ghost of citrus nose.
Palate: ‘Three graces’ blend of old-vine Mt. Eden, Wente and Clone 4 (plus a touch of newer Kistler vines) undergo full malolactic fermentation to create a medium-bodied, under-stated pour.
Suggested Pairings: Serve alfresco with a sedate supper of chilled langoustine salad.
❦❦❦
Wine: Wrath Grenache, Alta Loma
Vintage: 2013
Alcohol: 13.4%
Suggested Retail: $39
Specs
TASTING NOTES:
Robe: Pelucid garnet robe.
Nose: Dusty red currant, cranberry nose.
Palate: Bio-dynamically produced wine with bright red fruit and mesmerizing hints of tobacco, leather and juniper on the mouth – not your Mama’s Grenache.
Suggested Pairings: Break out the tapas and this little number for your friends who think they know everything there is to know about Grenache, then watch their eyes go tilt as they realize they don’t.
❦❦❦
Wine: Ex Dolio Falanghina
Vintage: 2014
Alcohol: 14.1%
Suggested Retail: $29
Specs
TASTING NOTES:
Robe: Terra-cotta roiled honey-amber robe.
Nose: Exotic apricot, mirabelle plum, white peach nose.
Palate: Only one of three wineries in the United States that produces Falanghina. Unfiltered, unfined, aged on skins in terra-cotta dolium produce an ultra-light bodied, time-traveling mind-bender of a wine offering subtle minerality and an oasis of stone and mediterranean-infused fruit flavors. Sui generis.
Suggested Pairings: For regular humans, serve this wine with Mediterranean fare like firm, salty cheeses, or something sweeter, like dates or baklava.
Or simply crack this wine open when you want to blow your most serious wine geeks’ minds.
❦❦❦
View my exclusive interview with Sabrine Rodems here. ❦❦❦ Copyrighted 2016 binNotes | redThread™. All Rights Reserved.
