Grapelive Scary “Good” Review
By Kerry Winslow
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N.V. Sean Thackrey “Pleiades” XXI, Old Vines, California.
This multi-vintage blend of red and white grapes includes Grenache, Barbera, Syrah, Sangiovese, Viognier and Marsanne and Pinot Nor, making for a wild and unique wine that I described on Twitter as like “Kissing Scarlett Johansson, drinking Gamay while smoking menthols” to a few laughs, but all joking aside this is a totally fun wine that is so tasty and so wrong in many ways. It is like drinking a David Lynch movie, but then Sean Thackrey does craft some crazy good wines, and the new edition of Pleiades is as good as it gets with a raw sex appeal and subtle charms with some weirdness to make things interesting. The nose is a mix of dried flowers, dried cherries and candied citrus peel before a palate that feels like a fine Cru Beajolais, but has a huge licorice and eucalyptus burst. Hints of earth, strawberry and tangy cherries add intrigue and the slightly lighter color makes you want more and more. This wine has a bit less grip than the last few, but drinks a lot more elegant and has much more balance. I go on and off Sean’s wines, but this is a really groovy wine and brings me back into the fold of his fans and makes me want more.
($26 Est.) 91+ Points, grapelive
Available at www.sfwtc.com ($23.95)
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