2019 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah!, Love Language Glowing Red, California.
To take a walk on the wild side, get on the Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! list and try these completely unique bottlings, like this The Love Language Glowing Red that completely confuses the senses and makes you rethink about what expectations your palate has for a red wine, it is very different, with a light to medium weight, textural form, a range of flavors that includes reduced strawberries, wild plums, golden raisins and bright Italian cherries, all accented by dried herbs, earthy/savory elements, unsweetened honey and a touch of floral highlights. Winemaker Hardy Wallace, who is pushing the limits with his new Extradimensional Wine Co, Yeah! label is a huge fan of Mourvedre and Orange wine, and with this wine, he combines both his passions in this offering, he blended lots of Mourvedre, Barbera and skin fermented Chenin Blanc. At first I was dumbfounded and not too convinced by this Glowing Red, but it slowly grew on me and after I had it with food it became a much more pleasing experience with the Mourvedre coming through more clearly and allowing a sunny array of red fruits to fill the mouth. This is stuff that should be slightly chilled and drunk young and fresh, as many natural style wines should be served. This wine joins a unique set of counter culture releases in California, like those from Ruth Lewandowski Wines, Martha Stoumen and others, that takes its own path, very much at odds with mainstream ideas of wine, and while I wouldn’t want a full cellar of this one, I admire the brave risk taking here.
The Love Language Glowing Red is a totally different wine and concept from Hardy Wallace, formerly the co-founder and winemaker at Dirty & Rowdy wines, who has taken his ideas to the level here at his and Kate’s, his wife’s Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! label, with this new release being a blend of 54% Shake Ridge Vineyard Mourvèdre, from the Sierra Foothills and 12% Old Vine Barbera, along with 34% Old Vine skin contact Chenin Blanc from Mendocino County. Because of multi-regional collection here, this is a “California” red table wine, but the grapes do come from top sites in highly regarded AVAs, including Amador and Mendocino Counties. The high percentage of the white varietal in this red wine, certainly sets it apart from most wines, especially considering it is Chenin Blanc, which I don’t believe I’ve ever had in a red wine before. This crazy Love Language Glowing Red, as Hardy says, is a wine that is an ode to a juicy wild love, and who could resist that imagery, not me, that’s for certain, though he then goes on to suggest pairing it with love and your best dance moves, which I’m only half on board with. Like most modern natural winemakers, Wallace sources from organic vines and uses indigenous yeasts, after which the wine is aged in very seasoned used oak, in order to promote raw transparency, with almost no additional sulfites. This Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! wine has soft tannin, low alcohol and a good dose of natural acidity, making it crisply refreshing, it won’t be crowd pleaser, but will challenge you in a most interesting way! I am looking forward to seeing how Hardy’s new straight Mourvedre bottlings turn out, especially the Old Vine Evangelho version that I just got.
($47 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive