Grapelive Wine Value of the Week
By Kerry Winslow
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2009 Red Shed Syrah-Grenache, Sonoma County.
This is a great American Cotes-du-Rhone, which compares well in price and character, a wine that could not be found here in the past! Even in the last few years it has been hard to find a good California Rhone style wine under $20, let alone around $15, but now this little red comes along and shows it can and has been done and done well. The Red Shed is made by some top Rhone style wine producers and comes from the new Rhone region in California, the Bennett Valley in Sonoma, home to some of the most interesting Syrah and Grenache plantings in the state. The 2009 Red Shed has ripe and savory fruit, with blueberry, boysenberry, cherry, plum and currant fruits on the palate with touches of grenadine, pepper and lavender. While not a full-blown Chateauneuf style red, it is juicy and fun, giving lots of pleasure, especially for the price.
($16 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive
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