Queen of the Sierra Red 2017

This is the perfect red for one of those long, lazy English summer days. Forget the beer, watch a game of village cricket with a glass of this. Tumbling mix of red, black and hedgerow fruits – tasting as if you’ve just picked them yourself. Brambly and fresh and despite the tangy fruit there is real amplitude on the palate, with a chalky and mineral finish. Incredible wine.

The 2017 Queen of the Sierra red estate blend was grown on the Rorick Heritage Vineyard in Calaveras County at 2000’ elevation, featuring soils comprised of a layer of schist over dolomite-rich limestone. Composed primarily of Zinfandel, Trousseau Noir, and Mondeuse, the Queen shows all of the aromatic complexity and textural presence that are the hallmarks of wines grown on the limestone of this estate. It presents with compelling dynamic tension between its bright and forward fruit and the supple tannins and lively acidity that make up this wine’s backbone.

Magnificent! Takes a while to open up, but this has all the sinewy and athletic muscle of great nebbiolo (!), tannins of such, Italianate flavours in herbs and sweet earth and sour cherry. Fantastic. Long, lean and tightly wound, again, it’s words about tannin and structure that ring loud here. Such a good, detailed, interesting, layered wine. It drinks like best of fine dry reds, with pizzazz of the unusual parts. Yewww! 95 Points – Mike Bennie, The Winefront