Lot 764 | 2018 Mendocino

Medium ruby in the glass and a bit fruit forward on the nose – aromatic notes of plum, blueberry, and dried cranberries are accented by tobacco leaf, chocolate, and a kiss of vanilla bean. The palate shifts dynamically to a terroir focus, riding deftly balanced acidity with perfectly interwoven silky tannins uplifting the sweet tobacco, peppercorn, and leather. The finish is medium length, dry, and almost too easy going down, making for an extremely quaffable wine that practically fills its own glass.

Mendocino is home to an eclectic mix of small family wineries on California's North Coast, bordered by a rugged coastline to the west and redwood-blanketed mountains to the east. Big names from Napa and Sonoma have been augmenting their wines with Mendo fruit for quite some time now, but some of the appellations within Mendocino have become stars in their own right while still maintaining relatively approachable prices.

Lot 764 comes to us from a small boutique winery in Mendocino. Wineries of this size are typically known for their “hi-touch, low quantity” nature due to the extra care and attention the winemakers can give to their tiny overall production, and it definitely shows here. Made from all estate fruit planted to vineyards on the banks of the Russian River, this is a sublime, silky Syrah in line with Southern Rhône stylings.