Community Tasting Note

• Martin Redmond Likes this wine: 89 points

  September 7, 2015 - Wines At Our Table; Week of September 20, 2015; 9/7/2015-9/20/2015: Dark ruby color with cherry, pomegranate, white pepper, and spice aromas with an appealing wet stone note. On the palate, it's light-bodied and fresh cherry, pomegranate, and spice flavors with a bit of a savory character. More akin to Burgundy than Rhone. 12.5% alcohol Blend of 45% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah. Fermented on native yeasts Aged 10 months neutral French oak

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2 Comments

• wilypod commented:

  9/8/15, 6:01 AM - Sounds like a technically correct wine with an honest expression of fruit. Given the competition from other Rhone Rangers and quite excellent Rhone origin GSMs, what niche does this wine fill?
  
  I've enthusiastically enjoyed Two Shepherds when they are young and fresh, but some Two Shepherd reds have gone bad after just one year in the cellar: the 2011 Pastoral Rouge (washed out flavors), the 2011 Syrah Mourvedre (high VA), and what was a lovely 2012 Grenache Noir (again high VA). They were all superb when I tasted them in June 2014. This has not happened with other wines in my cellar, so I suspect a cork problem.

• SonomaWilliam commented:

  9/9/15, 11:27 AM - thanks for the review Martin. I am responding to Wilypod's notes.
  
  - the pastoral rouge is not meant to compete with CA "GSM"s and why I don't call the wine that. (nor is it limited to those 3 varieties.) Its a completely different expression of a Grenache base blend, lighter, more vibrant etc. (the 2012 is 12.5 % alc.)
  
  - I am honestly quite surprised at the 3 bad bottles, and have sent you a note elsewhere. The wines typically age very well, and we have few reports of spoilage though we do get the occasional off bottle. It sounds like they are cellared, but I am curious, I assume temperature controlled? Like many minimal intervention wines, they don't do well with heat fluctuation, or temps over the mid 60s, especially the 2011 vintage.
  The wines are never released with VA, as I would never do that, so if VA was present, something has occurred to develop, such as heat. Given the 2012 Grenache was sterile filtered, that should near be impossible. Love to chat live, and will also send replacements if reach out at william@twoshepherds.com
  thanks!

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