Gorgeous blue-ruby with a wide clear edge. Ridiculous succulent fruit: chubby berry, watermelon Jolly Rancher, purple-cow decadence in a spritely light-cherry wash on the surface, but hinting at black deviations solidly anchored below. No indication of blend, but vineyard sites referenced on rear label–along with this winemaker’s known varietal altercations–hint at possible inclusions. Rosy and bright while maintaining seriouser influences, it quite defies *safe* red-blend formulas in both cheery floral and depth of fruit. Originally opened at cool room-temperature, a slight chill to low 60’s neither detracts or exemplifies texture. I don’t even need to taste this to tell you it is a stunning wine, but here we go.

The packaging is also unique. A classic–almost gothic–label adorns a dark orange version of dead-leaf in a bottle not hock–but sorta a *slumped* hock–not as tall and streamlined but rounding out considerably short of burg–sealed with a custom Diam 5.

Grassy and vibrant in the mouth, the cherry tart and frosted-flake, the acid churning below in a fashion destined for deliciousness. Bright and vibrant are the operative words, also “yummy”… despite readers opposed to such descriptors. Fuck your classical dogma: this wine is flat-out yummy. Sharp and focused, the perceived sweetness arriving NOT from RS, but from fruit perfectly manipulated in the cellar–or NOT manipulated, as this case may bear. A Vit-C finish devoid of tannin but flush with age-able power caps the fruit in powdery intent: refreshing, chuggable, seriouser than initial vibes suggest, and an all-around BTG workhorse. You need this wine in your roster. Nearly impossible to find fault with.

2020 SLAMDANCE KOÖPERATIVE WINES ‘Wine of California’ Red Blend Central Coast Paso Robles 11-14%

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