An other-worldly green-yellow glow in the glass. A nose so clean, so ridiculously bright, taut with controlled floral and tight tropical richness. Melon and banana and apricot, Thompson Seedless and creamy dust. Absolute perfection in the nose–wishing for anything more a melancholy chore. Something so young, so balanced and refined, so shy in its graciousness: surely a Rhone white capable of easily out-living the Diam10 closure. And that’s a pretty short list in California.

Tasting it slides you deep down into your chair, eyes rolling back in submission and ecstasy. Dry to the bone and shivering with shards of greatness from all directions. The creaminess of the mineral drives buttery-bright fruit all across the palate: pear and spiced winter squash; brittle butterscotch and pecan; unbleached muslin–damp and wind-dried–the fibers of which poke at receptors in cat’s-tongue smoothness. Here’s the deal about wines like this–as opposed to wines manipulated to perfection. This wine IS perfect, and owes that to an incredible vineyard and intelligent cellar-work by rock-stars of wine-making. And the finish is nearly the best: a bitter-sweet topping of angst that will make your toes curl. Buy a case: drink one a year.

2021 TERMINIM ‘Cepages d’Or’ MS/RS/PB/VG 50/30/10/10 Alder Springs Vyd Mendocino Co 13.2

https://terminimwines.com/