Weirdest thing, and a new one for me, pulled out a perfect cork and went to pour and it just tricked out of the bottle. Checked the cork again, And it was complete. Stuck my pinky in the neck of a bottle and realized there was a huge ring of tartarites–cholesterol style–stuck to the neck at the base of the cork. A little push and flow resumed. Perfectly okay, I’m fine with some sediment and tartrates but definitely exposes the wine making style. And how I love carignane. Is that a hedgehog? No, it’s a porcupine. But on to the wine: Grassy and gritty in the nose, with very little fruit, a deep *agedness* exposed. No tertiary to speak of, but settling down into a fruit/structure element contradictory to the date on the label. In the mouth, glassine and safe, thick richness over-rides all while sharp heat brings both characteristics of the variety and asterisks to its goal. Not a complex wine, but offering issues we dorks love to see in these forgotten varieties. Flabby to an extent, while etchy layers continue to evade comprehensive description. Shallow and vague throughout, I’d love to see more expressive fruit and definition. It’s like someone’s trying too hard with a grape proven to be accesible and friendly. Stop it. Let it go. Let carignane be carignane. Too ripe. Too flustered. Too manipulated. Let it be.

2019 @peterson_winery#carignan#drycreekvalley#sonomawine 15.1