VIE Winery

Here’s something a little rich and spicy from a very small, arguably “Boutique” winery that specializes in Rhone wines from some of the finest vineyards in California. With only 60 cases made, this is limited and not for everyone. It’s a saignée of Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah, done entirely in stainless. The pH is a bit high, and I’ll warrant the alcohol is a bit above the 13.9% listed on the label, so overall, this is a fairly fat rosé.

Made of fruit (Mourvedre and Grenache) from Alta Mesa Vineyard, which is a fairly high altitude (3200 ft) vineyard in eastern Santa Barbara county, plus Syrah from White Hawk and Thomson Vineyards in the Los Alamos Hills, this wine has a good deal of complexity. There are lots of strawberry, guava, lime and flinty mineral notes on the nose. On the palate there’s plenty of watermelon, guava, hard cherry candy, a hint of curry and a hauntingly earthy touch that probably comes not only from all that decomposed granite, quartzite, basalt and gneiss in the Alta Mesa Vineyard, but also from the native yeasts which are left free to do their thing. There is always something a little wild about letting the grapes bring their own fermentation partners to the dance. As some of my more cautionary winemaking friends would say, this is winemaking without a net.

(Alcohol: 13.9%, Retail: $18)

Reviewed August 31, 2007 by Laura Ness.