Driscoll Wine Co Recreation Red Blend 2018
-
Wilfred
Wong
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Driscoll Recreation Red Wine is big and smooth. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows plenty of ripe, black, jammy fruit aromas and flavors. Enjoy it with grilled cheeseburgers. (Tasted: June 19, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
Chef-turned-winemaker, Jason Driscoll, makes terroir driven wines from unique vineyards throughout Northern California. Driscoll seeks to highlight older vines, forgotten regions, and food-friendly styles at everyday prices.
Jason and Hilary Driscoll met in Washington State and discovered their love of wine through Jason’s work as a chef and their determination to find the perfect wine pairings. What was supposed to be a brief once-in-a-lifetime harvest opportunity in between kitchens, turned into a passion and full-time job as Jason worked his way up through the cellars at Hunnicut Wines before becoming the Assistant Winemaker for David and Katharine DeSante of DeSante Wines. “DeSante University” immersed him both in the vineyards and the cellar. He learned everything from pruning to pump-building. Jason was exposed to lesser known vineyards, both old and new, that produced spectacular fruit. Inspired by the quality wines these vineyards produced, Hilary and Jason conceived Tilth Wines.
Tilth, which refers to soil health, encapsulates the Driscoll’s approach to exploring California’s treasury of soils. Working with individual growers that he has developed relationships with, Jason focuses on authenticity and makes wines that are unique every vintage.
While pursuing a career as a Chef and cooking in kitchens throughout Seattle and Napa Valley, Jason found a home as a cellar hand in the caves of Hunnicutt Wines in Saint Helena, California.
Jason worked as a cellar hand for two years at Hunnicutt Wines. After living a nomadic existence for the three years following college, Hilary was ready to set roots in a town similar to the one she grew up in Idaho. As a new mother in 2011, the time was more important than ever to take the leap of faith and fully commit to making Saint Helena the home of the Driscoll family.
When DWC started, Jason was stretched thin with a full-time job working for another winery. Hilary threw herself into the business to keep it alive. Making wine was the easy part; things like accounting, compliance and sales, are the hardest part. She immersed herself in books about accounting and the wine business in general to help out in any way she could. Now, as a mother of two (J and Ellie), Hilary runs the books for DWC and also hits the road whenever she can to spread the word about the wines they so passionately make.
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!