Winemaker Notes
Blend: 44% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 24% Mourvèdre, and 4% Petite Sirah.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
The grapes are sourced from the Landa Vineyard in the eastern foothills of the Mayacamas: a blend of 44% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 24% Mourvèdre, and 4% Petite Sirah. Earthy strawberry and Worcestershire serve as the initial aromas and are followed by an herbal/floral scent. On the palate, it’s a mixed bag of flavors, almost as if each variety is chiming in with its own song. Black olive and anise are savory while black cherry and plum are ripe and sweet. This is deep and inky with good tannin structure and fine acidity
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Turbine Red checks in as a blend of 44% Grenache, 28% Syrah and the rest Mourvèdre that's all from the Landa Vineyard. Plums, passion fruit, and ripe cherry notes all emerge from this exotic, complex red that has a gorgeous, silky, elegant texture. With fine tannin, nicely integrated acidity, and a clean finish, it's not overly powerful or over the top, yet shines for its purity, elegance, and balance. It's a beautiful wine from winemakers Katy Wilson and Ross Cobb.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Perhaps the most historically significant appellation in Sonoma County, the Sonoma Valley is home to both Buena Vista winery, California's oldest commercial winery, and Gundlach Bundschu winery, California's oldest family-run winery.
It is also one of the more geologically and climactically diverse districts. The valley includes and overlaps four distinct Sonoma County sub-appellations, including Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley. With mountains, benchlands, plains, abundant sunshine and the cooling effects of the nearby Pacific, this appellation can successfully produce a wide range of grape varieties. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, and most notably, Zinfandel all thrive here. Ancient Zinfandel vines over 100 years old produce small crops of concentrated, spicy fruit, which in turn make some of the Valley's most unique wines. These can also be made as “field blends” (wines made from a mix of grape varieties grown in the same vineyard) along with Petite Sirah, Carignan and Alicante Bouschet.