Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Organically farmed at 550m elevation on the Mayacamas mountains. Counoise is commonly used in Cha^teauneuf; Chris Brockway intended to use this as a blending component, but eventually bottled it pure. Gently herbal strawberry and plum compote, blackberry and rose. It’s soft and yielding, acidity is well balanced, the wet-clay tannins provide structure. Thicker than Rho^ne Counoise, harmonious and satisfyingly juicy.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: What does do with Counoise when it is mostly buried in southern Rhône red wines? The 2016 Broc Cellars Counoise gives a rare look into what this grape variety can do on its own. TASTING NOTES: This wine is pleasing wine for food lovers. Its aromas and flavors of red fruits and some mineral notes should make it beautiful pairing mate with roast duck. (Tasted: September 25, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.