Savage Follow the Line Red Blend 2020
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Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Incredibly perfumed floral bouquet of violets, pressed rose petals and hints of cherry blossom that melt into pronounced notes of earthy lavender, coriander and Turkish delight. Cool and suave with bright tingling cherry acids. A silky weightless concentration, crystalline wild strawberry and red cherry fruits and the most delicate lacey tannins on the finish. This is a very polished, ethereal, classy effort with so many of the Cinsault characteristics drawing an undeniable resemblance to young, premium Côtes de Beaune Pinot Noir.
Blend: 89% Cinsault, 11% Syrah
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Wine Spectator
This is a bit pungent on the nose at first, quickly blowing off to reveal a pure note of raspberry coulis and accents of spiced orange peel and black tea leaf. A sleek red, creamy and well-knit, with light and taut tannins providing good definition through the salty finish. Cinsault and Syrah. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Bursting with bright fruit aromas and dusty rose petals, the 2020 Follow The Line offers hints of red spice and is made with a kiss of Syrah. Medium-bodied, the palate displays a fresh and spicy mouthfeel with delightfully elegant layers before revealing a soft prickle of energetic acidity. Food friendly and expressive, the wine ends with a subtly spiced finish.
Other Vintages
2021- Vinous
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Parker
Robert
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Spectator
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Spectator
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Spectator
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Spectator
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Robert
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.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.