Sunce Winery & Vineyard, Chateau la Sunce 2017, North Coast, California

Tasting Note: Behold the rare and delicious syrah-petit sirah-mourvedre red blend.

Deep-intensity purple in color, this wine has a medium-plus-intensity nose of bramble, black plum, blackberry, red currant, black cherry with hints of clove baking spice.

On the palate the dry, full-bodied red blend has medium-plus-intensity flavors suggested on the nose supported by medium acidity and ripe, medium-plus-tannin completing with a medium-plus finish.

The wine has a velvety texture with lots of midpalate complexity and concentrated black fruit.

A perfect bottle to open on a rainy day or sip in pajamas.

Bottle Note: Sunce is a family winery located in the Russian River Valley appellation of Sonoma County – specializing in small artisan lots of vineyard designated varietal wine and classic blends. This house Rhone blend is comprised of 40% Syrah, from Cattich’s Russian River Valley ranch and 40% Petite Sirah and 20% Mourvedre from San Francisco Bay’s Sandy Lane Vineyard. Aromas of spiced meat, saddle, earth and a splash of truffle make for a richly perfumed red wine. Flavors of wild berries, coffee beans, cardamom-laced chocolate, and mulling spices, balance moderate acidity, firm tannins and a generous, round texture ending with a long spicy, finish. This sipper can be paired with a nice cigar, a rich venison stew by campfire, a tofu stir-fry on a sailboat striding on its side, or with any nostalgia-making trifle of a circumstance. -Frane Franicevic, Winemaker. Only 10 barrels made.