Each Tuesday night on Cellars of Sonoma it has a variance level of excitment to me. The range seems to fall between wow, this is going to be awesome, to OMG Heidi Freaking Barrett is on the show tonight. Having the opportunity to listen in on vineyard owner Rick DuNah and winemaker Greg La Follette while drinking their wine is no doubt on the very high end of privledged Tuesdays. Both the DuNah and LA FOLLETTE labels landed on the Wandering Wino 2012 top wines of the year.

When I see a wine labeled as "Red Wine," I get very curious. I love playing the "guess if you can" type game of the varietals. Admidatly, my guess was way off on this wine. The DuNah "Red Wine" is a blend of Syrah, Sangiovese, Carignane, and a just a touch of "Gewurztraminer for civiliity" according to Greg LA Follette. 

Stored in neutral barrels and was said to still be a big wine after 30 months age by Rick Dunah, and that is where Greg suggested the Gewurtaminer from a different vintage. The blend is roughly 43% Syrah 40% Sangiovese,12% Carignane, and 5% Gewurtztraminer.

Greg mentioned that this is still a young wine. Approx 100 cases produced. "You don't need food with this wine but it is good with food." - Rick DuNah. The wine changes as you drink it. "It is like three different wines"- Greg Lafollette. The winemaker Greg suggested rose pedals, lavender, then blackberry.

I'd say this is like neopalitan, you get it all. At one point I thought this wine was prominantly a Pommard clone of Pinot Noir with notes of black cherry, then after a little more time, I picked up blackberry, I thought maybe a Dijon clone 667 Pinot Noir. The wine showed great acid, but not over the top, nicely balanced tannin with a touch of white pepper. While I confess on myself incorrectly guessing the wine, my hope is that some might relate to these types of charactoristics. At just $35, (at Cellars of Sonoma)  this was a lot of fun to try to understand and watch adjust through the evening.