Randall Grahm, clown prince of the California wine industry, has drawn so much attention to abandoning corks for screw-top closures that the wine inside has been overlooked. This one deserves a taste.
The name suggests this might be another Cal-Italian wine. But the first three grapes of the 13 in the blend are syrah, cabernet franc and carignan, so don’t start singing “O Sole Mio” as you remove the Stelvin closure that has replaced the cork.
Be prepared instead for a juicy, rather rich, red berry-flavored charmer that is packed with flavor and quintessentially Californian.
There’s an anise note that invokes a thought of Rhone wines and an Italian accent provided by small amounts of sangiovese, barbera and dolcetto. Grahm suggests drinking this $10 wine with “herb-crusted anything,” plus chicken roasted with garlic, or hamburgers. I would add sandwiches such as bacon, lettuce and tomato, and grilled ham and cheese.