Recommendation: Delicious California Rhone blend.
Winery/Producer: Bottled by Larner Winey; Buellton, California.
Grape Variety: Rhône blend: Syrah and Mourvedre.
Geographic Region, Appellation: Ballard Canyon; Santa Barbara County, California.
Vintage: 2011
Price: $31.95
Purchased From: Woodland Hills Wine Company, Woodland Hills, California.
Paired With: Roast pork loin, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts.
Tasting:
-
He said: Opened 30-minutes before drinking. Dark purple color with a purple/red rim. Powerful damp cave, mushrooms and dark fruit aromas. Tart, mouth-puckering, juicy current and blackberry taste that continues and becomes more intense through the long finish. Bold, spicy and rich in flavor. Delicious California Rhone that gets a very positive recommendation.
As an “Old World”-“New World” tasting we drank this Larner Elemental (California Rhone blend) and an identically priced Crozes-Hermitage side-by-side and blind. Although there were similarities there was a big enough distinction between the wines that all four of us preferred one over the other…the Crozes-Hermitage was the favorite for all four of us!
She said: BIG aroma with a a lot of wet mold, followed by a mouth feel that was full of flavor, a medium body, dry, and with soft tannins and a long finish. Good with the dinner and a wine I would buy again. This was a GREAT California red and if we hadn’t drank it side-by-side with the Crozes-Hermitage I probably would have said outstanding.
Alcohol: 14.8%
UPC Code: NA
Imported by: NA
Photo from Larner Vineyard and Winery.