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SKU 858135
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An aromatic wine with granite and dark-berry character. Quartz, too. Full-bodied and dense, yet agile. Layered and focused. A fantastic wine. Grenache, mouvedre and syrah. Impressive texture and balance. So in harmony. Co-fermented. Drink or hold.
Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.
Region
California
California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.
Appellation
Sonoma Valley
California's beautiful and remarkably fertile Sonoma Valley has grown over the decades to become one of the United States' most respected and profitable wine regions, with wineries within the region benefiting from the superb Californian sunshine, low rainfall and wonderfully rich soils. Because of this vital combination of excellent conditions, the region is able to grow a wide range of grape varietals for use in the production of an impressive array of wines, with many different red and white wine grapes flourishing each year and producing excellent and characterful results. The soils have been enriched by volcanic activity, and the presence of geothermal springs, which make this region a unique one, and very much the beating heart of California's ever growing wine industry.
JS95pts
James Suckling
An aromatic wine with granite and dark-berry character. Quartz, too. Full-bodied and dense, yet agile. Layered and focused. A fantastic wine. Grenache, mouvedre and syrah. Impressive texture and balance. So in harmony. Co-fermented. Drink or hold.
WS94pts
Wine Spectator
Plush, polished and well-knit, with vibrant blackberry, crushed stone, smoky meat and pepper details that build momentum and richness toward the long finish. Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2027. 250 cases made.
VM93pts
Vinous Media
Helen Keplinger's 2015 Lithic is a powerful, shockingly tannic wine. I don't think I remember tasting a vintage of Lithic that is this forbidding in the early going. Dense, powerful and explosive, the 2015 captures both the intensity of this hillside site and the very small berries of 2015. The 30% whole clusters are nicely integrated. Time in the glass brings out an attractive rose petal/lavender note that is quite appealing. It will be interesting to see if the 2015 softens over time. Readers will have to be patient here.
JD93pts
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Lithic comes from rocky, volcanic soils in Amador and is 40% Mourvèdre, 34% Grenache, and 26% Syrah that was brought up in 10% new French oak (a mix of demi-muids and Burgundy barrels). It has an exotic bouquet of blueberries, crushed flowers, spiced meats, and earth. With terrific purity of fruit, a distinct minerality, no hard edges, and the purity of fruit and elegance that’s the hallmark of all of Helen’s wines, drink this terrific wine anytime over the coming decade.
