Intense but brutal, fierce with a hint of hostility.
To the simple aromas of apricot, orange zest, and apple cider, the palate adds a blast of lemon carousing on bristly textured tannins from skin contact. The tannins are nicely done, announcing their presence early and persisting while never becoming grippy. The fruit seam is loud but thin bullied by bracing acidity that turns sour on the finish.
It’s bright and sun-drenched but brittle. There is no richness, nothing svelte nor elegant, mouthwatering yet puckering and harsh, a wine for acid heads. There is a place for this wine but one must be in the mood for devilry without reprieve.
Paired with the manic, bizarro pop of 100 Gecs’ “Hand Crushed by a Mallet,” it tasted like a perfectly normal wine.
Notes: Quite literally a “garagiste” wine made by Shaunt Oungoulian and Diego Roig in Shaun’s parent’s garage. Organically grown grapes from Barra Vineyard near Ukiah. Spontaneous fermentation, 10 days on the skins, aged in neutral French oak and stainless steel for 7 months. 10 ppm sulfur added at bottling.
Score: 88
Price: $22
Alc: 12.5%
Exploring the Philosophy of Food and Wine 