77% Grenache, 17% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre and 1% Petite Sirah from Monterey, California.
SRP of $18 and available for as low as $15. Sample submitted for review.
From the bottle:
"Alakai, a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah is dark and structured, but with finesse and elegance. Wild cherry flavors are balanced by rich black fruit and accented with spicy notes of cinnamon and white pepper. Petite Sirah and Mourvedre add backbone to this Grenache-focused blend. Splash decant and enjoy.
14.4% Alcohol"
Today's wine from Joel Gott, named after his wife's dog when he met her, is a Rhone-style blend dominated by Grenache (also known as Garnacha in Spain). And while it may be inexpensive for a Rhone wine, the big question for me was whether this California wine could compete with so muchgreat, cheap Garnacha coming out of Spain. As it turns out, this wine does quite admirably.
The 2010 Joel Gott Alakai Red Wine begins with abundant aromas of dark fruit, baking spice, anise and licorice. Tasting the wine reveals lots of nice rich fruit and a smooth texture. There is a great spicy streak carrying through the wine and some earthy notes that come out near the end. Speaking of the finish, the abundant fruit gives way to licorice, spice and the aforementioned earthy notes which last in the mouth for quite a long time.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.3
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