CASE PRICE = $28.99 per bottle (add 12+ quantity to your basket)
Notes from the Winemaker:The 2008 Le Mistral is dark and savory with black fruit, dried herbs and white pepper. With a deep red color and intense character, it is spicy with complex layers of dark currant, licorice, red berry and a long lingering finish.
Blend: 62% Syrah, 28% Grenache, 5% Alicante Bouschet, 5% Petitie Sirah.
Grape sources: Estate-grown fruit from our Monterey County vineyard comprised 98% of the blend, with the balance supplied by independent growers.
Grapes were harvested at an average of 25 degree brix, fermented in small batch stainless steel fermenters, and then aged for 17 months in a combination of new French Oak (40%) and two-year-old French Oak previously used for the Joseph Phelps Insignia (60%). Coopers include Francois Freres, Saint Martin, Sirugue, Saury and Ermitage.
Vineyard Notes:
Daytime temperatures in Montery County tend to be quite variable because of the wind. The temperature gradully rises during the day and peaks around 2pm every afternoon. Then the maritime influence of the Monterey Bay causes the wind to blow inland at 20 to 30 MPH, and it is not unusual for the temperature to cool by as much as 20F in less than an hour. The high heat spikes common to the Napa Valley do not normally occur in the Le Mistral vineyard.
Ratings & Reviews:
92 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine:"Rich
and focused, with a complex array of roasted herb, espresso bean,
supple berry, tar, spice and floral scents that are full-bodied, yet
graceful and elegant, with the flavors fanning out nicely on the finish.
Syrah, Grenache, Alicante Bouschet and Petite Sirah. Drink now through
2018. 1,003 cases made." –JL (Aug 31, 2011)
92 Points - Wine Spectator Magazine (2006 vintage):"Intense and full-blown, with spicy, beefy wild berry, red beet root, dried currant and a medley of dried herbs, gaining complexity and nuance. Ends with a dash of pepper and spice. Syrah, Grenache and Alicante Bouschet. Drink now through 2015. 4,000 cases made." –JL (March 31, 2009)
