HELEN KEPLINGER VERMILLION RED BLEND, CALIFORNIA 2018

Varietals: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon

Regions: Sonoma and Sierra Foothills, California

What's so Special: Vermillion makes this wine from the vineyards to the bottle, working closely with grape growers from awesome little vineyard sites in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and the Sierra Foothills. They’ve sought out interesting sites with great dirt, farm them with care and thought, and use traditional winemaking to craft honest wine and make an artisanal red wine blend to match any occasion, any food, any time.

Tastes Like: The 2018 Vermillion has a gorgeously perfumed nose of raspberry, black cherry, violets, white pepper, and Darjeeling tea. The palate is pure and layered, with red and black fruits accented with black tea, anise, and hints of Indian spice underpinned by fine, plush, seamless tannins.

What the Pros Say: Jeb Dunnuck - 92 Points: " The 2018 Vermillion is a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon (with a few other varieties in there as well) and comes mostly from Sonoma (69%) yet with 31% from the Sierra Foothills. Made by Helen Keplinger, it has a beautiful perfume of raspberry and strawberry fruits as well as notes of white pepper and flowers. It’s ripe, seamless, and plush on the palate, with lots of Grenache sexiness, yet it stays nicely balanced and has fine tannins, all making for a beautiful wine well worth seeking out."