The Wine:
2003 Lapis Luna Petite Verdot (San Luis Obispo)
The Place:
San Luis Obispo, California
The Grape:
Petite Verdot
The Skinny:
For some things to flower they must be ripped from the place that they call home and raised for a few years in quiet anonymity before suddenly sparking into a relentless blaze of glory. Take the Petite Verdot grapes that Lapis Luna transmuted into their fine 2004 offering. Back in the old Bordeaux, Petite Verdot is little more than an after thought…a red headed step child so to speak. Ripening far slower than its more commonly recognized siblings (Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot and Malbec) in a region with a relatively short growing season, Petite Verdot tends to be under-ripe and bitter at harvest which has led to its use in only the minutest quantities to add "color" and "stiffness in the mid-pallate" to the Bordeaux blend. Yeah, that's about as sexy as it sounds. Anyways, enter the United States, its love affair with Cab, the subsequent Mondavi driven forays into Meritage (I.E. Cali wines blended in Bordeaux style) and suddenly vintners were off to the Bordeaux to take some clippings of Petite Verdot to plant in small quantities so we could be just like France. Only we're not, and thank god, someone somewhere along the way realized it. In California, the growing season is long enough for Petite Verdot to ripen consistently and in the right hands can make a spellbinding wine all on its very own. Thus, ever so slowly, the relentless blaze of Petite Verdot glory begins and with a little help from Lapis Luna so it seems.
Ok, ok, I'm bored sick from the history lesson too. Let's do some drinking already…
My nose perks us instantly on the first wiff of this enchantingly crimson wine as discernable hints of menthol and cinnamon bob through a mixed berry nose. Now it's the tongues turn. I don't sip delicately as I can already tell that it's not that kind of wine and so instead I go for a big draught. Fireworks! Pockets of leathery spice are explosively nestled in a field of blackberry and gooseberry that synthesize into my favorite array of sweet, sour and spice. Then the finish: the acid melts into a lingering sense of satisfaction that keeps my mouth watering for at least a minute. Oh yes, we have a winner. I'm thinking smoked paprika spiced duck with mushrooms and basil and *bang* - we're on to something here. Or I could just sit and drink the whole bottle with nothing else but the anticipation of a well deserved hangover in the morning. And still I'd be happy.
Half a bottle later, I'm going to say something a little bold here.
California, forgive me. But as far as I'm concerned it might be a great service to the Golden State and its oft over rated wine if someone were to go through and pull up half the Cabernet Sauvignon vines and plant some more freakin' Petite Verdot. And then let Lapis Luna make the wine. Oh dear, I can already hear the death threats starting to pile up in my mailbox. Gotta run…
The Price:
