Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Tour de France: Grenache, SHATTER, Maury, Roussillon, France, 2010

Dave Phinney, of Orin Swift (Prisoner fame) and Joel Gott, of Joel Gott (fame) partnered to make this wine, Shatter, in the south of France.  With its ancient vines struggling on rocky, hillsides of schist, making for amazingly concentrated fruit, capable of creating darker wines than anything else in France, and the terroir, different from anywhere else in California or France. It was an extraordinary opportunity for them to work together.  
  • RAMBUNCTIOUS
  • Dark Fruits
  • Ripe Cherry
  • Spicy French Oak
  • Soft and Thick
  • Mature Tannins
  • Long Finish

The wine’s name, Shatter, is for a phenomenon in which grape clusters fail to develop all their berries after flowering. While this condition—called coulure in French—it is usually considered a viticultural hazard, Gott and Phinney boldly embraced it as the name for their new project. As Phinney explains, “This area of the Roussillon is very prone to shatter.  It actually decreases yield and intensifies the wines.”


To read and see some great pictures about Shatter from the Tasting Panel Magazine click here.  

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