Terre Rouge Noir

[Innkeeper]

1997 Terre Rouge Noir, Sierra Foothills ($20). This is Easton/Terre Rouge's flagship red. It runs 45% grenache, 35% moruvedre, and 20% syrah; 14.8% alcohol, and 6.2 gm/ltr total acidity. Open the bottle and immediately the aroma attacks your nose. Much stronger and delightful than I've ever found in any of the individual grapes' wines. These grapes, incidentally, come from very specific Sierra Foothills vinyards. Color is black red. It goes over the lips and through the gums with juicy juice from a wide variety of red fruit. The full body, spicy complexity, balanced acid, smooth tannin, caress your palate. The finish is five alarm. This perfectly structured wine is the best red American Rhone Ranger I've ever tried, bar none. Married perfectly with a sliced grillpanned boneless sirloin steak and salad. Admittedly at the top of the $$ price point, it is well worth it. Plan to order more, as well as more Terra Rouge Enigma (the best white Rhone Ranger) today.