To Make a Blend

I figured when I bottled up 450 cases of Sherman and Hooker’s Shebang! in December that it would carry me through the year.  How many people, after all, would buy into the notion of a jug wine?

Well, I have been surprised.  We sold 130 cases last month, and this month one Whole Foods location has already locked in 25 cases.  The result, I am almost sold out!

This means that I have been sent on a hunt to find wine that is good enough to make the blend.  Since I made the vast majority of the first blend, it is an interesting task to make a wine from other folks that still carries the signature of my winemaking decisions.  It is also really fun.

My first step was to go to the traditional bulk market.  After tasting 80 or so samples and finding only a couple that came close to being good enough I abandoned the attempt.  There is an enormous amount of shit out there.  Reductive, over-ripe, under-ripe, smoke-tainted, sweet, VA, etc.  I felt like I was in a wine-flaw detection class rather than concocting a blend that oversells for the price.

Then, I started asking around to producers that I liked and respected.  I was amazed by the results.

Due to the down economy there is enormous amount of good wine on the market– it is just not found in the traditional channels.  Since Syrah seems to be sinking like a lead zeppelin (despite the fact that it represent the best quality to price wine on the market), there is absolutely exceptional Syrah for insanely reasonable amounts, not to mention many other varietals.

The second cuvee of Shebang is predominately vineyard designated wine from other producers who simply do not want to produce a lot of wine in the given economic climate for fear of lessening demand.  As such it features beautiful French oak, tons of depth and spice, and great balance.  This is a jug wine that will age for 10 years!

It will be a mix of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Sauvignon from some of the best vineyards in the state.  We are talking Syrah from Rockpile, Petite Sirah from Eaglepoint in Mendocino, Zinfandel from Sonoma Valley, Sangiovese from Napa Valley, and Cabernet Sauvignon from one of the most exceptional mountain vineyard in Sonoma Valley.  This, along with .5% tinctures of Marsanne from Dry Creek, Zin from the same appellation, and small elements of Syrah from Sonoma Coast makes for a ridiculously rich and aromatic blend.

That I get to make a wine like this for the price is just obscene!