Quench + Temper Chapter III Bas Vineyard Adelaida District 2018

Brennan Stover, Turley Cellars viticulturist for decades, has made one of the most exciting wines we tasted in a while, truly! If you’re the person always looking for the “next thing” or just masterfully-made wine that is completely under-the-radar, you need to read this, and get some of the few cases we have! Never submitted to the press, we only heard from a friend of a friend, and luckily made the connection. You can read our raves about it below, and with this fine pricing, we can’t say it enough! You need to try this!!

Plenty to read in the “About” section, but to sum it up, Brennan Stover, in 2013, saw potential in a piece of battered land, adjacent to a quarry in the Adelaida District, with siliceous shale stone and Miocene marine sediment, which he planted at a super high density (2,000 vines/acre). Brennan trained the vines in the Échalas tradition found in the Cornas and Hermitage regions of the Northern Rhone valley in France. On 45+ degree slopes and with no irrigation, the vines represent extreme struggle and resiliency -- DRY-FARMED and ORGANIC.

Killer aromas of black raspberry and Michigan blueberries and huckleberry reduction mingle with cigar box and exotic spices. This is a blockbuster and not for the shy, but as always, these limestone and shale soils give the wines glorious acidity and wonderful lift. The palate is equally as powerful and super polished, delivering a Turley and Saxum-like experience that is layered and complex.

This is special stuff, and clearly a label that is going to be getting some serious attention VERY soon -- stoked to be ahead of the pack!

PAIRING IDEAS: Drive directly to Bouchon Yountville and order the duck confit with lentils. So savory, so rich and salty, it’s utterly amazing with this wine. Of course, if you don’t live here, buy some duck confit at a good specialty shop and then use this recipe for the lentils.

MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: Check out the relatively new band we saw live last night — Monophonics. Groovy Motown/R+B/psychedelic rock mashup that’s pretty original and really draws you in - plus the singer is crazy phenomenal!