Press

GSM is an unsexy label for what can be a very sexy wine, a blending of three traditionally Rhone-grown varieties — grenache, syrah and mourvedre....

Richard Arrowood of Amapola Creek Vineyards and Winery in Glen Ellen is among those making the switch. A renowned winemaker who cut his teeth and earned his fame making exquisite Sonoma County chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon at Chateau St. Jean and Arrowood Winery, he officially walked away from Arrowood last year to focus full-time on his small-production estate wines at Amapola Creek.

At Amapola, Arrowood produces an estate-grown cabernet, a Monte Rosso old-vine zinfandel, and, in 2007 and 2008, a 100-percent estate syrah. Starting with the 2009 vintage that 100-percent syrah will now be blended with grenache.

“Grenache noir has more aromatics and perfume,” he said. “It's one of my favorite red wines.”

As well as that of his wife and business partner, Alis. Beginning with the 2010 vintage, the blend will officially be called Cuvee Alis. About 100 cases are made.

Arrowood has budded over part of his eight-year-old syrah vines to grenache noir using a Bien Nacido clone, believing the varietal will grow happily on his certified-organic Sonoma Valley vineyard estate that lies just below Monte Rosso.

Arrowood likes to co-ferment his syrah with viognier and continues to do so with his new GS blend. It will be aged 18 months in new and seasoned French oak, then left unfined and unfiltered, attempting for the purest expression of what those grapes can do.

While Arrowood is making extremely hands-on, minuscule-production wines, his syrah at $45 is more affordable than, say, his cabernet, which runs closer to $80. Cuvee Alis should be priced similarly to the syrah...

Virginie Boone

The Press Democrat

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"... This elegant wine shows excellent harmony and structure. The taste features ripe blackberry, plum, and currant. The fruit is offset by a pleasing dustiness, and supported by restrained tannins.

This wine would pair nicely with Rib Roast with Thyme-Mustard Jus, Pork Sauté with Apples and Calvados Cream Sauce, or Herb Roasted Turkey with Shallot Pan Gravy."

Leo McNeal

Golf Chicago

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.... BEVX: You have created Amapola Creek to be a small winery being restricted to just 3,000 cases annually. Why did you determine to keep your new brand so small?

ARROWOOD: Quality. The more you make the less time for have for hands-on production. We can focus on the 20 acres of vineyards planted and the neighboring Monte Rosso Vineyard where we get our Zinfandel. Everyone talks the quality talk but it’s very difficult to do it when production gets large. I’m just here to make a few diamonds; that’s all I’m trying to do. Besides, it gives me time to pursue other hobbies like sporting clays, bird hunting, and fly fish – outdoors activities with my wife ......

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“These are all impressive newcomers, but that’s to be expected from Dick Arrowood, one of the most experienced and highly talented winemakers of the last four decades.”

- Robert M. Parker, Jr.

As for the 2007 Zinfandel Monte Rosso, its Provencal garrigue, lavender, pepper and spice seem more evolved aromatically than the older 2005 Zinfandel. Supple, rich in fruit, medium to full-bodied, and more seductive than the 2005, it is a sprinter out of the gate and should continue to drink well for 5-7 years.

It is another brilliant Zinfandel from the Monte Rosso Ranch.