INSIDER'S PICK: 2020 STOLPMAN VINEYARDS 'LA CUADRILLA' RED BALLARD CANYON $24.99

Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount on Thursday and Friday. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We will be returning to doing just the one wine on Thursdays and Fridays until further notice. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

This wine pretty much always makes an appearance in the Insider's Pick each time there is a new vintage. And that's OK because the blend is always changing each year, plus it's a very important wine for customers to know and understand. Above all, it's always really, REALLY good for the money. Stolpman Vineyards is one of the very few wineries in California that has their vineyard workers employed all year round instead of seasonal. The idea is to not just enable the workers to have a steady income but to have a career, to even progress and have their families grow and improve the industry. Part of this plan has evolved into having their own wine made from a small vineyard block-or Cuadra- from he Stolpman estate that changes each vintage. All the profits from this wine goes back to the crew and their families based on seniority. The label artwork changes each vintage as well, always done in black and white, always inspired in some way by the people of the Cuadrilla. This vintage is Syrah dominant, as they usually are, with equal parts of Grenache and Sangiovese making up the remainder, so a Rhone-ish blend with a little bit of Italian flava for added personality; the percentages are consistent from the last few vintages, but the source of Syrah has changed. Inky, opulent dark fruit with lots of jammy blackberry and spice, with a touch of anise and dried cherry skin courtesy of the Sangiovese, as well as a bit of acidity to the palate to lighten the finish. Big but not oozy, this is just starting it's journey as these wines have shown good life in the cellar vintage after vintage.   

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