It is that time of the year when I get to pick up the monthly club wines from Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan.  I can’t even tell you what the cost is each month, but it is just charged on a card and then we get a notice to come by and pick up the two bottles.   One of the perks of joining is to get notice of special wine tastings either through a distributor or directly by the winery.  I also like the perk, where for the club members there are two prices, one is retail and the other is a case discount price, even if you don’t purchase a case or a mixed case, though I am sure that they appreciate it when we do.

Rabble Wine Company of Paso Robles was founded by Rob Murray and it was originally known as Rob Murray Vineyards and then it became Force of Nature, before settling into its current name.  The Rabble Wine Company has four distinct brands under its umbrella: Rabble, Tooth & Nail, Amor Fati and Stasis.  The Winemaker Jeremy Leffert is philosophical about his word and feels that he is a shepherd guiding the final product.  He is partial to using wild yeast strains suitable for each vineyard and believes on using all types of vessels for aging the wines from a mix of oak barrels, foudres (very large wooden vats that are bigger than the average barrel and some actually will hold a thousand liters of wine), concrete tanks and what ever else he has decided on, to evoke the full flavor of the juice.

The Rabble Wine Red Blend 2017 is immediately noteworthy just from the selection of the wine label which is a rendition of an historical wood block print from the Nuremberg Chronicle (late 1400’s) that is textured and tactile depicting Nature’s wrath, illustrating the apocalyptic comet falling upon Florence with the Unicorn and Phoenix. The wine is a blend of seventy-seven percent Merlot, fourteen percent Cabernet Sauvignon and nine percent Petite Sirah and barrel aged for ten months and a potential cellar aging of three to seven years.  The fruit all came from their Mossfire Ranch Vineyard which is one of their flagship vineyards for red wine varietals.  The winemaker recommends decanting the wine one or two hours early for maximum taste enjoyment.  The tasting notes promise a nose of dark cherries and blackberries with some coffee and chocolate.  With a taste featuring silky tannins, a touch of oak and a finish of dried dark berries.  As for food pairing, a good Merlot will pair with most dishes, including oily and meaty fish.  I am looking forward to trying this wine.