From Green & Red’s Estate vineyard, 1700 feet elevation, above owner Jay and Pam Heminway’s home and winery. The elevation and meager soils make for a spicy, savory, brooding style of Syrah. The drought conditions made for, I’m hypothesizing, particularly small berries in 2015. You may see where I’m going with this. Northern Rhone-ish style! Smell and taste dark blueberries, bittersweet chocolate, black olive and peppercorns, anise, mint and sweet-smelling tobacco. Medium tannins and acidity that gives the wine verve, not tartness. Long 25 second finish of spice, soil and oil-cured black olive. I really want roast leg of lamb with olive tapenade on the side.
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Jay Heminway purchased the property that would become “Chiles Mill Vineyard” and his home in 1970 and started planting vines in 1972. 1977 was his first vintage. Jay and wife Pam “grew up” with the Chez Panisse-led California Cuisine movement, which includes supplying Chez Panisse with their “house red” for decades. The Green & Red story is an important chapter in the California food movement of the 20th century. I am fortunate to know, drink, enjoy and understand Green & Red over the past 25 years.
For all the Green & Red wines I’ve reviewed, GO HERE.
