NOTE: The 2010 version of Black Dot is available in New York City as of November 2010. Please refer to the separate entry for information about it and where to find it.
An unusual non-vintage blend of 33% syrah/25% primitivo/25% cabernet sauvignon/17% grenache from two vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA (the cab is from the 2007 vintage; the others from the 2008 vintage).
I could tell the story behind this odd, little wine, but instead, click on this link: Black Dot story.
This "vintage" of the Black Dot is as supple as it is sassy with floral notes of strawberry preserves, earth and licorice with a touch of smoke. It pairs well with grilled fare and even pizza.
292 cases produced
GET IT AT
Beacon Wine & Spirits for $19.99/bottle SOLD OUT!!!
Ehrlich's Wines & Liquors for $21/bottle
Martin Brothers Wines & Spirits for $18.99/bottle SOLD OUT!!!
Suburban Wines & Spirits for $19.99/bottle
Blue Hill Restaurant (price to be determined)
Dovetail for $52/bottle SOLD OUT!!!
P.D. O'Hurley's @ West End for $13/glass; $33/bottle SOLD OUT!!!
Amazingly, the 2007 Rosé is Bill’s first stab at this category in more than 20 years. His only goal: Make a quaffable, dry rosé in the style that might be found in Provence. With a twist, that is. This rosé is a red wine drinker's pink wine. Meaning that it has far more wine-y attributes than you generally see in the category.
There are a few reasons for this. First and foremost, it's made of 100% syrah, a grape that can be grown in many places under many different growing conditions. That said, syrah doesn't make frivolous reds (or pinks). It's just not in the grape's DNA. So, what Bill was left with was real fruit for a real wine, one that just happens to be off-red in color.
The second crucial factor is that the wine doesn't undergo malolactic fermentation. This secondary fermentation (that is, second to the initial alcoholic fermentation in which yeast interacts with grape sugars and converts them to alcohol) is discussed throughout this website. The short version is that by not allowing the rudimentary wine to go through malo (the shorthand reference), it retains a sprightly freshness that it might have lost otherwise. This results in a zingy rosé with real wine-like character.
Bill would probably read this, and say, "Just shut up and drink it." Agreed.
WINE PROFILE:
Fresh and very clean combination of citrus and tropical fruit notes with a vivacious finish. Tasty and light enough to drink as an aperitif, it’s also an ideal match for spicy dishes, from Asian-inspired to barbecue.
400 cases produced
GET IT AT
Greene Grape Downtown for $17.75/bottle
The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges for $12/glass; $48/bottle
P.D. O'Hurley's @ West End for $13/glass; $32/bottle