Vermillion bottle

Vermillion

Red Wine, 2016

500 ml

Didn’t catch Helen Keplinger on the cover of Wine Spectator a few years ago? No matter. You’ll join her legion of followers after your first taste of this red—crafted to be perfectly balanced and delicious with any dish. Helen’s secret: exacting farming standards, natural winemaking and masterful blending. But she’s the first to admit that California’s incredible 2016 season made her job easy. “The 2016 wines are gorgeous and nuanced,” she says. “One of my favorite vintages.”

Profile

Vermillion Red is a California twist on the style of wine you find in France’s southern Rhône Valley. It strikes a perfect balance between sweet fruit and herbal flavors so it’ll complement food, not overpower it.

Low
High
TANNIN
SWEETNESS
BODY
ACIDITY
APPEARANCE
Purple garnet
APPEARANCE
Purple garnet
FLAVORS & AROMAS
Blackberry
Rose
Herbes de provence
Wild strawberry

Pairing

The calling card of these reds—like Cabernet Franc, Carménère and some Malbecs—is the herbal, smoky or even meaty flavors emerging from the fruitiness. The savory element makes these wines match well with roasted vegetables; the more fresh herbs in a recipe, the more harmonious each bite and sip.

TASTING TIP

Sniff for the wine’s savory notes. They come from the Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsaut, all varieties that have herbal flavors and aromas.

Chicken Scarpariello

with Hot Italian Sausage & Sweet Peppers

Seared Pork Chops & Cheesy Spoonbread

with Sautéed Green Beans

Sesame-Sambal Turkey Lettuce Cups

with Mushrooms, Sweet Peppers & Cashews

Chicken Scarpariello

with Hot Italian Sausage & Sweet Peppers

Hot Italian Pork Sausage Burgers

with Potato Wedges & Aioli

Chilled Lemongrass Beef & Noodles

with Marinated Carrots & Cucumber
SHOW MORE

More About The Wine

This wine is a blend of grapes from three vineyards: Swansborough and Rorick Heritage vineyards, both in the Sierra Foothills region, and Mounts Vineyard in Sonoma’s Dry Creek. Most of the wine comes from the warm, inland Sierra Foothills plots, which give this wine floral, red-fruit and savory notes. The Dry Creek-grown grapes add black-fruit flavors, richness and complexity.

DID YOU KNOW?

Winemakers determine the composition of a red like this by taking small samples, then altering the amount of each variety an ounce or two at a time, then tasting—over and over.

  • VARIETY
    Red Wine
  • VINTAGE
    2016
  • VINEYARD
    Various
  • APPELLATION REGION, STATE
    California, USA
  • OAK
    French oak (21 months)
  • ALCOHOL
    15.5%
  • FARMING
    Conventional
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Tasting Notes from Members