Liberty School Cuvee 2007 (California)

The folks at Liberty School believe that the Central Coast of California is perfect for Rhone varietals. If their 2007 Cuvee is any indication, I say they’re right. A cuvee is a blend, and this wine is a blend of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier.

I tasted the wine at three intervals, right after I opened it, after 10 minutes of air and after 30 minutes of air. While it definitely opened and changed, it was fairly consistent throughout.

The wine was a dark inky purple, and the cork bottom was almost black. At first, the nose had a very meaty bouquet, with a note of cocoa and spices. It had a great lush mouth feel, and after 10-30 minutes there were dark berries balanced with some earth and nice leather notes on the palate. The wine was definitely dry, though not very tannic. Towards the end I started to taste secondary notes on the finish of spiced cherry pie and smoke, with a finish that lingered. At a price point of around $15 it is a definite wine to try!

We paired this wine with Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens, we were thinking Pinot Noir but this wine paired quite well and I think would even pair well with hamburgers or other grilled meats!

What I enjoyed most about the wine was how it captured the essence of old world Rhone wines, with a touch of new world finesse and approachability.