Counoise

We were scheduled to fly across the Atlantic today to the southern Rhone region of France, but the weather most of the way across the ocean was just horrendous. With our appointed mission being to sample the Rhone grape Counoise, we had to find another option. We flew into Fresno, CA and headed south and then west to Paso Robles.

Sitting on the Salinas River, Paso Robles was known originally for its natural hot springs, but came to be a haven for mediterranean style plantings. It has some of the best production of almonds as well as olives and olive oil in the United States. But, in Paso Robles, they also make wine and the local winemakers tend to experiment with a lot of grapes that one might describe as off the beaten path.

The weather here is very good for grape growing -- very warm, often around 35C/95F in the summer, and quite dry, getting perhaps 30cm/12 inches of rain per year. The soil varies throughout the American Viticultural Area (AVA), but we have chosen to stay in the hills of the AVA at around 600M/2000 ft where the soil is rich in calcium.

Most of the Counoise, perhaps all of it, in the US was developed from cuttings imported from Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf du Pape. Along with Chateau la Nerthe, they represent perhaps the two most prominent users of Counoise in their CDP wines.

Counoise is primarily a blending grape. It's often used to add acidity to Mourvedre or Syrah-based red blends. Think of it as the lemon that is squeezed on a shrimp cocktail or caesar salad. You're not eating alone, but many think it makes the dish better.

We are drinking it all by itself.

Drink it young. Counoise is very prone to oxidation and will often "turn" in the bottle, a quite unpleasant surprise to the owner.

In the glass, the wine is a somewhat garnet color with purple streaks in the light. On the nose, we are flooded with anise and strawberry, not unlike a Beaujolais.

On the palate, however, we get the somewhat unusual combination of explosive acidity with light, soft tannins. There is plenty of spice, a bit of earthiness, and wildflowers around the red fruit.

Counoise like a variety of food. Pair it with anything from sausage and beans to a hearty stew to dishes as light as seasred tuna and vegetable salads with mustard-based dressings.






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