L'Ecole No. 41 Apogée Pepper Bridge Vineyard

Meritage Tasting (Minneapolis, MN) : Well was able to teach a group of 12 about smoke taint last night. Most people think the wine is oaky or just in a dumb phase. No this wine is smoke tainted. How do you tell? When swishing it around in your mouth you get a real chalky sensation like a really bad tooth paste. Also no fruit was present in this wine. Anyway since they made it, it is not in the flawed …

Drank alone at home over two evenings. Very good.

Dark ruby almost purplish in glass, no opacity, medium+alcohol based on viscosity. Tried alongside the Perigee from the same producer. Fruit nose brings a mix of red cherry and black cherry with blackberry and black and red currant alongside an evergreen, fir and spruce note alongside an interesting touch of oak. Palate is brambly blackberry and reminiscent of holiday candles leading to a notable green tree sensation on a moderately long finish. Medium-acid, medium+tannin, full body

dark red raspberry aroma; raspberry, acidic, sl tannins