WineSmith Cellars Saint Laurent

Tasting notes & discussion 118

Typically $40/bottle from WineSmith Cellars
Vintage 2018 from Carneros (Sonoma)
Available for AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY
Sold by WineSmith Cellars, fulfilled by Wine Country Connect

About WineSmith Cellars
Founded in 1993 by Clark Smith, WineSmith Cellars has been focused on exploring Eurocentric wines in ways outside the mainstream. Preferring to create long-term relationships with many different vineyards, WineSmith sources from committed growers rather than run its own vineyard. Clark Smith is an expert in Cabernet Franc, with over 20 vintages from multiple locations. Some of the most notable aspects of Smith’s wines are their longevity, balance, structural integrity, and “understated soulfulness.” In addition, the wines are often aged prior to being released. His book, Postmodern Winemaking, contains four decades of insight and reflection on wine’s true nature.

Sankts For the Memories

TASTING NOTES:
“It really is like no other wine. You will find extremely dense, soft tannins supporting generous mulberry fruit which you might easily mistake for Gamay Noir except for its lingering basil aftertaste that reminds me of Carmenère. There is no better example of the postmodern winemaking principle of aromatic integration. The wine is actually full of pyrazines, yet does not smell like bell pepper, and only expresses them in the character of sort of Eastern European personality: generous and friendly but slightly cynical.” (AbV 11.3%, pH 3.73, TA 6.7 g/L)

BARRELS:
27 months in neutral French oak.

TANGENTIALLY RELATED FACT from CLARK SMITH to help you make conversation over this wine:
“[Saint Laurent] has very tight clusters and does poorly in humid climes like France, preferring high altitude where dry air and high UV suppress mold. It is widely planted in Austria and is the principal red grape of the Czech Republic, where it is known by its German name, Sankt Laurent. It matures very early, near the martyrdom date of Saint Lawrence of Rome, who was executed by Emperor Valerian on August 10 of the year 258 AD. This early harvest date is ideal for the short seasons of cool continental climates, resulting in low alcohol.”

PAIRS WITH (winery recommended):
Basket full of chicken and three-bean salad, lean flank steak, paella, sushi, venison, quail and “is magic with my Swedish meatballs, doused in a morel / porcini cream sauce with a dash of Marsala.”

OR (really-going-with-the-theme-option):
Literally going to Clark and asking for some of his Swedish meatballs.

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