Friday, March 14, 2014

2011 Helix Stone Tree SoRho

It's been a crazy busy week, so nothing could be better than opening a bottle of nice Washington wine to continue the celebration of Washington Wine Month!  And tonight's feature is the 2011 Helix Stone Tree SoRho, a southern Rhone style blend of Mourvedre (52%), Grencache (31%) and Cinsault (17%) produced for Reininger's second label.  I can't wait to try it out!


The wine is a lighter style and color in the glass, typical of many Rhone blends.  The nose is just warm, with lots of sweet fruit aromas of strawberry, cassis and cranberry, a perfect match for our first true spring-like day (did I mention we broke past 50 degrees today?).  The taste is warm and inviting, with rich black fruit up front, strawberry, pomegranate and blackberry that gracefully transitions to some earthy notes of mushroom and peat midpalate.  The finish is warm, smooth and dry, as the tannins are nicely structured to balance the rather sharp acidity on the finish.  This is a perfect spring wine after our long, bitter winter!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a great drinking wine, ideal for a meal of small plates, olives, soft cheese and cured meats.  Tonight I am enjoying this with some lovely portobello torteloni and rich Italian sausage marinara topped with shaved parmesan.  The warmth of the wine reminds me of the beaches of the Cote d'Azure and a perfect accompaniment to classic Italian fare.  Salut!

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