I first came across Spelletich wines back in 2012, when I had an opportunity to review a few of their wines and I found that they struck my fancy. It’s a small winery in Napa Valley, California, producing only about 3,000 cases per year. They are a winery, not a vineyard — in other words, they source their grapes from other growers. They also run a custom crush facility where they produce wine for other clients.
Since I last wrote about Spelletich, they’ve added a brand to their portfolio, Prix Fixe, under which they are selling a couple French wines. I’ve only tasted their Diable Rouge under this label, but it is devilishly delicious.
This wine is made from marselan grapes, which is a cross between grenache and cabernet sauvignon. It’s most prevalent in the Languedoc region of southern France.
The aromas on this wine are bright and spicy, with elements like raspberry, cherry, nutmeg and cinnamon. The flavors are even brighter. Seriously, the vibrancy of this wine is beautiful. It offers flavors like black cherry, raspberry and cranberry, spiced with orange peel and nutmeg. It has a bit of a pucker to it and a decent mouthfeel. The finish lingers for a near eternity. The vibrant acidity of this wine make it perfect for fatty foods, like braised short rib or duck. I definitely dig this wine.
It costs a little bit more than my typical $20 target, but it’s close and pretty darn tasty. Only 416 cases of this wine were produced, so it’s not one you’re going to come across everywhere. Which means that if you do get a bottle of this wine it’s something rare and special.
Wine: Prix Fixe Diable Rouge
Varieties: Marselan
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 13.1%
Rating: 88
Average price: $24.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Thanks for the great review!!