Herman Story 2021 Casual Encounter GSM  97 Points

FMW 97 Points: This is a very serious wine that is bold on the nose and inky colored, with intense aromas jumping out of the glass.  This gorgeous, mouth-filling 2021 Casual Encounters is a blend of 47% Mourvédre, 36% Syrah, 14% Grenache, and 3% Carignan.  The lush, full-bodied wine offers gobs of bold black stone fruits, a hint of Texas BBQ, with hints of white and black pepper, and a coated dark fruit-flavored palate.  This youngster is full-bodied, bold, and richly concentrated, yet offering amazing elegance and beautifully balanced fruit from start to finish.  This is a very A-typical Russell From gem, laced with his signature robust, elegant, sultry character, that you drink from 2023 to 2032.

Winemaker Notes: “If you’d known your traveling companion was an international spy, you wouldn’t have ordered the eight-course tasting menu. But here you are, overlooking hills of blackberry bramble and mulberry trees in the warm Golden-hour glow. A spread of candied almonds, complex ciphers, marinated Niçoise olives, Omega wristwatches, white-ower bouquets, clandestine daggers, suits all around with hands to their ears, Herbs de Provence, red pepper glaze, and the electricity of her lace-gloved hand on your knee. Agents are closing in, but you’ll be damned if you miss this sunset.

Side Note: Casual Encounters takes its name from the orgiastic nature of its origins as a blend of small cofermented lots. By giving up control and embracing game-day decisions during harvest, Casual Encounters best captures the lengths Russell will go in setting orthodoxy aside and letting avor take full stage.  The 2021 is a blend of 47% Mourvédre, 36% Syrah, 14% Grenache and 3% Carignan

Make sure to check out these other great Herman Story wines, they assort for FREE SHIPPING!

Herman Story 2021 “First Time Caller” Petite Sirah, Paso Robles Highlands District 96 Points

Herman Story 2021 Viognier “Tomboy” Santa Barbara 92 Points

Herman Story 2021 “Nuts and Bolts” Syrah Paso Robles 95 Points

Herman Story 2018 Late Bloomer Grenache, Paso Robles