Vermillion Red 2017
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Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck
Product Details
Your Rating
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Winemaker Notes
#39 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2021
The 2017 Vermillion red blend has a very bright and ultra-lively nose showcasing raspberry coulis, dark fruit, brambled blackberry and black tea. The palate is broad, with fine tannins giving way after some air; while it shows a plush mouthfeel, layers of red and dark fruits, garrigue, coriander and middle eastern spices, all coming together in a mile long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Plump and supple, with jammy black raspberry and pomegranate flavors that are laced with notes of licorice, smoky grilled herb and pepper. Glides on the finish toward fine-grained tannins. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. Drink now through 2027.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Red Blend leaps joyously from the glass with bright, expressive raspberry coulis, Black Forest cake and blackberry compote scents plus touches of garrigue, fertile loam, fried herbs and dried roses with a waft of Sichuan pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate is softly spoken with a wonderfully plush texture and oodles of freshness, finishing long and perfumed.
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James Suckling
A juicy, flavorful red with dried berries, figs and spice. Medium to full body. Flavorful finish. No-nonsense red. Mostly grenache with a lot of other things.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Vermillion checks in as a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Counoise and is make by the talented Helen Keplinger. It offers a Pinot Noir-like style in its dark fruits, spice, herbes de Provence, and savory, earthy aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied, elegant, and stays light on its feet and is always a joy to drink.
Other Vintages
2019-
Wilfred
Wong -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Wilfred
Wong -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator
“The culture of wine has been a part of my life since I can remember. My dad had a wine cellar, which was the source of my childhood wine bottle collection – I also collected rocks, an early indication of my future as a winegrower. Wine accompanied every gourmet dinner my mom prepared nightly; this combination of food and wine was an important part of our family evenings together.” - Winemaker, Helen Keplinger
The quality of wine is based on the quality of all its inputs – good vineyards, smart farming, pure and focused winemaking – ultimately attention and TLC at every step. Vermillion makes this wine from the vineyards to the bottle, working closely with grape growers from awesome little vineyard sites in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and the Sierra Foothills. They’ve sought out interesting sites with great dirt, farm them with care and thought, and use traditional winemaking to craft honest wine and make an artisanal red wine blend to match any occasion, any food, any time. Vermillion is a terroir-driven, delicious, hand-crafted wine to be enjoyed any night of the week.
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!