This is the first domestic GSM blend we've featured as a Wine of the Month, but it's surely not going to be the last. Blends of varieties grown in France's Rhone River Valley are among the most excitingand fastest growingsegments of the domestic wine market. The blend here is the classic mix for this type of wine: 62% Grenache, 34% Syrah, and 4% Mourvèdre. Modeled after the bold and complex wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the combination here creates a wine that is savory, rich, perfectly balanced, and remarkably drinkable. The beautiful, dark ruby color is a hint that this is a rich, sensuous wine of great depth. The aroma beautifully reflects the contribution of each of the varieties in the blendpretty floral notes of violets dance with mouthwatering scents of green olives, plums, coffee, and a hint of minerality. The texture is smooth, rich, and voluptuous, yet beautifully balanced by bright acids that give the wine shape and freshness, and a juicy character that's flat-out irresistable. The tannins are supple, the finish long and satisfying. This is a wonderful wine that will work perfectly with any food that calls out for a rich red: grilled or braised meats, roast chicken, rich cheeses. Yet the smoothness and sheer deliciousness of this wine will find you opening a bottle whenever you feel like a glass of terrific red wine all by itself.