WTN: Harrington Trousseau

The other week I happened into a small local shop whose buyer seems to be a Harrington fan and came out with four bottles -- a Nebbiolo, a Teroldego, a Carignan, and this Harrington 2013 Cienega Valley Trousseau, Siletto Vineyard. 14.1% ABV, $36.00. On opening, aromas of Santa Rosa plum, reticent in the mouth, showing plum fruit, plum-skin, and a lot of spice; but over time this opens up into a much more generous wine, with some rich wild blueberry fruit alongside the plum, spice-box, and a little earth, though meticulously clean, all carried on a vivid acid backbone. Somehow manages to be gutsy and light on its toes all at once. Delicious and distinctive and worth getting again.

Where is Cienega Valley ?
14+% Trousseau!

San Benito Valley, i.e., east of Monterey and Salinas, second major valley inland from the Pacific. Don't know the area well but I highly doubt there's any marine influence -- I'd expect it to be more like Livermore. I wouldn't have pegged it at 14.1, and didn't find it obtrusive, though I'm sure if I'd tasted it next to some 11% Jura Trousseau I'd have noticed the difference!