What’s in a Barrel…Wine of CourseJanuary 28th, 2012
I just got back from the first of many trips to McElmo Canyon, Colorado. There in the middle of what seems like barren desert runs a 25 mile long canyon full of agricultural production. At about mile 12 is what we have just dubbed, the Tinderbox Vineyard. This trip involved meeting with the land owner, the farmer and wine maker Joe Buckle and blending what will be our very first Tinderbox wine. The grapes are grown there, just 4 hours from the Tinderbox back door and the wine-making style of Joe is perfect for our first home-grown wine. After barrel tasting from the 2010 crop, we settled on a red, northern Rhone-style blend. We are very excited to produce and provide a true “House” wine, which in this case doesn’t mean cheap, it means a creation painstakingly grown, aged and blended to match Chef Scott’s cooking profile. This red will pair incredibly well with a good majority of the dishes. It is being made with attention to the fruit; taking from it exactly what it was grown to give. It will be what I deem “Old-World” style; not overbearing, not overly tannic or fruity, just a wonderfully balanced wine made to complement food. Stay tuned as I work through the process of further barrel aging, the ultimate exercise of blending and the bottling and labeling of this terrific addition to the Tinderbox experience.