2024 Bedrock Evangelho Carignan

“Carignan is a late-ripening grape that naturally thrives across California, but especially in Contra Costa County, and Evangelho Vineyard is as good as it gets around here. Own-rooted vines planted in the 1890s grow in forty-foot-deep sandy soils alongside the Sacramento River Delta, swept by afternoon winds that help temper the daytime heat. Honestly, I’ve never met a wine from Evangelho I didn’t like — the site delivers a level of elegance that’s hard to find. The block this wine comes from is about 80% Carignan and 20% Mourvèdre, fermented with 40% whole clusters, which explains much of the wine’s savory, spicy character. The 2024 vintage shows a bright purple hue in the glass, hinting at perfumy, slightly showy aromas of violets, wild blackberries, plums, dried herbs, and spices. The palate is deliciously balanced: medium-bodied, with fine tannins, incredible freshness and acidity, and a finish loaded with flavor. It’s delicious. (Drink between 2026-2036)”