2016 Cruse Wine Co. Monkey Jacket

Price: $28 Region: Willamette Valley < OregonGrapes: Valdiguie, Tannat, Syrah + Gros AuxerroisVineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic farming (85% of fruit is certified), fermented and aged in concrete; bottled unfined/unfiltered with minimal SO2; 13% ABVWinemaker: Michael Cruse NEW VINTAGE ALERT! Bringing back Monkey Jacket from Michael Cruse, another young Cali producer who doesn’t own vineyards, and is constantly on the hunt for organic grape sources all over the Bay Area. So, it’s no wonder that he’s innovating and making wine with all kinds of random grapes. Which totally works with his philosophy of making wine for daily drinking, not wine for cellaring. Like this insanely delicious blend, which is 50% Valdiguie from an organic, dry-farmed vineyard in Calistoga, 30% red field blend from the Eaglepoint Ranch Vineyard, 15% Tannat from the infamous Alder Springs vineyard in Mendocino and 5% press wine from his Syrah. His Monkey Jacket (named after a type of jacket worn by sailors, hence