2000 Claret Prestige

This highly individual wine, the current release of the Renaissance Claret Prestige, bears as much resemblance to traditional “claret,” as the British call the red wine of Bordeaux, as Madonna does to the Madonna. The portions of sangiovese and syrah are certainly unusual, and what the hell are the six percent “miscellaneous” grapes? Tempranillo? Zinfandel? Charbono? In any case, this is a gorgeous wine that sports a perfect “wine” color, not purple, not ruby, but somewhere in between; the bouquet teems with lovely, ripe and fleshy black currant and black cherry scents freighted with cloves and sandalwood, lavender, violets and licorice with a slightly roasted aspect. It’s smooth and mellow in the mouth, with current and plum flavors pierced by vibrant acid and a serious mineral quality. A few minutes in the glass pull up touches of cedar and wheatmeal, underbrush and dried porcini, earth and moss, all leading to a dry, spicy, minerally finish. Though filled with character, this wine is not dramatic or plush or overdone. It is already throwing sediment. Production is 200 cases, a large amount for a wine from Renaissance. Drink now through 2015 or ’18. Excellent.