2006 Arrowood Cote de Lune Rouge Lasseter Vineyards

Matthew Dayton

Really interesting wine. Needs quite a bit of time to open up, but when it does it really pops with rich dark fruit and a long finish. Upon first tasting, it is very hot, but that subsides with time in the decanter or glass. At 15% ABV, it is definitely not shy, but this particular Arrowood effort is balanced. I cannot say as much for their Cote de Lune Blanc or their Viognier. Going over 15% on these wines is not a good thing for the balance of the wines. This is a troubling trend that I've seen coming from one of my favorite producers. Let's hope they can get the ABV, and their wines, back into balance. All told, though, this is a solid effort and very solid at $30 before any discounting.