2021 Carol Shelton - Rhone Blend Mendocino County Coquille Rouge (750ml)

Carol Shelton is one of the most awarded winemakers in the United States, a career that began after a tour of Sebastiani Winery convinced her to switch her UC Davis major to fermentation science. She trained under legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff at Buena Vista and spent nineteen years as winemaker at Windsor Vineyards before founding her own label in 2000 with her husband and business partner, Mitch Mackenzie, based in Santa Rosa.

Coquille Rouge is a Rhône-inspired blend of Carignane, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Alicante Bouschet, and Petite Sirah, drawn from vineyards across Northern California including Mendocino County, many of them decades-old and organically farmed. The wine's name, French for shellfish or scallop, nods to the scallop-shell emblem on Shelton's label. Each variety contributes its own character to the blend, from Carignane's tangy red fruit to Petite Sirah's peppery backbone.

The wine offers a deep garnet color with ripe blackberry, violet, and white pepper on the nose, moving into lush dark fruit, licorice, and earthy undertones on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins and vibrant acidity, it finishes with hints of flinty herbs and cocoa. Pair it with smoked duck sausage, harissa-rubbed chicken, or aged Gouda.