09 Oct Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Byron Blatty 2017 Tremor, Los Angeles

Los Angeles may be known for its earthquakes but if some people have their way, it will also be known for its wine. Sourcing fruit from vineyards in Los Angeles County, the Byron Blatty 2017 Tremor, Los Angeles is the Please The Palate wine of the week. Mark and Jenny Blatty started Byron Blatty Wines in 2014, focusing on grape varieties grown in Los Angeles county. Fruit is sourced from vineyards in the coastal areas of Lobo Canyon in the Malibu Coast AVA and Bel Air and from the Sierra Pelona Valley near Aguadulce and the high dessert of Antelope Valley. The 2017 Tremor is a GSM blend with a twist. Instead of Mourvedre, the “M” stands for Merlot. The wine is a blend of 65% Grenache, 30% Merlot and 5% Syrah, sourced from three different vineyards. The Grenache comes from the 3000 ft elevation Neenach Ranch Vineyard in the Antelope Valley. The Merlot comes from the Smith Family Vineyard located a few miles south of Neenach Ranch. The Syrah is from the Alonso Family Vineyards in the Sierra Pelona Valley. The wine is aged for 18 months in French oak. The fruit forward wine has notes of strawberries, cherries, blackberries and plums, as well as floral notes of violets and rose. On the palate, the wine is smooth with silky tannins and delicate acidity and a lingering finish. Next time you think about the tremors, instead of the earth, think about Byron Blatty 2017 Tremor, Los Angeles. Only 110 cases were produced and the wine retails for $58 at www.ByronBlattyWines.com.