Rating: 3
Loads of cherry licorice on the nose, and those aromas carried through on a fairly linear palate. A variety of brown spices and slight green notes also appeared on the palate: cumin, nutmeg, coriander. This was a palate-expander that is definitely worth trying, but I found it to be a little flat, and a little one-note.
Cinsault is a grape best known for its use as a blending varietal, especially in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in south-central France. Browsing CellarTracker, it looks like maybe 15-20 producers in the US and another 15-20 in France have tried bottling this grape varietally. I can see the attraction as a blender, because it would put some of those licorice and spice notes into the background instead of in the foreground.
Morrison Lane is a Walla Walla winery (and vineyard) that seems to have a soft-spot for grapes that are a bit on the fringes in Washington, including Roussanne, Nebbiolo, Carmenère, Cinsault, Counoise, Dolcetto, and Sangiovese. If you’re a bit bored with Cabs, Merlots, and Chardonnays, Morrison Lane would be a good place to check out!
This site is dedicated (mostly) to the wines of Washington state. Hi. I'm Paul Zitarelli. That's me in the picture. I'm the one that's neither female (my wife Kelli) nor feline (our cat Smoke Bomb)... 
0 Responses to “2005 Morrison Lane Cinsault – $27 @ Winery”