Susan & I tried ystrday:
1. Lagier-Meredith Mondeuse MtVeeder/NapaVlly (40 cs; 14.8%; www.LagierMeredith.com) 2010: Very dark color; quite earthy/dusty/sauvage rather Savoie-like strong blackberry/boysenberry/spicy/Syrah-like light toasty/oak/smokey lovely nose; rather tart strong earthy/dusty/sauvage/slight herbal/forest floot strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah-like some tannic/hard/structured flavor; very long blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah-like some earthy/dusty/forest floor fairly tannic/hard/angular finish; much like the L-M Syrah but not the high-toned/spicy character; a distinct earthy/dusty character much like a Savoie Mondeuse; a terrific Mondeuse that speaks of Calif w/ hints of Savoie; well-priced at $42.
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And a wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I have, of course, followed the L-M Mondeuse from the very start. SteveLagier refers to Mondeuse as Syrahs bastard uncle. MondeuseBlanche and Deureza got together up in the Savoie to produce Syrah, which eventually escaped down into the RhoneVlly, then to Australia and Calif. The rest is, as they say, history.
I assume their Mondeuse plant material came from FPS/Davis, where Mondeuuse was originally mis-identified as Refosco. Mike Officer used to make a Mondeuse, culled from Twackers vnyd, but hasn't done one in almost 10 yrs. I hope others will pick up the Mondeuse grape as well.
Tom