2009 Mark Herold Collide Red

The 2009 Collide is an unusual blend of 40% Petite Sirah, 35% Tempranillo, 20% Graciano and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Provencal-like, it offers up notes of lavender, garrigue, pepper, roasted meats and black fruits in its rich, full-bodied personality. This consumer-friendly offering should drink well for a decade or more. Mark Herold, a well-known consultant, first came to my attention because of the brilliant wines he produced under the name Merus, a brand that has been sold. He now fashions a line-up of interesting and off-beat, hip wines that are priced realistically for as good as they are. His selections called Flux, Acha and Collide are usually blends ranging from white Rhone varietals to red Rhone and Spanish varietals. At the top of the line are his flagship Cabernet Sauvignons called Herold and Herold by Mark Herold. The red wines include three vintages of the Flux, all basically 67-68% Grenache, 15-20% Carignan and the rest Petite Sirah in the case of the 2009, Syrah in the 2010, and Mourvedre in the 2011. Herold produces 1,200-2,000 cases of these cuvees, and at $30 a bottle, they are well-worth checking out. Mark Herold’s homage to Spain are his three vintages of Acha, which is made primarily from Tempranillo. At $40 a bottle, these are very good wines. The three vintages of Collide also bear a California appellation, but their blends differ dramatically in each vintage. Tel. (707) 256-3111