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This minty red blend shows how wines can take on the flavors of plants that grow nearby
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Domaine de la Terre Rouge s 2013 Garrigue, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from the Sierra foothills.Esther Mobley / The Chronicle
“Garrigue” is one of those perfect wine words a concise term that encompasses a larger, and very beautiful, idea. The word refers to the unique mix of vegetation that grows throughout parts of southern France, near the Mediterranean Sea: fragrant, shrubby plants including lavender, thyme, rosemary, white flowers and juniper. It’s thought that the oils from the native flora make their way onto grapes in nearby vineyards, imbuing the resulting wines with the intoxicating flavors and aromas that recall those plants.
How is this lovely California red blend a jaw-dropping sub-$15? It uses leftover fine wine
Critic Esther Mobley recommends Bedrock Wine Co. s value-priced, nonvintage Shebang bottling
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Bedrock Wine Co. makes Shebang, a multivintage red blend, from leftover wine that didn t quite make the cut for its top bottlings.Esther Mobley / The Chronicle
The wines of Bedrock Wine Co. are not exorbitantly priced to begin with. The Sonoma winery’s entry-level bottling, Old Vine Zinfandel, usually sells just shy of $25.
But its Shebang label, which sells for $10 to $15 depending on the store, represents a truly jaw-dropping value for a well-made California wine.