Upshot Wines - Appealing Eccentric

Winemaker Justin Seidenfeld clearly has a knack for blending based on these two wines in Rodney Strong Vineyard's relatively new Upshot line. The combination of varieties is delightfully unorthodox. Plus, the white wine includes red grapes (vinified as a white wine) and the red wine includes white grapes. Moreover, it's not just the wines that will be refreshingly original each year. Their labels, which detail the annual winemaking timeline as well as plenty of geeky technical details, will change with every vintage.  

88
Rodney Strong Vineyards 2019 Upshot White Blend California 13% $19
Quite the alchemy of 53% Grenache Blanc, 18% Pinot Noir (sans skin contact), 16% Gewürztraminer, 8% Viognier and 5% Sauvignon Blanc hailing from Sonoma, Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Mendocino, this wine's components spent four months in barrels before blending. This pale, lemon pulp-colored wine has a moderately forward bouquet that interestingly focuses on minerally, lessy and savory tones. There are no overt floral or even fruit tones - unusual for a wine composed of nothing but aromatic varieties. Moreover, given the bottle's casual appearance and approachable price point, the wine is likely to be served cold rather than cool, which would further limit its potential aromatic generosity. 

Nonetheless, the palate wins big thanks to this blend's savory notes, bright acidic verve and smartly balanced medium body with reasonable alcohol. I'm particularly impressed with the  nicely encapsulated finish, which combines a tingly, dry core on the mid-palate encircled by a velvety, glycerol-rich "casing". I find it to be a rather intellectual wine!
Drink: 2021-22

87
Rodney Strong Vineyards 2018 Upshot Sonoma County 14.5% $19
Having spent 16 months in barrel, surely some of that new based on the blustery chocolate and toast notes on the nose and palate, this wine is an eclectic mingling of 37% Zinfandel, 34% Merlot, 20% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Riesling all grown in Sonoma County. No doubt there is the exotic, wild berry character of Zinfandel, and the Merlot and Malbec give a mightily plump mid-palate. The Petit Verdot contributes to the dark color, and the Riesling adds the je ne sais quoi. The tannins seems to melt easily onto the palate while the acidity brings on a mouthwatering effect. Alas the finish is moderate but filled with plums, cherries and mocha. In an ideal world, this would be given time for the oak to settle down and let the fruit take center stage.
Drink: 2022-24