Deep ruby color; plum, dark cherry, blueberry, raspberry, chocolate, black pepper, oak spice on the nose and palate.
Dry; firm, tasty tannins; some balancing acidity (3.71 pH). Assertive wine that will appreciated by hard-core dark red wine lovers. Full body. Blend of 42% petit sirah, 37% syrah, 21% cinsault. The cinsault comes from the Bechthold Vineyard planted in 1886; it helps soften the tannins in this effort. Hand harvest. Made only with free-run juice, delivering clarity to the dark fruit flavors. Native yeast fermentation, native yeast malolactic fermentation. Aged 21 months in once-filled French oak, so there are oak elements, but they are not definitive elements. 14.6% ABV
“Sol” is French for “Mother Earth” and references the influence of the three vineyards in this blend. Winemaker Marcus Niggli puts emphasis on his wines reflecting terroir, even in a blend. Swiss-born Niggli worked as a winemaker at Borra Vineyards, Lodi’s first boutique winery, before founding Markus in 2014. His philosophy: “My winemaking goal is to elevate the place. Nothing more. My wines are fruit-driven, but not too heavy or sweet. They are balanced with higher acidity than you find in many wines, and with soft, integrated tannins. I craft them to be enjoyed with meals.”
Markus Wine Co. flows from a Lodi lodestone—Borra Vineyards. Steve Borra brought Markus Niggli into Borra in the mid-2010s as Steve and his wife ambled toward retirement. The Borras founded Lodi’s first bonded boutique winery in the 1970s. Markus Wine Co. is, in essence, the successor to Borra. The Borra tasting room now is closed, replaced by Markus tasting room. The direction, however, is shared and the reason the Borras have passed the torch on to Markus Nigglie.
Markus Wine Co. Sol Red Wine, Lodi 2019 is interestingly assertive bold big red wine that also is a tasty easy drinker—especially after some air—if you are into big red wine. The tannins are firm but accommodating. The darker red fruits are center stage but do not hog the limelight. It pleasantly evolves into smoothness after first purporting to be a massive dark wine behemoth. Pair with beef dishes—just about any cut prepared in any way; lamb; veal; pork—baby back ribs, barbecue; poultry barbecued or with rich sauces; comfort food—pizza, meatloaf, burgers, mac-and-cheese, stews. Cheese—aged gouda, smoke gouda, camembert, blue cheese, gorgonzola, stilton, parmesan, asiago. $38
