Keplinger Lithic Shake Ridge Vineyard Red Blend Amador County 2018

We are excited to share the new of this tiny-production, extravagant project made by the insanely talented, Helen Keplinger! She has benefited from her work with many great mentors over the years – Heidi Peterson Barrett, David Abreu and Michel Rolland. Although all of these experiences taught her about vineyard selection and winemaking techniques, she quickly cultivated a style of her own. Her wines have set a new standard for Napa Cabernet, and also for Rhône varieties grown in the rugged terroir of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. In Wine Spectator’s 2014 cover story spotlighting Helen Keplinger, wine critic James Laube wrote that Helen’s Keplinger label is “one of the most exciting and innovative wineries to emerge in California in years.” In a region that largely hangs its hat on high-end Cabernet, this is without a doubt a grape that Helen has had soaring success with over the years crafting wines for Bryant Family, Grace Family Vineyards, Kerr and Waterfall. However, she’s also gone out of her way to seek out the most unique sites planted with Rhône varieties to try her hand at something new. 

Today, both Helen’s single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhône expressions under her namesake label, KEPLINGER, are some of the best in the United States, if not the world. Her Lithic GSM Blend is a classically styled Rhône blend that leans heavily on Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah from the outstanding Shake Ridge Vineyard in Amador County. Bright ruby in color, it is lifted and aromatic with incredible density, but also delicacy. A must have luxurious red blend and just in time for the holidays. This could be the pairing of the year alongside your holiday spread! 

Helen's 2018 Lithic ~ meaning "from stone" ~ is a blend of 46% Grenache, 35% Mourvèdre, and 19% Syrah, coming from Ann Kraemer’s incredible Shake Ridge Vineyard situated at 1,700 feet in the Sierra Foothills of Amador County. Organically farmed to perfection, the extraordinary Sierra uplift soils, loaded with quartz, basalt and soapstone always combine to create wines of great purity, richness, and minerality. The Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah blocks are all on rock-filled slopes with excellent exposure and drainage. The hillside blocks were harvested in partial picks for optimal ripeness on four different dates, then combined into small co-fermentations. The wine was aged in a combination of 20% new and neutral French oak barrels for 18 months before being bottled without fining or filtration. 

The 2018 Lithic deep dives into an ever-evolving bouquet of violets, freshly picked blackberry, blood orange zest, black cherry, allspice, blue fruit, rosemary and black pepper. The silky entry opens to a broad midpalate with extremely fine, supple tannins. Still young in its development, yet already very impressive and complex. This would easily stand on its own in a line-up of top Chateauneuf du Pape's or Gigondas. Only 240 cases produced. I know what I am drinking this weekend, and next week too! Unbelievably powerful wines that also offer elegance and pure class. Drink these brilliant wines any time over the coming decade!