I had high hopes for this wine. First, it is a blend of two of my favorite grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Syrah (40%). Second, Charles Smith was involved and he is one of my favorite winemakers. The wine did not disappoint and will now be part of my regular rotation.
Charles and Charles is a collaboration between Charles Smith and Charles Bieler. Bieler is from Provence, France and has been a champion of Rosé wines long before they became a thing here in the U.S. He and his father moved their wine operation to Washington State and began producing Rosé. Charles has produced various wines through collaboration with other winemakers, one of them being Charles Smith.
Charles Smith is from Sacramento, California and lead a relatively nomadic life before he settled in Walla Walla, Washington and began making wine. His job before winemaking was managing European rock bands and concert tours. A friend convinced him that he should make wine and the rest is history. The name comes from Smith buying the American Legion Post 35 building and using it for the label art by painting it as a conceptual art piece.
The Winemaking
The Syrah is fermented whole cluster in stainless steel and using native yeasts. The Cabernet Sauvignon is fermented whole berry, with the stems removed, in stainless steel with native yeast. The wine sits on the grape skins for an average of 35 days and they do a slow fermentation. The result is a lower alcohol wine, 13.9% abv but has the rich flavor that you would expect from a more expensive wine. The tannins are smooth and are nicely balanced. The flavors are of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry and violet. It also has the complex earthy characteristics of tomato leaf, tobacco, chocolate, vanilla and baking spices.
Food Pairing
Because this is a very robust wine, it pairs best with robust flavors. My favorite pairing would be with a charcuterie board full of cured meats and aged cheese. Blue cheeses, Parmesan and stinky cheeses paired with salami, chorizo, and Iberico hams would be the best combinations. This wine is also made for grilled beef of any kind. The char from the grill brings the fruit forward and the stronger flavors of both the wine and the meat balance each other out. I would drink this with a burger any night of the week and be happy.