A new batch of Odisea wines for the summer
I say this a lot on my blog, but Odisea is one of my favorite wineries. Over the last few years, they have significantly diversified their offerings, moving from Tempranillo and Garnacha to a variety of interesting red, white, and even rosé wines. But I think they are just beginning to hit their stride now that Viognier is being included in the mix.
As a Journey Member, I receive three bottles of wine in four shipments per year. That adds up to a case of wine spread out over an entire year, which is a pretty nice deal for $300 shipped overall. Each separate shipment has the latest releases in it; for example, the shipment I received yesterday contained the following:
- 2006 Muse Rosé (2 bottles, 65 cases made) - Grenache (60%), Mourvedre (20%), Tempranillo (18%), Viognier (2%)
- 2006 Angèle (1 bottle, 60 cases made) - Grenache Blanc (97%), Viognier (3%)
The Muse has been released before, but in 2005 it featured a 50/50 blend of Tempranillo and Grenache. As you can see, this year the blend favors Grenache, with nearly equal measures of Tempranillo and Mourvedre plus a splash of Viognier. Very exciting! I can’t wait to try a bottle; the Muse Rosé is one of my favorite wines regardless of coloration.
The Angèle is a new one for Odisea, a white wine that focuses on Grenache Blanc as its primary varietal. Odisea used the French Entave clone #141 for this particular wine. I don’t know what that means exactly, but it makes me want to learn more about the possible Grenache Blanc varietals that exist. Apparently it is the “fourth most common white wine grape in France,” if you believe Wikipedia. Here is more information on this varietal, and more information on the wine that Odisea has made from it. I have never tasted a Grenache Blanc wine, but I look forward to trying this one!
All three bottles are safely in my fridge at the moment, resting after what I assume was a hot journey north from California. The corks look okay so I think these bottles made it to my safely. I’ll have to open a bottle soon and find out for sure!