Nestled between the boutique shops in San Francisco’s Hayes Valley quietly sits ‘Absinthe’, at 398 Hayes Street. A treasure trove of culinary delights. Many go there for the food. Others go for the wine. Whichever your sin of choice is – here you will find it in quantity. Whenever I have friends from out of town staying, Absinthe is often called upon to show the true nature of San Francisco dining in all its sparkling beauty. And so it was on last Saturday night that we stepped from the cool night air of San Francisco into the warm glow of the restaurant and were soon seated in an intimate corner away from the Saturday buzz at the bar.

Seated at our table, the real fun began as we perused the extensive wine and spirits list. My guests were unfamiliar with Californian wines, and I wanted them to experience something that would make them question their Old World loyalties. So I asked for the sommelier’s assistance, and was rewarded by his recommendation of the 2007 Outpost Grenache.

GRENACHE

For those of you unfamiliar with Grenache, the varietal ripens late in the season and requires dry, hot conditions. It has a relatively high alcohol content, and normally shows the qualities of spice and berries while remaining smooth on the palate. Due to its tendency to lack acid, tannin and colour you will often find Grenache blended with other varieties like Carignan or Syrah.  The Aussies often blend it with Mourvedre and Syrah.

Grenache provides high yields and  in the early days of the Californian wine industry this made it an ideal component for blending. In the 1980’s a group of winemakers decided to break away from the grapes, which were dominating the wine industry ( chardonnays and cabernet sauvignons) and started to focus on Rhone grapes. Although Rhone varietals were not new to California there weren’t large quantities or a varied selection and these ‘Rhone Rangers’ as they were dubbed, began planting other Rhone varietals including roussanne and viognier.

OUTPOST

Established in 1998, Outpost had the mission of producing wines that were ‘a living, breathing embodiment of this piece of extraordinary land’.  And extraordinary the land is. Red, rocky soil, with high altitude, a sunny western exposure combined with gentle breezes leads to the production of fruit that is rich and complex like the land it comes from.

The unique confluence of environmental factors at the Outpost vineyards - volcanic, rocky red soil, high altitude, gentle cooling breezes and sunny western exposure - produces fruit of incredible complexity and richness, with a distinct mountain palette you simply can’t find anywhere else.

Grapes are harvested late in the season by hand and the wine is produced with as little manipulation as possible accentuating  the spicy qualities of this mountain fruit.

The winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown is originally from Sumter, South Carolina.  Thomas developed his interest in wine while studying at the University of Virginia and while there traveled to France several times a year.  After he left college he worked in Calistoga, and it was there that he was lucky enough to be hired by Ehren Jordan at Turley in the late 1990’s.

In 2008 Thomas achieved two ‘100 point’ scores from Robert M. Parker, Jr. in The Wine Advocate for the 2006 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2006 Schrader “Old Sparky”, making him the first winemaker in the Advocate’s history to do so. Thomas now consults at Black-Sears, Casa Piena, Chiarello, Diamond Terrace, Harris Estate, Jones Family, Round Pond and Wallis alongside managing his own label, Rivers-Marie that is an amalgamation of his name and his wife Geneveieve. 

On first opening, I thought it a little tight, however we patiently waited and soon the wine began to relax and reveal its true colours. A chocolate box wine, (by which I mean that it was a palette of concentrated and indulgent surprises) the nose was rich and intense. White pepper, a hint of tobacco, vanilla and cassis intermingled with black cherry and winter fruit. Rose and lilac held their own alongside pepper notes and cinnamon spice. This was a wine, which kept growing in the glass. Modern ideas embracing old Rhone style traditions. Like a cat stretching, this wine purred with warmth and intricacy. Although there were was a definite boldness to the nose I wasn’t overpowered and the wine was delicate enough not to overwhelm the scallops with bacon and wild mushrooms I had for my main course.

My overall impression was of a well crafted, full bodied wine. Rich in dark, black and red berry fruit it was held together with heat from pepper and the slightest hint of tobacco.  A smooth finish left me savoring this wine as it slipped down my throat and the bottle was empty far too soon. The 2007 Grenache has whetted my appetite to try Outpost’s other creations by Thomas Rivers Brown. Not too bad a result from a Saturday night meal out on the town, to say the least…

Absinthe can be found at 398 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 - (415) 551-1590

While for more information about Outpost wines - www.outpostwines.com