An unusual blend with an outstanding result. This wine wowed me.
LaZarre Wines calls Paso Robles home, so the Rhone varietals make sense, but a splash of Gewürztraminer? Unique, risky, and absolute genius.
There were only 113 cases of this wine produced and visiting the tasting room is by appointment only, so how did I come across this gorgeous wine? Through the online Twitter event called Pink Society.
Every few Thursdays, the Pink Society hosts a winery for an online Twitter chat that includes 5 questions that the winery provides a video response to. It is not only fun, but incredibly informative. There are always prizes for guests that tune in, and it just so turned out that I was a chosen winner for that evening! There are not many things more fun than finding free wine on your doorstep – especially when it turns out to be an amazing wine.
Angie and Adam LaZarre are a husband and wife team that have been making beautiful wines in Paso Robles for nearly 20 years. Adam is a Navy veteran – thank you Sir – that worked in the wine industry for many years prior to venturing out on his own. Here’s a little introduction from the Pink Society chat that explains the name Moshina, and their love of heavy metal music and it’s influence on their wines.
I’m going to be perfectly honest, I am not much of a heavy metal fan. I once made our daughters take my husband to a Metallica concert as a Father’s Day present because I really, really didn’t want to go. You can imagine my shock when not long ago I found myself driving down the highway — ALONE in my car — and for some completely inexplicable reason I reached over to turn up the radio when Enter Sandman came on. What is that about? I have no idea, but I almost had to pull over I was in such shock that I did that! Thirty one years of marriage and I guess Metallica has rubbed off on me a little bit. I wonder if hubby will every turn up Janis Joplin when he’s alone in the car? I doubt it, but he wouldn’t admit it if he did;)
LaZarre|Moshina White|2018|14.2% ABV|$28
This Mosh Pit Blend is 60% Marsanne, 30% Roussanne, and 10% Gewürztraminer. The Marsanne and Roussanne are common blending partners in the Rhone Valley of France, but the Gewürztraminer is a unique addition that usually thrives in cool climate growing regions – think Alsace, Germany, and northern Italy. All of these grapes are chosen from some of the best vineyards in Paso Robles, which is generally considered a warm climate growing region. I don’t know exactly where this Gewürztraminer grows in Paso, but I find this fascinating. The Marsanne and Roussanne are aged for 12 months in neutral French oak. The Gewürztraminer sees only stainless steel.
It is so expressive with notes of mineral, herb, and anise. It’s savory and earthy with subtle peach, and maybe apricot. On the palate it is full bodied, yet has perfect acidity. The aromas come through on the palate with the addition of a quinine note on the finish. Salinity and candied lemon peel kept playing with me as it warmed up a bit. This is a wine that commands your attention because it is so delicious!
This wine is Metallica playing with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. It is unique and beautiful and you just aren’t going to experience anything else like it. Even I enjoyed seeing that performance, but not as much as I enjoyed this wine. The first vintage of LaZarre wine was in 2003, released in 2006, and I find it sad that it took until 2022 for this wine to come into my life.
If you’ve never tuned in to a Pink Society chat, I highly recommend it. You can get the details from their Twitter account, @thepinksociety_
Side Hustle Wino 