We were honored to have Andrew Nelson of Rabble Wine Co. visit our state recently. After getting to know a little more about this company, the people behind it and the incredible taste of the wine, it could be your next favorite. It's quickly becoming mine.
The name, Rabble Wine Co., is a nod to the company's four brands -- Force of Nature, Tooth and Nail, Stasis and Amori Fati. A rabble, you may recall, is a disorderly crowd or mob.
Of the company's brands, Force of Nature, Tooth and Nail and Stasis are most commonly available in our market and may be familiar to Uncorked readers.
The company owns more than 1,000 acres in the Paso Robles area of California. It sells much of the fruit it grows to some of the most notable wineries in the region while being selective of the fruit used in its brands.
The first aspect that will draw your attention to these wines is the labels. Nelson likes to say they "geeked out" on the labels. They aren't the typical label, trying to draw the consumer's attention, but are nuanced with complexity and meaning, making use of public domain art from old-world prints.
An example is the Tooth and Nail wines that feature original artwork by writer and naturalist John James Audubon. One that will catch most Arkansans' attention is The Stand. It's a wild boar looking much like our razorback. The back label has an Audubon quotation: "As soon as they get within their den, one of them will STAND sentinel. Should the hunter kill it, another immediately takes its place. It is considered the bravest animal of these forests for it dreads neither man nor beast." (We actually had Nelson calling the Hogs after his visit.)
The labels will draw you in, but the quality of the wine will confirm the reason for this company's success.
THE VALUE
2014 Force of Nature Chardonnay, California (about $25 retail)
THE SPLURGE
2013 Tooth and Nail "The Stand," California (about $29 retail)
Lorri Hambuchen is a member of London's Institute of Wines and Spirits. Contact her at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203, or email:
uncorked@thewinecenter.com
Food on 09/30/2015