Arizona Wine at Devoured 2013

Next is Pillsbury Wine Company, and who doesn't know Sam? Although Sam is well known for his other life as a director, he is also known locally for championing Arizona wine culture. He was one of the firsts to see the value and potential of planting vines in Arizona, and since has worked and rubbed elbows with Ken Callaghan, Todd Bostock, Eric Glomski and Al Buhl. He owns quite a bit of vineyard land down in Willcox.

For Devoured he brought with him the 2011 Wild Child White, which is 58 percent Chenin Blanc, 29 percent Pinot Grigio, 10 percent Riesling, and 2.5 percent Symphony (a hybrid of Muscat Alexandria and Grenache Gris, a grape that does very well in high-desert climate). On the nose it's quite redolent of the Arizona Stronghold Tazi, but on the palate, it's a bit more dry and slightly flabbier and more lush, with a bit more acid. Next up is the 2011 Wild Child Red, which is 15 percent Merlot, 28.6 percent Sangiovese, 18.3 percent Zinfandel, 11.4 percent Grenache, 12.6 percent Mourvedre, and 2.3 percent Shiraz. None of the grapes stand out too much in the blend. It's intended to be for easy drinking, nothing too complex or complicated. I don't mean this in a negative way, but this wine is a crowd-pleaser, and I think that's what Sam was aiming for.

The 2010 Rhone Red is next. 68 percent Grenache, 16 percent Mourvedre, 16 percent Syrah, this is Sam's GSM blend, and it also fits the bill for people who like to drink lighter-style reds. Intense aromatics, well-integrated tanins, great food wine, perfect Arizona wine. I've always loved what Grenache does in this soil, I don't get too much tobacco from the Mourvedre, and I think the small percentage of the Syrah helps the wine stay really pretty. He also poured the 2011 Diva, which is 72 percent Syrah, 17 percent Mourvedre, and 10 percent Petite Syrah. Stylistically speaking, I was expecting this wine to be a little bit bigger in terms of body. Compared to his former vintages, I felt this was a lighter rendition.

Overall, Sam makes wines that tend to fall on the lighter spectrum of things. I know for a fact he would rather showcase fruit over tanins that obliterate the palate, and I think he continues to do so successfully. Last was the 2010 Pinot Gris. He allowed it to go through malolactic fermentation. It's a wine that acts like a big Chardonnay, but not as cloying, but texturally speaking it's voluptuous and coating. The nose is redolent of stone fruits, and is in my opinion the most distinctive wine he makes in terms of having an opinion. It just stood out.