2016 Grenache – Dopamine
Domaine Magellan Languedoc, France
This is our third release of Grenache in partnership with fabled grower/producer Bruno Lafon from the beautiful Domaine Magellan. Magellan is situated about 35km south west of Montpellier and just south of Faugères. Bruno Lafon of Burgundy’s Comte Lafon fame moved into the area in 1999, intrigued with the Mediterranean climate and the soils of compact clay, sandstone and large rolling pebbles.
Our Grenache stems from a single plot, planted in the 1970s, farmed organically. The grapes were hand harvested and fermented in stainless steel, seeing further aging in concrete and then a few months in older Burgundy barrels prior to bottling. A larger amount of Syrah was added this year for further punch, structure and adding to the high toned aromatics that soar out of the glass!
The 2016 growing season was one of drought stress and superb wind blown sunshine. The winter was a lean one in terms of rain and thus left the summer to start with a depression of aquatic resources. This early lack of water led to small berry sizes and the following heat and wind further kept crop yields low. The grapes at harvest were small with lovely intensity producing a wine with judicious color and high profile aromatics.
Our Kitten Swish Grenache is made for the picnic basket and all the other pleasures that go with a day spent under the sun. This vintage in particular will be an utter braingasm when pulled from the basket after being nestled close to the chilled olives, Comte and the most delicious pastrami on rye you’ve ever had. Crush a little whipped cream over strawberries before you spend the afternoon rolling around with each other. Dopamine is good.
What is Dopamine?
Dopamine is a natural brain-manufactured neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. Dopamine also helps regulate movement and emotional responses, and it enables us not only to see rewards, but to take action to move toward them. Alcohol stimulates the release of Dopamine (as well the release of Serotonin …all the good stuff!). The release of these compounds produce the pleasurable feeling we have while imbibing in a glass of delicious wine. Dopamine release is also the reason why we want more and more wine, we crave delicious wine and the following brain squirt of pleasure puddles that ensue. It’s handy that since we need dopamine to survive that we also happen to be the production facility for it. All we have to do is release it… and all that takes is a delicious glass of Kitten Swish.
There are things that you make
Things that come from inside you
Things that make you feel good
Love these things and make lots of them
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