- About This Wine
- Ratings & Reviews
- Tasting Notes
About This Wine
Ratings & Reviews
Tasting Notes
ABOUT THIS WINE
REVIEWS
TASTING NOTES
Brassfield’s 2021 “Eruption” Red is a commanding proprietary blend that exemplifies the rugged elegance of California’s High Valley AVA. From its origins in the remote Volcano Ridge Vineyard, perched at elevations between 1,900 and 2,200 feet, this wine delivers an explosive sensory experience shaped by red volcanic soils, steep slopes, and the cooling marine influence of Clear Lake. One of the most dramatic terroirs in the North Coast, this site yields fruit of remarkable concentration, complexity, and power—qualities that course through every sip of this cuvée.
In the glass, the 2021 Eruption opens with a rush of blackberry liqueur, blueberry compote, and crushed black cherry. Floral high notes of dried violets and lavender mingle with cedar, baking spice, and a subtle undercurrent of smoked minerals. The bouquet alone is a testament to the meticulous vineyard management and the site’s natural intensity, but it is on the palate where this wine fully lives up to its volcanic namesake. A mouth-coating texture commands immediate attention, supported by full-bodied tannins that are both robust and refined. While the fruit profile is dense and opulent, it never feels overripe or cloying—there is a sense of control, a structural discipline, that sets it apart from more bombastic blends.
Aged for ten months in a judicious mix of French and American oak, the wine picks up additional layers of character without overwhelming the purity of the fruit. Notes of cocoa nibs, roasted espresso, and warm vanilla build across the mid-palate, leading to a juicy and expansive finish that hums with freshness and lift. The balance achieved here is striking—the acidity brightens the wine’s weight, allowing the finish to echo long after the final sip.
This is a wine that will appeal equally to lovers of Rhône-inspired blends and powerhouse Napa reds, yet it retains a distinct identity rooted in its singular volcanic origin. While delicious now, the 2021 Eruption is built for aging, with enough backbone to evolve beautifully over the next 7–10 years. Winemaker Carlos Valadez has crafted a wine that is both a tribute to the land and a showcase for the estate’s commitment to sustainable viticulture and classical technique. For those seeking a bold, expressive red with authentic sense of place, the Eruption 2021 offers extraordinary value and undeniable charisma.
Alcohol: 14.9%
In the glass, the 2021 Eruption opens with a rush of blackberry liqueur, blueberry compote, and crushed black cherry. Floral high notes of dried violets and lavender mingle with cedar, baking spice, and a subtle undercurrent of smoked minerals. The bouquet alone is a testament to the meticulous vineyard management and the site’s natural intensity, but it is on the palate where this wine fully lives up to its volcanic namesake. A mouth-coating texture commands immediate attention, supported by full-bodied tannins that are both robust and refined. While the fruit profile is dense and opulent, it never feels overripe or cloying—there is a sense of control, a structural discipline, that sets it apart from more bombastic blends.
Aged for ten months in a judicious mix of French and American oak, the wine picks up additional layers of character without overwhelming the purity of the fruit. Notes of cocoa nibs, roasted espresso, and warm vanilla build across the mid-palate, leading to a juicy and expansive finish that hums with freshness and lift. The balance achieved here is striking—the acidity brightens the wine’s weight, allowing the finish to echo long after the final sip.
This is a wine that will appeal equally to lovers of Rhône-inspired blends and powerhouse Napa reds, yet it retains a distinct identity rooted in its singular volcanic origin. While delicious now, the 2021 Eruption is built for aging, with enough backbone to evolve beautifully over the next 7–10 years. Winemaker Carlos Valadez has crafted a wine that is both a tribute to the land and a showcase for the estate’s commitment to sustainable viticulture and classical technique. For those seeking a bold, expressive red with authentic sense of place, the Eruption 2021 offers extraordinary value and undeniable charisma.
Alcohol: 14.9%
93 POINTS - "This wine is concentrated, with aromas of brambled blackberry, black currant confiture, violet, dried herbs and molasses. The flavors open to ripe black plum, black cherry cream soda and sarsaparilla, wrapped around bay leaf, grilled orange slices, mineral and a dry, long finish. Decant for 30 minutes and enjoy with grilled rib eye." - Wine Enthusiast
Full flavored and firmly tannic, our 2021 Eruption Red Blend combines delicious, concentrated aromas of blackberry and blueberry with accents of dried violet and oak spice. This wine shows the intensity, volume and palette-coating mouthfeel we have come to expect of our fruit from Volcano Ridge. A juicy and wellbalanced finish rounds out each sip.
