gsm
2023 Wood Family Vineyards GSM and Mediterranean Chicken for an Enhanced Meal
Background on GSM
Photo ©Michael Kelly
GSM in the wine world stands for Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre – three important grapes grown in the Côtes du Rhône region of France. Today, it is universally produced around the world. Why blend these three wines? The blend produces great complex red fruit flavors and is age worthy. Typically, GSM wines are bright, with in-your-face aromas of ripe fruit, sage, herbs and can range from smooth to edgy tannins. By changing the percentages of each varietal in the GSM, a winemaker can significantly change the flavor profile. By adding more Grenache, the lighter of the three grapes, the outcome will be a lighter wine. Adding more Syrah, the outcome is a stronger and bolder wine. Mourvèdre a strong grape varietal, is typically added in small amounts. The result of each winemakers’ blend, when a bright and fruity Grenache is blended with deep and peppery Syrah and Mourvèdre, is like an artist creating a masterpiece to their liking. GSM, with three distinctly different grapes, can run the gamut of coloring and flavor profiles.
Many have only tasted a weak GSM, while desired more flavor and written off the entire classification of GSM wines. One size does not fit all with GSM percentages varying from winemaker to winemaker.
As I was preparing the wine to go with this evening meal, I was thinking that I normally am not a fan of GSM wine from any winery. However, I opened it up and was so surprised! I could not have imagined that this wine would possess such an impactful flavor and spice. So now I believe GSM also stands for “Get Some More” wine!
The Winery
Wood Family Vineyards, located in eastern Livermore Valley with Rhonda Wood owner & winemaker, has been producing award winning wines for over two decades. You can read more on her background from airline pilot to award winning winemaker at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2016/02/10/wood-family-vineyards-2
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Immediately pouring the wine you are taken back with a semi-transparent magenta coloring with traces of purple and violet coloring and medium viscosity. On the nose and palate is where you are awakened to something beautiful and appealing. On the nose, pepper, strawberry, and blackberry waft into the senses. On the palate is where the “masterpiece is painted” with the soft and yet spicy berry notes from the Grenache, the dark fruit of the Syrah and coloring, tannins and earthy notes of the Mourvèdre. All of these components provide beautiful and compatible flavors of strawberry, blackberry, dark plum while still providing a bright fruit on the palate. The finish is long and satisfying with firm tannins and acidity which was surprisingly welcomed after the fruit, adding structure and complexity to a robust conclusion. One of the best GSM’s tasted in recent memory and Rhonda Wood’s winemaking strikes gold again!
This 2022 GSM will be available on May 2nd at their Q2 release party at the winery. This vintage blend is 57% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 8% Mourvèdre with 26 barrels being produced. The wine comes in at 14.6% alcohol. The grapes are from various site locations in Livermore.
This wine will also make my annual Best Wines tasted for 2026 in this year’s report.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The wine this evening was chosen to go with a new recipe called Mediterranean Chicken. The ingredients included chicken breast, dried oregano, garlic powder, olive oil, minced garlic, dry white wine, halved cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers, fresh baby spinach and crumbled feta cheese. Accompanied by a fresh garden salad and wild brown rice. The refreshing Wood GSM helped to surround the flavorful entrée and yet still provide the spiciness of the wine as previously described. The savory and pepper notes of the GSM matched the herbaceous savory flavors of the chicken dish. A very good food and wine pairing.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2021 Copia Vineyards “The Cure” GSM – Paired with a Gourmet Mediterranean Dinner
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
What a wonderful experience last evening tasting for the first time the 2021 Copia Vineyards “The Cure” GSM wine. Words come up short in describing this delicious and full body wine. I tend to be a fan of straight varietals but have found some good blends over the years. However, this was off the charts in quality, taste and value. Upon the first sip it was like an Olympic diver penetrating the water with merely a splash. So, it was with this wine entering my palate that it went directly to my soul of wine experiences and memories, confirming its mysterious origins. True to its name, “The Cure”, it provided a healing of many preconceived notions on GSM blends being “soft and light”.
A little bit on the wine facts before describing the taste. It is a blend of Mourvèdre (45%), Grenache (28%) and Syrah (27%). Only 380 cases were produced from fruit mostly from Copia Vineyards Willow Creek Estate in Paso Robles (their first harvest from this vineyard) and smaller portions from another Willow Creek vineyard and one in Santa Rita Hills. The wine was aged for 20 months in 40% new French oak and the balance being neutral French oak. The wine comes in at 15.2% alcohol.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the eyes, this a dark and brooding ruby red and medium-heavy viscosity. Once placed under the nose to gain an insight to what was to come, aromas of mocha, dark French coffee and floral notes wafted into the senses. Then on the palate this wine exploded with dark chocolate, depth of the three varietals not commonly found in a GSM. Blackberries and blueberries bounced joyfully in the mouth beckoning yet another sip! On the finish, a plushness of the black fruit, along with a smoky quality and spice notes provided ample time to savor each sip. Additionally, beautiful and elegant, yet surprisingly perfectly appropriate tannins were present. The chocolate finish provided a great counterbalance making the textual chewy finish that was elegant and memorable.
This wine received ratings of 95 points from The Somm Journal, 95 points from Wine Enthusiast and 94-96 points from Jeb Dunnuck. This is a pedigree of quality represented in this GSM. This wine will make my Best Wines Tasted for 2025 (which is 7-8% of the 1400-1600 wines tasted annually). I record, log and rate each wine and this wine received my highest rating.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While not generally having GSM wines in the cellar, needed to figure out a food pairing. My wife and I did some research and came up with a Mediterranean meal which is highly recommended with a GSM wine. Then the cut filet mignon meat, along with the following ingredients were marinated for almost two hours. The ingredients for the marinade include a purple onion, fresh lemon juice, marjoram, oregano, parsley, paprika, black pepper, Himalayan Sea salt, olive oil and minced garlic.
The recipe called for sirloin beef but substituted filet mignon. Pieces of the filet mignon and vegetables were cut up to fit in the kabab grilling baskets preferred for grilling to capture all the ingredients rather than skewers.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The meat was then placed into the baskets along with three different colored bell peppers slices (yellow, orange and green), purple onion slices and fresh whole rosemary springs. Placed on the BBQ between medium to medium-high temperature for about 10-12 minutes rotating the baskets 90 degrees every 2 to 3 minutes. Emptied from the basket and served in a pan.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The meal was accompanied by a Mediterranean cauliflower rice consisting of almonds, extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, Himalayan Sea salt, chopped fresh parsley, lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Additionally, a Ladolemono Greek salad and dressing was served that was delicious. Iceberg lettuce along with fresh lemon juice, dried oregano, sliced kalamata olives, minced garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
This meal was extremely tasty, spicy and provided a real Mediterranean experience. It was like Spain, France, Italy and Greece combined to throw a party! Combined with the wine, one of the best food and wine pairing enjoyed last evening.
The marinade was so tasty we are planning to use it in a tri tip steak later this next week.
The Winery
Photo from Copia Vineyards
The owners of Copia Vineyards and I have exchanged various emails and have set a plan to meet in March of this year. The word Copia means in Latin “abundance or plenty”.
Photo from Copia Vineyards
The owners Anita and Varinder Sahi became owners of 50 acres to farm Rhône and Bordeaux varietals in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles. Today they have 40,000 vines planted and the estate grew another 26 acres in the Adelaida District.
Looking forward to tasting their complete line up that includes Rose, a white wine blend (48% Roussanne, 39% Viognier, 13% Picpoul Blanc), Grenache, Syrah, Tempranillo and Mourvèdre and of course another tasting of GSM! They are known for their concentrated and rich varietal characteristics with scores reaching 97 points.
Sláinte,
Michael