Description
Michael Cruse has established himself as one of California’s leading winemakers, with his skillset spanning from the country’s most sought-after sparkling wine, Ultramarine, to a range of lesser-known varieties. His focus is around brightness and vibrancy to the wines with pure ‘drinkability’ whilst not sacrificing structure to his examples.
‘Monkey Jacket’ has become somewhat of a flagship wine of Cruse Wine Co. It is a blend of Valdigué (a variety rarely seen, but at home in the Languedoc, France), Carignan, Tannat, and St Laurent, along with other varieties. It comes from vineyards across California, allowing it to be a regional representation of what the area can produce in a much lighter style than what it would typically be known for. After a natural fermentation, it was aged in a combination of stainless steel, old oak, and concrete to assist in retaining fruit purity.
If the mercury climbs a bit on a sunny Singaporean afternoon, the wine certainly won’t suffer from a quick chill in the fridge to help to retain the fruit vibrancy that Michael strives for in this wine.
