Bill Easton is one of the icons of Bay Area and California wine culture. He founded Solano Cellars in Berkeley in the late 1970s. In the late 1980s, Bill, with his wife, Jane O’Riordan, then created Terre Rouge (for Rhône varieties) and Easton Wines (for zinfandel, etc.) in the Sierra Foothills. 'Garrigue' is the French term for the mix of low-growing plants (juniper, rosemary, thyme, sage, etc.) that characterize Mediterranean southeastern France, as well as the aromas of many of the wines from this region. The Sierra Foothills have an analogous flora of manzanita, pine, toyon, yerba santa, and chamise. One of Bill’s preoccupations is drinking - and releasing - wines with a healthy amount of bottle age, and this 11-year-old wine is a great example. 'Garrigue' is two-thirds syrah and one-third cabernet sauvignon, inspired by a similar blend from the storied Domaine Trévallon in Provence. It is dark-fruited, earthy, and herbaceous (garrigue!). The wine is robust in the mouth, with loads of tertiary flavors from the decade of aging in the bottle. It’s great with something hearty cooked on the grill.
