Belledor Vineyards Red Blend Cellar Scraps Shenandoah Valley 2023

Belledor Winery grows Barbera, Zinfandel, Primitivo, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Grenache at their estate in the Shenandoah Valley, and their 2023 “Cellar Scraps” blend tastes like it draws on most or all of those. This is a STOCK UP situation! As one of our staffers said, “I like this more than some $80 bottles.”

The nose is a self-assured cohesion of black raspberries, fresh biscuits, and brandied cherries. The palate seamlessly expands those notes and also adds in a little cedar, vanilla, anise, cinnamon, and clove. We are loving the flaky pastry character! The fruit is as dark as a mineshaft in that Gold Country way – this is Amador County in the Sierra foothills, where summers are hot  – and then a wash of mint locks in that simmering ripeness like cold night air moving through a vineyard.

The tannins are soft and smooth, the finish is dry, and the nicely integrated acid makes this so great for the dinner table… this is just checking all the boxes! We're thinking a Monte Cristo sandwich would be fun, but simple chicken thighs with Swiss chard wilted in the pan drippings would be perfect, too.

The fruit grew at 1,500 feet on volcanic soils, and the winemaking team went with American oak barrels here. The Frazier family founded Belledor in 2015 on land that’s been producing grapes off and on since the 1850s… a scrappy place indeed. Obviously, get at least six to ensure free shipping, but don’t be afraid to commit to more – this is so likeable and grounded, it has “go to” written all over it.