Hahn, Central Coast (California) 2010

It’s safe to say that California’s Central Coast wine region, which stretches from Santa Barbara at its southernmost edge nearly to San Francisco Bay at its northern tip, is easily the most hospitable and agreeable area in the United States for the so-called Rhone grape varieties. That would be grapes made famous by the wines of France’s Rhone Valley: syrah, grenache, Mourvedre and a host of others. So no surprise Hahn, situated in the heart of Monterey County, has a good deal of success with wines made from those grapes. The 2010 GSM (short for its red blend of grenache-syrah-Mourvedre) is a good example of the spicy, fruity, food-friendly style of wines made in the Rhone — and California’s Central Coast, as well.