The WineThis wine is named after Marcel Tiquet, the spiritual force behind Casino Mine Ranch and its Manager of some 42 years. The wine is inky dark, typical of Teroldigo from hot weather climes, with Tempranillo, the grape behind the age-worthy reds from Rioja rounding out the last 20% of the blend. Together the wine evokes sweet spicec and dusty earth, blackberries, dried meats, soft black licorice and beef cooked on a campfire. The winery describes the wine the same way they describe Marcel - it's tough as nails, but will melt your heart.
14.1% ABV, 373 cases produced. Drink now through 2029.
The Winery
It's been a long viticultural road for consulting winemaker Andy Erikson, a portfolio that includes Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Staglin Family, Mayacamas Vineyards and now... Casino Mine Ranch.
The Casino Mine Ranch was started long after the California gold rush, but when Simone and Sam Shaw (Sim-Sam Shaw) bought this Amador County land in 1936, they started drilling anyway. She named it the Casino Mine as it was a gamble as to whether it would ever strike gold. And it's where Andy's childhood friend (and Sim's grand nephew) Rich Merryman planted the vineyard and forced Andy to make good on his drunken bet, made at a party years ago, that he would make the wine if Rich planted the vineyard on their old childhood playground - the Casino Mine Ranch, populated by rattlesnakes, deserted mine shafts, and tons of fun.
And though Andy's the consulting winemaker on this label, the heavy lifting is done by Jessica Tarpy Shaheen, an adventurous and accomplished winemaker in her own right. She is the winemaker behind the Erikson family's own labels - Favia (Andy's wife is viticulturalist Annie Favia) and Leviathon.
