Trevor Sheehan started Balius in 2010, working with Beckstoffer fruit in Rutherford. The grapes for his 2014 come from the Pestoni Vineyard, just east of Highway 29. With its crunchy, tart red fruit, this wine gives an impression of delicacy and finesse before launching into a saturated mouthful of savory tannins. It has Rutherford’s grandeur, a texture that’s complete and complex, the tannins seamlessly integrated into the wine’s dusty refinement. There’s nothing aggressive about it, including the price, which looks like a typo, and warrants purchasing this wine by the case.
- Wine & Spirits Magazine (October 2019), 93 pts & TOP 100 BEST BUYS OF 2019