One of the most memorable highlights of a recent visit to Mendocino was an overnight at Saracina Vineyards. The evening culminated with watching the Perseid meteor showers on a cloudless night — dozens (hundreds?) of streaks of light weaving through brightly twinkling stars, illuminating the kind of inky darkness that’s only possible this far away from city lights. 

Before the light show got under way, we spent a perfectly lovely evening tasting a truckload of wines into the wee hours and feasting on a meal that included fresh salads and grilled meats prepared by Saracina winemaker Alex MacGregor and Robert Perkins, co-proprietor/winemaker at Skylark Wine Company and wine director at San Francisco’s Boulevard Restaurant. 

Trinafour is Alex’s own label, worked on in his spare time (where he finds spare time, I’ll never know), named after a village in Scotland where his ancestors once lived and bearing one of the family tartans. For Trinafour, Alex has chosen Carignan and Petite Sirah. (Pause for effect…) If anyone one doubts that these grapes, particularly Carignan, can be made into lovely, balanced, approachable wines — they should track down these wines.

I will confess that I liked these guys right off the bat, which never hurts an evening like this. Alex reminded me quite a bit of someone else I’m very fond of — Canadian by birth, connected to his Scottish heritage, and clearly someone who thrives on his labor, and the fruits thereof. And it was nice to watch Alex and Robert genuinely enjoy the other’s wines. As for me, I enjoyed it all. Here are my notes on the wines:

Saracina 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino County ($23). Hits a nice balance — with juicy, mouthwatering lemon and tangerine playing off a core of softer melon. An appealing dose of mineral emerges on the fresh finish. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Saracina 2007 Atrea The Choir Mendocino County ($20). A white Rhone blend, with Roussanne and Viognier combining to make a pretty, fragrant, racy wine. Juicy citrus dances around smooth stonefruit, with a mineral-laced, structured finish. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Saracina 2007 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley ($35). Pretty is the first word that came to mind on this Pinot, with floral, toast and lightly spicy accents to the ripe cherry and plum fruit and a long, supple finish. Ready to drink now and over the next 3-4 years. Locate this wine online or in your area. 

Saracina 2005 Syrah Mendocino County ($32). Really loved this wine, with its intense, meaty blackberry and black currant aromas and flavors layered with dried herbs, smoky black pepper and a touch of earthy coffee bean. Long, full, rich finish and impressive tannic structure. Should age beautifully. Delicious now and over the next 7-8 years. Locate this wine online or in your area. 

Saracina 2005 Petite Sirah Mendocino County ($38). This is old vine wine fruit, and it shows in the intense concentration and color — offering deep blackberry, blueberry and currant fruit laced with complex peppercorn and floral aroma and flavor notes. Long, smooth finish with substantial structure below. Should age nicely — delicious now and over the next 7-8 years. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2009-12-31)

Saracina 2006  Zinfandel Mendocino County Pick and Shovel ($30). Good stuff — intensely aromatic, with intriguing floral, green peppercorn and tar accents to the deep, ripe cherry and berry fruit that rolls to a long, smooth finish. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Skylark 2007 Pinot Blanc Mendocino Orsi Vineyard ($17). Crisp and refreshing, with juicy green apple aromas and flavors that pick up mineral and fresh herbal notes through the finish. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Skylark 2007 Las Aves Mendocino County ($25). A smooth, appealing red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Carignan (38%) and Syrah, with lifted floral aromas introducing black and blue fruit flavors – currant, blackberry, blueberry — and spicy dark chocolate notes through the rich finish. Nicely done. Ready to drink now and over the next 3-4 years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Skylark 2007 Grenache Mendocino County ($26). Not your everyday Grenache (in other words, I really liked it!), with red cherry and berry flavors that are so bright and racy you almost miss the core of admirable structure — this is serious wine. Intense concentration and accents that include pepper, dried herbs, currant and light earthy notes. Long, complex finish. Ready to drink now and over the next 4-5 years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Skylark 2006 Syrah Sonoma Coast Rodgers Creek Vineyard ($36). Lovely, lovable nose here — intense blackberry and boysenberry aromas and flavors persist through the full finish, picking up piquant black pepper, smoke and spice along the way. Really well done. Ready to drink now and over the next 4-5 years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Skylark 2007 Syrah Napa Valley Stagecoach Vineyard ($38). Roasted plum and wild blackberry character — intense, concentrated, slightly herbal — is laced with aromatic cedar and baking spices. Folds into a long, supple finish. Delicious now and over the next 5-6 years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Skylark 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Alondra ($38). Dusty tannins and savory notes like black olive, tar and fresh tobacco accent focused blackberry and currant fruit. Just a baby now and could use a little time to come together — decant ahead of time for a few hours, or let it age in the bottle for another 4-5 years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Trinafour 2007 Carignan Mendocino County Niemi Vineyard ($20). Honestly, this is the wine that sealed the deal for me that night. It’s an old vine Carignan with made with a ripasso of unpressed Petite Sirah skins. I mean really… Really? And don’t worry — if that doesn’t mean anything to you, then just enjoy this deep, fragrant, concentrated wine for all its intense blackberry character and smoky suppleness. This is crazy good — and I typically don’t even like Carignan — and totally affordable to boot. Ready to drink now and over the next 2-3 years. Locate this wine online or in your area.

Trinafour 2006 Petite Sirah Mendocino County Niemi Vineyard ($30). From Saracina winemaker Alex MacGregor, this is lovely stuff. Big but balanced, and deeply concentrated, offering seductively spicy tobacco and baking spice accents to the inky blackberry, currant and cherry fruit. Long, complex finish. Ready to drink now and over the next 5-7 years. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2009-12-31)