2017 HARMONY CENTRAL COAST GSM (red blend)
Meet The Artist - Nick Egan
With international acclaim for art direction and design, British film director Nick Egan combined his understanding of visual language into an iconic form of punk rock imagery that would be distinctive and influential in some of the most celebrated album covers, fashion lines, and music videos.
Born in London, while still attending school, he began designing covers for historic bands like The Clash, The Ramones and The Dexy’s Midnight Runners, for which he would have his first hit cover ‘Searching for the Young Soul Rebels’. He soon began forming a friendship with entrepreneur Malcolm McLaren, the former Sex Pistols’ manager, and was asked by McLaren to design artwork for the band’s album cover ‘Bow Wow Wow’s See Jungle’(which was recently voted # 10 of the top 100 covers of all times by Rolling Stones Magazine) and McLaren’s own albums ‘Duck Rock’ and ‘Fans’. Nick continued to design album covers for some of the most recognizable and influential musicians, including the Mindi Abair, Duran Duran, Psychedelic Furs, Iggy Pop, INXS, Bob Dylan, The Cult, The Pretenders and more.
To see more of Nick’s art and buy his prints, visit his website.
WINE NOTES
NAME:
Harmony
VARIETALS:
48% Grenache
28% Mourvèdre
24% Syrah
APPELLATION:
Central Coast (Edna Valley & Paso Robles)
VINTAGE:
2017
Aristotle must have been a big GSM drinker, because he nailed it by saying, “the whole is better than the sum of its parts.” Though this wine is born and bred in the highly respected Central Coast region of California (basically, the middle part near the big ocean), primarily from Edna Valley, its heritage goes back to the famed Côte du Rhône region of France. Early on they learned that by blending the grapes Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre together, it would create the masterpiece that is known affectionately as GSM today. And getting cork-dorky; what I like the most is how you can experience all three grapes separately, while at the same time indulge in the beauty they create together. Pop the cork, pour a glass, take a smell and a sip, repeat, repeat again, repeat one more time, apologize to the people in the room for drinking most of the wine, repeat one last time, savor it for a few moments, then follow along: The 48% Grenache. The majority yet the lightest grape of the three, notice how it offers the higher red fruit notes like wild strawberry and bright raspberry. The 28% Mourvèdre. Now, bring on the prodigious ruby color you saw when pouring, as well as the pronounced tannins that create the dryness you are feeling on the palate… and maybe even a little spice glancing out from underneath. What? The 24% Syrah. Finally, discover the earthiness which is presenting itself as dried tobacco or tea leaf, along with an endearing ripe plum. Ahhh, Syrah… Great wines separately… but perfect together in true Harmony!
Cheers - Eric
ARTWORK & DESIGN
Label Design By Artist & Video Director Nick Egan (www.nickegan.com)
When asked what set their band apart from other bands, the members of Fleetwood Mac said, “the harmonies.” Each musician in that band is amazing, and they’re all incredible singers in their own right. But together, the sum is greater than the individual parts, and they know it. This wine represents very different grapes that are all exceptional standing alone, but together they create the perfect combination of simultaneous notes that hit our tastes and ears in a perfect way that could never have happened separately. Harmony has defined some of our most iconic bands. Think about The Beach Boys, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, The Little River Band, Boyz II Men, Pentatonix and The Bee Gees. These bands could have “made it” with one lead singer. But they chose to create a different sound… a fuller richer sound using more than just a lead singer. It creates depth and interest, and has led to much of my favorite music! Inevitably, we are drawn to sing along. There’s something in us that loves harmony and singing together. I can’t explain it, but I don’t need to. I just need to sing along and everything is right in the world! The label artwork is truly special, designed once again by our friend and rock-artist Nick Egan. Look closely as you will see three layered singing lips... all in Harmony together. We gave the lipstick a glossy kick to really accentuate the emotion, feeling as if the label is singing to you now.
- Mindi
MUSIC
This playlist is song after song of great harmonies. It pays tribute to so many killer artists who choose to share the spotlight and create different tonalities and textures in their music with vocal harmonies. Taste how the different grapes in this GSM add to the overall feel and experience of the wine, as you turn up the music and get drawn into the depth of the harmonies. I bet you’ll even sing along!
CLICK BELOW TO LAUNCH SPOTIFY AND HEAR PLAYLIST