Stone Cold Fox From Chronic Cellars

What is it to be a foxy wine? "Foxy" usually means "Ewwwww, spit it out" gross. But Stone Fox is a foxy wine from Chronic Cellars, from what I believe is sourced out of Sonoma, and it stirred the French cockles of my heart (read: palette). It is quite simply a fox of a wine, like a "hot chick" or like that song from the '70s, "Sexy Lady" by the Isley Brothers. Now, why the image on the bottle has a Medusa-headed gal on it is anyone's guess. Certainly not a foxy image. But in spite of its packaging, I really enjoyed this wine.

Chronic Cellars' Foxy Lady: Stone Cold

2014 Stone Fox

Chronic Cellars

$22 online 

• 35% Grenache Blanc
• 33% Viognier
• 32% Picpoul

As Rhone-styled whites go, it's hard to beat the sensational trio of varietals that drive the wines of this region of France. So, attention new world wine makers, please help Chronic build the idea of Rhone white varietals in the states, so we begin getting better white wine blend options.

The Stoop: Grenach Blanc-heavy Whites Await

Grenache Blanc.

Viognier.

Marsanne. 

Roussane. 

Picpoul.

These grapes positively scream my name. Well, so do Alsace's Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, but I suppose that's for another blog post.

Goes Nicely With Grilled Pork Loin,
Did I Mention?

This bottle is a terrific expression of these grapes via the California terroir that ages them into this bottle. Overall, Stone Cold is a really enjoyable bottle, and it's Tuesday night sippin' wine. While the price may be above your Tuesday sippin' wine price, I think it serves nicely, given it's expression in the glass. I nursed this for 4 days in the 'fridge and was simply not disappointed.

The fresh and round shape with its fatty viscosity sidles up to a soft acidity that doesn't complicate the way a dry Riesling or a more purely floral Viognier might. I relish the way it floats on the tongue and brings simple joy to the glass.

Where I live, it's what I wanna have when I'm sitting languid on The Stoop (see picture above) watching all the girls and boys go home from work up 18th Street, back into Adams Morgan at the end of a hard day.

The Pros:

• Will please those who are accustomed to Rhone whites. 
• The silky mouth feel gives way to a pleasant punch without an alcohol burst at the finish. You can drink this without the stupor associated with higher alcohol California Chards.
• The wine is pretty in the glass; superb color, nice balance on the tongue.
• It's a memorable concoction of grapes, the Rhone white blends, so it's a new journey for friends who don't know these grapes.

The Cons:

Thank you, Wine Exchange

• Not many folks know Rhone whites, so this may be a standoffish hipster for wine newbies.
• The bottle artwork is not my cup of tea, much like I said about the company's red. Again, ideal for the Dead Head in your life who is weening himself off weed. 
• Feels like they're trying to corner the market on men looking to remember that "Stone Cold Fox" that they can still taste on their lips—like she used lipsmacker cinnamon lipstick or something. This bottle's flavors will disappoint for those chaps.
• Not sure folks will "get" the marketing of this wine, and it could die on the shelf without an awareness campaign of how special this version of Rhone white blends is.

Hope you are finding these reviews helpful and not annoying. Wine reviewing can really bug folks, I get it. But hey, I write the best I can, not the way a pro would.

Be well, drink Rhone wines like my friend Muffy taught me back in the '80s. She was right. And if you cannot afford the French ones, Stone Fox will do just fine.

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