91 Point Qupé Marsanne Doux Dessert Wine // Set of 4 // 375ml Each

Qupé Wines places an emphasis on quality, character, and balance. They specialize in Rhône-style wines from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria, which is farmed sustainably, the Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard in the Edna Valley, farmed biodynamically, and the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in Los Olivos, farmed organically. Bob Lindquist’s exacting standards and never-resting-on-laurels attitude, allows Qupé to continually be cutting edge and a benchmark other wineries aspire to be.

Qupé (pronounced kyoo-pay’) is the Chumash Indian word for California poppy. The Chumash are native to California’s Central Coast and Channel Islands; the California poppy is our state flower. Bob Lindquist added the accent to the word Qupé and gave it the pronunciation.

When wine pros talk about a "reflective" or "meditative" wine, the 2013 Qupé Marsanne Doux is one of those wines. Bob Lindquist is a pioneer in Santa Barbara wine country and widely regarded as one of the best winemakers in California. Drinking this wine makes you wonder how he coaxed such tantalizing aromas and luscious flavors from grapes.

This golden hued, botrytized beauty is a Chateau D'Yquem look-alike, which sells for $500 a bottle! Imagine a lemon wafer, a ginger snap, and a scoop of orange blossom honey met in a French oak room that smells of Tahitian vanilla. The result would be this late harvest wine. The finish goes on for ages. It's fine to drink this wine from a proper Port glass, but really, a straw would be more appropriate. Pair this with pancakes for breakfast, a cheese plate at lunch, and with an apple pie after dinner.

“Bob Lindquist is almost certainly the only vintner in America that is drying Marsanne on straw mats to make a dessert wine. The result is aromas of Asian pear, white peach, baked apple and baking spice, more fresh rather than sweet. It is viscous on the sip, and the sweetness steadily grows on the palate, offering cotton candy flavors. Fascinating stuff.” 91 Points, Editor's Choice, Wine Enthusiast