2018 Le Artishasic Vin Rouge Red Blend 750 ml

If there’s one word to describe Artie Johnson, the sole mastermind and winemaker behind Le Artishasic, “artist” is the first that comes to mind.

Like a skilled painter preparing his palette, Johnson’s artistry can best be seen in his 2018 Vin Rouge. It’s a blend of rich, Old World Rhône varieties—Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre—that amounts to a classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape, seen through a thoroughly New World lens.

This full-bodied red blend is outrageously rich on the palate, offering well-balanced, integrated notes. Johnson uses just a touch of Syrah to draw out the wine’s peppery-spice and accent the red-fruit-rich Grenache and brambly Mourvèdre. It’s a savory, aromatic wine with loads of layered complexity—one that begs to be drunk alongside a hearty meal of cassoulet or veal scallopini.

As a wine director-turned-winemaker, Johnson crafts all his wines intending them to be enjoyed with culinary delights. He applies the expertise he earned on the restaurant floor to crafting supreme, site-specific wines from California’s premier growing regions. After years in restaurants in Miami and New York, he honed his palate in the cellars of Harlan Estate and Mayacamas before launching Le Artishasic in 2015.

The 2018 Vin Rouge is a culmination of sourcing exceptional fruit from Northern California and Central Coast growers and, of course, Johnson’s acumen in the cellar. Careful not to over extract, he’s gentle with his materials, guiding each wine through a cooler fermentation before blending each lot together for the perfect balance of structure, acidity, and fruit. The result is a bottle that points to all the finesse of an Old World wine that’s firmly rooted in New World tradition.