Last year we (Salt Tasting Room) were pouring Sean Thackrey’s Pleiades XV (bottled in ’07) by the glass which went over very well with both our guests and staff. We bought nearly every case that was imported into BC and months after we had sold out, people were still asking about it.

This weekend, I’m staying in the heart of the Silicon Valley and on the edge of San Jose in a place called Santa Clara. I’ve been entertaining myself by browsing the local wine shops, and yesterday while digging in a discount bin, I became embarrassingly giddy over finding a lone bottle of the Pleiades XVII for $18.99. This wine was bottled in Feb ’09 and is a non-vintage blend of mostly Sangiovese, Syrah, Viognier, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Barbera, and Carignan.

The XVII is very light in colour, similar to Gamay or Pinot. Tons of berry fruit…strawberry, cherry and blueberry, with tobacco and a mix of dust and cocoa powder. The texture is very silky and overall, it’s largely fruit driven with some earthiness to it. Yet still delicious and very drinkable, it’s not nearly as stinky and bretty as the Pleiades XV, which was a quality I enjoyed. If you get a chance to try the XV, or the XVII without spending a ton of cash, give them both a shot.

Sean Thackrey’s wines are imported into Canada by Dream Wines.

If you aren’t acquainted with Sean Thackrey, check out this fantastic video from Chow.com below: