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La Clarine Farm

Funky Drummer Red Blend 2017

Price: $29.95
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Tasting notes

Counoise is one of the more underappreciated blending grapes in California, and at 6% it does exactly what it does in Chateauneuf-du-Pape: sharpens the whole blend with bright acidity and a herbal, peppery snap without overwhelming the fruit. The whole-cluster fermentation adds a fresh, stems-and-red-berry quality that keeps the wine lively despite the warmth of the Sierra Foothills vintage.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
Wild StrawberryBlack PepperGarrigueRaspberry
  • Style: Dry, medium-bodied red; 69% Syrah, 29% Grenache, 6% Counoise; bright red fruit with herbal and peppery lift; 12.5% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: Syrah, Grenache, Counoise; Cedarville Vineyard, El Dorado County; decomposed granite soils at approx. 2,500 ft elevation; organically farmed
  • Winemaking: Two-pick harvest; Grenache and Counoise co-fermented, blended into Syrah at pressing; whole-cluster, ambient yeast fermentation; aged in tank and small barrel; minimal sulfur at bottling only
  • Serving: Serve at 58-62F; no decant needed; drink now through 2025
  • Pairing: Roast chicken, herb-crusted lamb, fennel sausage, tomato-based pasta, mild aged cheese
  • Similar To: For fans of lower-alcohol, whole-cluster Syrah-based reds from the Northern Rhone or natural Grenache blends from Languedoc

The Funky Drummer is sourced entirely from Cedarville Vineyard in El Dorado County, where Syrah, Grenache, and Counoise grow on decomposed granite soils at roughly 2,500 feet elevation. The fruit was harvested in two separate picks: Syrah came in first, followed by the Grenache and Counoise. The Grenache and Counoise were co-fermented together, then blended into the Syrah at pressing.

All three varieties were whole-cluster fermented with ambient yeast, then aged in a combination of tank and small barrel. No temperature control. The finished wine comes in at 12.5% ABV, a direct result of the high-elevation site and Hank Beckmeyer's preference for picking before sugars climb too high.

The blend breaks down as 69% Syrah, 29% Grenache, and 6% Counoise. The Syrah provides the structural backbone; the Grenache adds lift and red fruit; the Counoise, a southern Rhone blending grape prized for its high acidity and peppery spice, acts as a brightening agent, tightening the finish and extending the aromatic profile without asserting itself as a dominant note.

La Clarine Farm farms organically and without additions during fermentation, adding only a minimal dose of sulfur at bottling.

The moderate tannins and bright acidity make this a natural with roast chicken, herb-crusted lamb, or a simple charcuterie board. It also works well alongside tomato-based pasta dishes or grilled sausages seasoned with fennel. Serve slightly cool, around 58-62F, to keep the red fruit forward.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Medium Body
Grapes:, Syrah, Grenache, Counoise
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2017
Alcohol:, 12.5%
Country:, USA
Region:, Sierra Foothills
Appellation:, Sierra Foothills AVA
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

La Clarine Farm

Hank Beckmeyer and Caroline Hoel established La Clarine Farm in 2001 after settling in Somerset, El Dorado County. Beckmeyer had been a musician touring Europe with the band Half Japanese; Hoel and Beckmeyer spent time in Germany and made trips to the south of France, where extended exposure to the wines of Domaine Tempier in Bandol shaped their thinking about what they wanted to make. They purchased a 10-acre property at 2,600 feet elevation and began planting vines in 2002, including Tempranillo, Syrah, Tannat, Grenache, Negroamaro, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The home vineyard is farmed following the principles of Japanese farmer-philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka, a low-intervention approach that allows the land to grow largely undisturbed, without tillage. The vineyard was initially farmed biodynamically and certified for several years before evolving toward this minimal-input model. For most of his wines, including Funky Drummer, Beckmeyer sources fruit from like-minded growers in the region, most notably Cedarville Vineyard in El Dorado County, whose decomposed granite soils sit at approximately 2,500 feet elevation.

In the cellar, Beckmeyer uses whole-cluster fermentation, native yeasts, no temperature control, and old oak puncheons along with flex tanks for aging. Sulfur additions are minimal and occur only at bottling. The approach is consistent across the range: no fining, no filtration, and as little intervention as possible between the vineyard and the bottle.

Wine region

Sierra Foothills, USA

The Sierra Foothills AVA is one of the largest appellations in California, running approximately 160 miles along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada and spanning portions of seven counties including El Dorado, Amador, and Calaveras. Vineyards are planted between 1,200 and 3,500 feet above sea level, with the El Dorado sub-AVA occupying the higher elevations of that range. The region's viticultural history dates to the California Gold Rush of the mid-1800s, when prospectors with European farming backgrounds planted vines near mining camps.

El Dorado's high-elevation sites experience warm days and sharp overnight temperature drops, a diurnal swing that extends the growing season and allows grapes to retain acidity while still reaching full flavor development. Soils vary across the AVA but are dominated by well-drained decomposed granite at mid-elevations, with some volcanic clay loam appearing at the highest sites. Rhone varieties including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Viognier have shown particular affinity for this terrain, as have Italian varieties such as Barbera. Zinfandel, much of it old-vine, remains the region's most planted red grape.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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