2011 Caduceus Dos Ladrones Chardonnay

Caduceus Cellars is an unusual winemaking enterprise from every angle. It is located in Cornville, Arizona, which is southwest of Sedona, and it is owned and operated by Maynard James Keenan, the Grammy Award-winning singer for the progressive metal band Tool. MJK, as he is often known, has also been part of the bands Adam Jones and A Perfect Circle. Keenan was inspired to start a winery partly based on his Italian roots. One set of his grandparents were winemakers in northern Italy. Keenan named his winemaking enterprise for the ancient symbol for business, but his wines have been named to honor his late mother, Judith, and to pay homage to some of the Native Americans who once lived in the area. Caduceus makes red, white and rosé wines from a variety of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Aglianico, Sangiovese and Syrah.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.