Winemaker Notes
A dark, meaty notes that shows bacon fat, toasted marshmallow, and leather undertones amidst waves of dark cherry and blackberry fruits, along with retronasal eucalyptus tones. On the palate, the fruit interplays with red and black fruits - chewy luxardo cherry and ripe plum on a dense, full bodied frame that clings to the palate. Fresh acidity keeps it lively, while the classic Mouvedre-driven finish goes on and on for over a minute.
Blend: 38% Petite Sirah, 37% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Trespasser is even better, with slightly more red fruit (there's still plenty of black fruit) as well as peppery herbs, flowers, and sandalwood notes. It's medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, ripe, and seamless. This is pure Paso Robles goodness and perfect for enjoying over the coming 7-8 years. This beauty is based on 38% Petite Sirah, 36% Syrah, and 26% Mourvèdre from a mix of vineyards that saw a decent amount of stems and 22 months in 48% new French oak puncheons. Barrel Sample: 94-96
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James Suckling
Blackberries, dark plums, dried herbs and cedar with smoke undertones. It's full-bodied with chewy tannins. Compact and extremely dense with a dark character. Serious and concentrated with a focused, developing finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Trespasser is completely opaque in the glass, offering up an intense inkwell nose centered around dark fruit compote, fruitcake, bramble and dark chocolate. The palate follows with immense saturation and sappy opulence, although it admirably retains a sense of grace and poise despite the size.
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Vinous
The 2021 Trespasser is understated, forcing the taster to work with its bouquet of red plums, balsam herbs and peppery rose tones. This is sleek and racy in style with crisp minerality up front and ripe red and black fruits that slowly saturate. The 2021 finishes tart and structured, leaving notes of blood orange and a sour cranberry resonance over a bed of sweet tannins. Have patience with the Trespasser, as it has the balance for a long and fruitful evolution. Rating: 92+
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.