Winemaker Notes
Anna's Red is a staple blend for Adelaida. The varietal makeup changes yearly based on winemaker preferences and weather throughout the growing season. The 2021 vintage is nothing short of a delicious representation of this blend. Nearly even volumes of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre along with small additions of other estate grown varietals combine to bring balance to the glass with aromas of fresh strawberry, red raspberry, black licorice, and a hint of rose perfume. The palate offers flavors of black cherry, raspberry, and leather which combine to create a balanced and quaffable wine.
Drink this wine young and with a combination of cuisines.
Blend: 23% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 19% Mourvèdre, 14% Cinsaut, 10% Petite Sirah, 8% Counoise, 4% Touriga Nacional
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
A dusting of confectioners spice, lavender pastille and stone dust introduces the beautifully understated 2021 Red Signature Anna's Estate Vineyard. It’s soft-textured and round with cooling acidity, as a wave of tart wild berry fruit swirls throughout. This takes on a salty-savory sensation toward the close, leaving edgy tannins to resonate along with a pleasantly bitter tinge of blackberry. The Anna's Red is wonderfully balanced and structured, simply begging for a short stay in the cellar to blossom fully.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
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.