Winemaker Notes
Blend: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Incorporating 10% Syrah, the Grenache-dominated 2011 Pandora comes from a single block of chalky soils in the Seymour's Vineyard. More floral and exotic than the straight Grenache release, it has beautiful currant, blackberry, violets, toasted spice and licorice aromas and flavors all emerging from the glass. Full-bodied, supple and sexy, with great acidity, it's slightly more expansive, sexy and textured than that more concentrated, yet streamlined Grenache release, and as such will drink better in its youth.
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.
California’s coolest wine growing area, Edna Valley excels in the production of high quality Central Coast wines like Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Rhône Blends and aromatic white wines. It has a cool Mediterranean climate and an incredibly long growing season, giving late-ripening varieties plenty of opportunity to develop great phenolic complexity.
Its northwest to southeast orientation creates a direct path for cool Pacific air and fog to penetrate the valley from the Los Osos and Morro Bay area inwards. Low hillsides of both calcareous and volcanic soils are home to much of the vineyard acreage of the Edna Valley.