Winemaker Notes
The ONES began in the 2014 vintage as a new "best-barrel" program. Each vintage, Eric will choose his favorite barrel of Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon separately and bottle each barrel on their own.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Syrah Ones is another cellar selection checking in at the top of the vintage. I’d also wager it’s one of the most impressive Syrahs made in California. Black currants, crème de cassis, toasted bread, vanilla bean and smoked meats give way to an unctuous, full-bodied, structured Syrah that has no hard edges, present tannin, and a blockbuster finish. It needs short term cellaring to integrate is oak, and will keep for two decades.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 100% Syrah 2015 The Ones Syrah has an exuberant nose of crème de cassis, blackberry pie and black licorice with hints of violets, black pepper and tar. The palate is incredibly rich, concentrated and densely packed with fleshy black fruits and spice layers, supported by ripe, rounded tannins and finishing with incredibly long-lasting anise flavors. This is one for the hedonists!
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Wine Spectator
Combines torque and great structure, with concentrated blackberry, black olive and pepper flavors that take on weight and firm tannins on the finish. Best from 2019 through 2027.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
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.