Winemaker Notes
Blend: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Lastly, the 2006 Ripper (90% Grenache and 10% Syrah) is a sexy Paso Robles Chateauneuf du Pape look-alike. Licorice, roasted Provencal herbs, kirsch liqueur, and creme de cassis characteristics emerge from this broad, concentrated, intensely flavored effort. Full body along with stunning opulence, purity, and length suggest this beauty will drink well for 6-8 years. Sadly, fewer than 150 cases were produced.
-
Wine Spectator
Complex and balanced, with a tasty display of ripe berry and dried currant, mineral, fresh earth, cedar and pomegranate flavors, firming up midpalate and ending with firm tannins.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
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.