Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Seeing additional time in barrel (22 months to be exact), the 2015 Ripper 22 is the exact same wine as the traditional release yet saw additional time in older barrels. I always love tasting experiments like this; same juice, just a longer elevage. Is it better? Yes, it is. Offering similar kirsch liqueur, framboise, crushed flowers, candle wax and white pepper, it’s full-bodied, ethereally textured and perfectly balanced, with fine, building tannin and a great finish. It has another level of depth, and length, over the classic cuvée, and it going to be longer lived as well.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Produced from 100% Grenache with 6 months’ extra time in barrel, the 2015 Ripper Ext "22" has a pale to medium ruby-purple color and gregarious nose of spice cake, potpourri, Chinese five spice and licorice with a kirsch, red currant jelly and rose hip tea nose, plus a waft of dusty earth. Full-bodied, concentrated and packed with savory and expressive spice flavors, it has a velvety structure and plenty of freshness, finishing long and multilayered.
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.