Winemaker Notes
Mother of Exiles offers a profound nose filled with red currant, tar, blackberry, and an exotic intermingling of chipotle, cumin seed and cardamom. The palate has generous flavors of dark chocolate, Bing cherry, anise and a hint of menthol that brings a level of freshness as it heads towards a thrilling finish. The midpalate is luxurious, with a silky entry and subtle, yet grippy tannins on the long, drawn-out finish.
Professional Ratings
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The Somm Journal
The label, designed by Ron Denner, links this wine’s name with the flame of the Statue of Liberty (“Give us your tired and your poor . . .”). A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, it impresses with its inky crimson hue. Violets and dark chocolate are the focal point, complementing well-integrated, grainy tannins and deep notes of the blackest fruit.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Mother Of Exiles is deep ruby-purple and opens with milk chocolate and cassis aromas, fleshing out to Morello cherries, cast-iron pan and a very classy frame of sweet spices. The full-bodied palate is rich and intense with ripe, spicy fruits, finely pixelated tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long. This is lovely, and it merits at least another 2-3 years in bottle.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.