Winemaker Notes
Blend: 43% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 8% Carignan, 4% Cinsaut, 3% Graciano, 2% Counoise
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Dense and suave aromas of cassis, lilac and caramel-topped toast show on the rich but elegant nose of this blend of 43% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah, with small bits of Carignan, Cinsault, Graciano and Counoise. Chiseled tannins and a fresh acidity frame the palate, where lovely, dark and ripe fruit flavors meet with a copious helping of baking spice.
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James Suckling
This is so precise and fine-tannined with blackberries, black pepper, graphite and cloves. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and tensioned. Flavorful finish, yet it’s reserved at the very end. Beautifully curated Rhone blend. 43% grenache, 25% mourvedre, 8% carignan, 4% cinsault, 3% graciano and 2% counoise.
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Jeb Dunnuck
More red and black fruits, ground pepper, aged beef, and leather emerge from the 2019 Ditch Digger, a blend of 43% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 8% Carignan, and splashes of Cinsault, Graciano, and Counoise. This medium to full-bodied, round, expansive, sexy blend has supple tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish.
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Wine Spectator
A handsome blend, refined and well-built, with black raspberry, garrigue and river stone tones that build richness and tension on the finish. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Carignane, Cinsaut, Graciano and Counoise. Drink now.
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.
Growing on high elevation bedrock slopes, the vineyards of Paso Robles Willow Creek AVA sit at between 960 and 1,900 feet in elevation.