Winemaker Notes
Smelling like a warm spring day with delicate aromas of chamomile, oleander, beeswax and a kiss of sea spray. The wine dances with notes of candied grapefruit, mandarin orange and Asian pear wrapped in sweet brioche. Medium bodied, the plump and juicy palate dazzles the senses calling you back for another sip.
Blend: 25% Marsanne, 25% Roussanne, 22% Grenache Blanc, 18% Vermentino, 10% Clairette Blanche
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
A beautifully composed white Rhône blend showing honeyed tones on the nose alongside ripe pear, green apple, and hints of stone fruit. The palate echoes those honeyed layers on the nose, expanding into a subtle shortbread, almost bakery-like character. Generous yet balanced, it’s built for the table, but could also stand on its own if a fuller-bodied white is desired.
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James Suckling
A nicely layered, aromatic and spicy Rhone-style blend that's rich and creamy in texture and detailed in flavor. Medium body and some crisp acidity support the apple, white-peach, toasted-almond, lanolin and subtle citrus flavors. Well-balanced and supple too.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Theresa is a beautiful snapshot of contemporary Paso Robles white wine, characterized by a honeyed, floral and herbal nose of striking purity that increases in complexity with aeration. The palate combines a glossy polish with succulent, tensile energy, culminating in a similarly taut, stony finish propelled by incisive acidity with a soft, lush core of fruit. It's a blend of 25% Marsanne, 25% Roussanne, 22% Grenache Blanc, 18% Vermentino and 10% Clairette Blanche that aged for 15 months in puncheon, foudre and concrete.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A blend of 25% each of Marsanne and Roussanne, 22% Grenache Blanc, 18% Vermentino, and the balance Clairette, the 2023 Theresa reveals stone and orchard fruits, orange blossom, blanched almond, and stony, mineral nuances. Medium-bodied, nicely textured, balanced, juicy and lively, with good acidity and outstanding length, this will shine on the dinner table. Drink 2025-2030.
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Vinous
The 2023 Theresa delivers an inviting bouquet of sweet herbs, nuances of wet stone and green melon. It is silken and supple, with a pure blend of orchard fruits and pretty inner florals. Cooling acidity refreshes the palate as the 2023 leaves a spicy tinge through the mouthwatering finale. The Theresa is a blend of 25% Marsanne, 25% Roussanne, 22% Grenache Blanc, 18% Vermentino and 10% Clairette Blanche.
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
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.