Winemaker Notes
Blend: 33% Counoise, 29% Grenache, 18% Mourvedre, 16% Cinsaut, 4% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This blend of 33% Counoise, 29% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 16% Cinsault and 4% Syrah is quite dark and brooding, with earthy aromas of crushed stone, tar, dark strawberry and red currant. The palate packs in mulberry, charred berry, roasted lamb and strong pepper spice.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Epiphany Gypsy is an excellent Rhône-style red blend. TASTING NOTES: This wine is packed on the palate and alive with flavors of black fruit, black licorice, and savory spices. Pair it with a mildly-spice meat stew. (Tasted: May 18, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Jeb Dunnuck
Black raspberries, blackberries, spice, bouquet garni, and peppery notes all emerge from the 2017 Gypsy, a juicy, fruit-forward, deliciously satisfying effort to enjoy over the coming 4-5 years. The blend is 33% Counoise, 29% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre, 16% Cinsault, and the rest Syrah, all aged in 18% new larger French oak puncheons.
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Wine & Spirits
Based on counoise, with grenache, mourvedre, cinsault and syrah rounding it out, this has a strawberry brightness. It’s a sleek and darkly elegant wine that finishes with lift and freshness, ideal for a late-afternoon sip. Best Buy
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.