Winemaker Notes
This wine exhibits flavors of black raspberry, black plum, morello cherry, red currant, dried herbs, tarragon, spicy notes of nutmeg, black pepper with a soft vanilla and cocoa finish.
Blend: 43% Grenache, 23% Counoise, 15% Mourvèdre, 15% Cinsault and 4% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Inspiration Red checks in as 42% Grenache, 23% Counoise, 16% Mourvèdre, 15% Cinsault, and the rest Syrah. Its lighter ruby hue is followed by a classic GSM nose of spiced red and black fruits, pepper, leafy herbs, and violets. It's ripe, medium-bodied, wonderfully textured, has soft tannins, and is loaded with charm.
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.