Winemaker Notes
Blend: 92% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre, 2% Viognier
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
One of the deeper hued wines in the lineup, the 2017 Authenticity checks in as 92% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre, and the rest Viognier. Classic Paso Robles notes of blueberries, melted licorice, ground pepper, cured meats, and bacon fat all flow to a deep, full-bodied, opulent wine with terrific purity, a rounded, sexy texture, and a seriously good finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Authenticity comes from the Paderewski vineyard and is made of 92% Syrah with 6% Mourvèdre and 2% Viognier. It was aged 19 months in 69% new French oak barrels and puncheons. Deep ruby-purple in color, the nose bursts with fresh blackcurrant and blueberry fruits with notes of violet, mint chocolate and garrigue. It's full-bodied and fresh, its big, bold flavors wrapped in an elegant frame, and it finishes very long, flavorful and lifted. 670 cases produced.
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.
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.