Winemaker Notes
Blend: 48% Mourvèdre, 39% Grenache, 13% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Another gem is the 2018 Veracity, which boasts a medium to full-bodied, focused, elegant style that's the hallmark of this estate to go with plenty of intensity and opulence in its jammy blackberry fruits and notes of ground pepper, violets, and spicy nuances. It has firm yet ripe tannins, and everything is nicely balanced. It can certainly be enjoyed today, but it will be even better in 2-3 years and evolve for a decade.
Rating: 97+ -
Wine Enthusiast
Roasted black-cherry and black-plum aromas are laced with mocha and charred meat on the nose of this blend of 48% Mourvèdre, 39% Grenache and 13% Syrah. The palate packs both power and elegance, as the rich, viscous flavors of charred berry, violet and meat are contained by chalky tannins and a backbone of acidity.
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James Suckling
The dominance of mourvedre in this red makes it really attractive, with blackberry, black-olive and asphalt aromas that follow through to a full body with round, creamy tannins and a savory finish. I like the chewy tension at the end. Mourvedre, grenache and syrah. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Veracity has a medium to deep ruby-purple color and gregarious bursts of mint and coffee supported by black and red berry fruits laced with aniseed and spices. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with fantastic juicy character and a long, spicy finish.
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.