Winemaker Notes
#11 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Best Buy of 2019
Enticing aromas of strawberry, black cherry, white pepper, and cinnamon. On the palate, notes of raspberry, a hint of vanilla and spice, along with strawberry and black cherry. Finishing with a smooth and luscious mouthfeel.Pair with BBQ beef, Italian sausage with sweet and sour peppers, grilled mushrooms, aged or hard cheese.
Blend: 65% Grenache, 33% Syrah. and 2% Mourvedre.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Freshly crushed blackberry, leafy herbs, charred meat and a hint of oak show on the nose of this value blend of 65% Grenache, 33% Syrah and 2% Mourvèdre. It’s fresh on the palate in a black currant flavor yet savory in smoked meat, all framed by bright acidity and layered tannins. 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.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.