Winemaker Notes
#93 Jeb Dunnuck Top 100 of 2025
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Tasting like a top Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the 2022 Audacious reveals red and black fruits, peppery spice, herbes de Provence, and loamy earth. Based on 35% Grenache, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Carignan, and 16% Syrah, aged 22 months in 55% new French oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. This is another riveting wine from this estate. Drink 2025-2037.Located high up off Peachy Canyon Road, Law Estate is owned by Don and Susie Law, who fell in love with Paso after years of traveling through wine regions around the world. They founded the property in 2008 with a focus on Rhône and Bordeaux varieties, all grown on their limestone, hillside estate in the Adelaida District. Winemaker Philipp Pfunder runs the cellar and the lineup includes two whites, a Chardonnay from Spanish Springs Vineyard and the estate-grown Soph blend. On the red side, Beguiling, Sagacious, and Audacious offer different takes on Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Aspire is Syrah-based, Prima is all Mourvèdre, and Intrepid is the top Syrah. The Nines is a selection of the best Grenache, and the Beyond Category cuvée is based on Tempranillo and Rhône varieties (and some Carignan). First Tracks highlights Petit Verdot, the estate Cabernet Sauvignon stands on its own, and Blend X is a small-lot bottling that changes each vintage. Everything is fermented in concrete with varying amounts of whole cluster and aged in a mix of French oak, foudre, and concrete egg. These are polished, distinctive wines that have earned their spot at the top of the Paso Robles hierarchy, and readers should jump on this estate’s bandwagon.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.