Winemaker Notes
There is no mystery as to why Sagacious is so complex. Finding balance in the most expressive qualities from this classic Rhône trio, sourced from nearly all the Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah blocks on the property. Sagacious saw 19 months in French oak, using large format puncheons and a Foudre, making the 38% new oak almost undetectable. This provides an unadulterated expression of the property. The markedly different tannin structure from each variety is brilliantly interwoven and integrated, providing a rich and full-bodied perception from entry, through to a long and lingering finish. Mourvèdre certainly makes its darker presence known with its blackberry, and gamey nature. Syrah's presence is seen on the mid-palate, dense, with wild blue fruit, while Grenache adds bright red floral, and lifting high toned aromatics. Not leaving anything for the wanting, Sagacious is like a party that just won't stop.
Blend: 35% Grenache, 34% Mourvèdre, 31% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Sagacious is a blend of 35% Grenache, 34% Mourvèdre and 31% Syrah matured for 19 months in 38% new oak. It unfurls slowly on the nose from red and black currant to wafts of rooibos tea, Angostura bitters, coffee beans and cocoa powder. The medium-bodied palate has a frame of chalky tannins and vibrant acidity to support its generous fruit, and it has a long finish with complex accents of flowers and spice.
Range: 96+ -
Vinous
The undeniably pretty 2021 Sagacious opens with a burst of sweet autumnal spice, dusty lavender and sugar-crusted red currants. This is elegant to the core yet savory, mixing tart wild berries and saline mineral tones over satiny textures. The 2021 finishes lightly structured yet deep and complex, with a primary concentration that adds youthful tension. There's a bright future for this darkly alluring beauty. The Sagacious is a blend of 35% Grenache, 34% Mourvèdre and 31% Syrah.
Range: 92-95 -
Jeb Dunnuck
Already bottled, the 2021 Sagacious checks in as close to equal parts Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre (with roughly 30% whole clusters) that comes from all of the terroirs on the estate, aged in 38% new oak, with a mix of barrel and foudre. Darker berries, black cherries, graphite, salted meat, and peppery herb notes all emerge from this beauty, and it's medium to full-bodied, with incredible purity, ultra-fine tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. I love it.
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Wine Spectator
Wiry at the core but balanced, offering rich, deep flavors of blackberry and raspberry laced with smoked meat, black olive and pepper notes. Builds to medium-grained tannins. Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Drink now through 2032.
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.