Winemaker Notes
The Nemesis is constantly transforming itself from vintage to vintage. If you asked what it was like to grow syrah, I would say “easy.” If you asked what it takes to grow great syrah, I would say “determination." The wine is always derived from our most distinctive blocks of syrah, mourvedre, and grenache.
Blend: 87% Syrah, 9% Mourvedre, 4% Grenache
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The Syrah-dominated 2016 Nemesis (there’s 9% Mourvèdre and 4% Grenache) is a richer, dense, full-bodied effort that offers plenty of pepper and gaminess as well as darker black fruits and smoke. Aged 18 months in a mix of a new foudre, new casks, and neutral barrels, it’s textured, layered, and beautifully concentrated. It will be better with a year or two of bottle age.
Rating: 94+
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: For more than two decades, I have been waiting for Paso Robles to tame the Syrah beast. In many cases, this grape variety has come across as over-the-top. The 2016 Linne Calodo is a beautiful example of how remarkable the wine can be when handled well. TASTING NOTES: This wine is not shy; it is vibrant and welcoming. Its aromas and flavors of bold black fruit exhibit nuances of beauty. Pair it with braised meats. (Tasted: April 29, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
Plush and jammy, with vibrant and rich raspberry, dried cherry, violet and toasty mocha flavors that pick up speed toward polished tannins. Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache. Drink now through 2024.
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.
Growing on high elevation bedrock slopes, the vineyards of Paso Robles Willow Creek AVA sit at between 960 and 1,900 feet in elevation.