Winemaker Notes
It's a "go to" wine since it drinks well with every occasion and almost every type of cuisine.
Blend: 42% Grenache, 34% Syrah, 13% Mourvedre, 6% Counoise, 5% Cinsaut
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2019 M5, Doug Margerum's Grenache-based blend, is a remarkably polished wine. Translucent and brilliant, with tons of nuance, the M5 hits all the right notes. Crushed flowers, lavender, rose petal and spice are beautifully delineated. The M5 is another winner in this range from Margerum.
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Wine Enthusiast
Complex and yet utterly refreshing, this estate blend of 45% Grenache Blanc, 21% Marsanne, 14% Viognier, 13% Roussanne and 7% Picpoul Blanc begins with wet stone, chalk, nectarine, Rainier cherry and creamed pear on the crisp nose. The palate sizzles with acidity and ashy, chalky tension, delivering flavors of kiwi, lychee and more stone fruit.
Editors' Choice -
Wine Spectator
A lovely and expressive wine, offering floral raspberry, rose petal and smoky, grilled pepper flavors that build structure and tension toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2029.
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.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.