Winemaker Notes
Fermented in stainless steel and aged in 70% new French oak barrels, this is a classic Malbec with deep purple/red color and lovely aromatics of violets and ripe blueberries. In the mouth, concentrated blueberry and dark plum flavors are joined by a fresh streak of red fruit along with accents of vanilla, spice and traces of minerality. With nice acidity and great texture, this is a supremely well-balanced wine with a soft, round midpalate, silky tannins and a long persistent finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Baked plum, toasty oak, caramel and cola aromas make for a rich entry to the nose of this bottling. Polished tannins still hold a sticky edge on the pal- ate, where red and black berry flavors pair with savory hints of smoked meat.
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James Suckling
This full-bodied malbec delivers notes of blackberries, dark cherries, violets and raw chocolate. The firm tannins envelop the core of juicy dark fruit and the flavorful finish.
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
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.