Winemaker Notes
The All Blocks represents a dream come true for us – a blend made entirely from our own vineyards. This wine is a blend of Syrah and Grenache from our Colson Canyon Vineyard, as well as Syrah and Mourvedre from our Tensley Estate Vineyard. This blend offers spicy red and black fruit flavors with hints of licorice and earthiness. It is approachable now, but will age well over the next 10 to 12 years.
Blend: 85% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 1% Mourvedre
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Crumpled purple flowers, cola and blackberry aromas show on the nose of this blend of 85% Grenache, 14% Syrah and 1% Mourvèdre from the Tensley and Colson Canyon vineyards. Purplefruit flavors hit the palate first, following by toasty mocha and charred meats.
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Wine Spectator
A dynamic blend, with presence, polish and structure, offering expressive raspberry and kirsch flavors, accented by garrigue, smoky anise and cracked pepper notes that build toward medium-grained tannins. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2029.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A finished barrel sample, the 2018 All Blocks is deep ruby-purple and still disjointed at this stage, with primary and barrel aromas over hints of stone, candied red cherries, blueberries and black cherries with herb and meaty hints. It's medium to full-bodied with mineral-driven fruits, youthfully firm, cottony tannins and great freshness, finishing intense.
Range: 9-92 -
Jeb Dunnuck
The Grenache-based cuvée, the 2018 All Blocks Red Wine is 85% Grenache and 14% Syrah with a splash of Mourvèdre. Deep purple/plum-colored, with plenty of black raspberry and kirsch fruit, this juicy, medium to full-bodied effort delivers lots of peppery, violet nuances, ripe tannins, and a good sense of freshness and purity. It will evolve for over a decade, but there's no need to delay gratification.
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!