Winemaker Notes
A French-inspired, Cinsaut-based red blend. Cinsaut and Syrah co-fermented for two weeks to extract color and texture. A small amount of Grenache from Rancho Réal was blended for fragrance. Aged in neutral barrels and stainless.Exuberantly fragrant and soft on the palate, the wine is highly evocative of red and black fruit, most specifically, black currant and black raspberry.
Blend: 64% Cinsaut, 26% Syrah, 6% Grenache, 3% Tannat, 1% Viognier
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
A whimsical Red Blend named 'Cuvée Sinsó' (onomatopeia for Cinsault) combining 64% Cinsault, 26% Syrah, 6% Grenache, 3% Tannat, and 1% Viognier. The Cinsaut and Syrah are cofermented, and the blend is aged in neutral barrels and stainless. Very delicate, bright aromas of red berry fruits with savoury herb aromatics. Medium-bodied with intensely concentrated layers of pure, juicy fruit. It's everything you want in a Rhône-style wine with those pungent herb aromas and delicate, crisp tannins balanced by beautifully ripe California fruit. A lengthy finish of white pepper and red florals. It's a fun drinking, excellently structured red, and, at this price point, is great for weeknight meals of roast chicken and potatoes or herb-dusted pork loin.
-
James Suckling
A blend of 64% cinsault, 26% syrah and small amounts of grenache, tannat and viognier go into this snappy, structured, nervy wine. Plums, cherries, sour cherries and even cranberries give it a vital lift and tangy texture. Great balance and drinkability.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Fresh and zippy aromas of black raspberry and scarlet rose are enhanced by wet earth, sumac and cinnamon on the nose of this Cinsaut-based blend, which also includes 26% Syrah, 6% Grenache, 3% Tannat and 1% Viognier. Thyme and fennel-frond flavors lead the herbaceous palate before bright raspberry, lemon peel and warm toast elements arise.
-
Wine Spectator
Keenly structured and a bit tight right now, with cranberry, forest floor and tea accents that gather tension toward snappy tannins. Cinsaut, Syrah, Grenache, Tannat and Viognier. Best from 2025 through 2032.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.