Winemaker Notes
High Road was fermented with 80% whole clusters and aged in a combination of new and neutral oak. This wine exhibits a beautiful not quite opaque magenta in the glass. Bright focused aromatics of red stone fruits, underbrush, and cocoa transcend to a generous palate of macerated plums and brown sugar crusted berry crumble. The savory notes and texture of High Road desire some cellar time but your patience will be rewarded in spades. Drink 2016-2028.
Blend: 50% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Coming from James Berry Vineyard, the 2014 High Road James Berry Vineyard is an even split of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre that was fermented with 80% whole clusters and aged in a combination of new and neutral oak. Blackberries, pepper, licorice and spring flower nuances all flow from this medium to full-bodied, elegant, grippy and energetic red. While it's not a heavy weight, it shines for its purity and elegance.
Range:91-94
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.
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.