56% Grenache, 24% Syrah, 11% Petite Sirah, 9% Zinfandel NEW RELEASE
Paso Robles AVA
The MCA Cuvée from Ledge is one of the great values out there and it always delivers the goods. The 2018 sports a dense ruby hue as well as a beautiful, elegant, medium to full-bodied style. With lots of juicy red and black berry-like fruit, notes of peppery herbs and flowers, no hard edges, and the purity and freshness that's common in the vintage, it's ideal for drinking any time over the coming 7-8 years. Jeb Dunnuck
Dunnuck 94pts
100% Syrah
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County
A new cuvée from a Grand Cru site in the Santa Maria Valley, the 2018 Syrah Bien Nacido offers classic salty, marine-like nuances as well as tons of meaty black fruits, olive, peppered game, and violet aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, seamless, and brilliantly put together, it’s another magical 2018 in the making, Dunnuck
Vinous 96 pts
Dunnuck 95-97pts
Currently allocated for wine club
51% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 11% Mourvedre, 5% Roussanne NEW RELEASE
Paso Robles, Willow Creek AVA
The 2019 James Berry Vineyard Grenache blend was partially destemmed, with the Syrah and Roussanne grapes included in whole bunch form, via "pigeage á pied". The Grenache and Mourvèdre were destemmed. The entire lot was native-cofermented over the course of 22 days utilizing (in order) pump-over, delastage and punch down methods. It was pressed into new oak barrels and aged for 18 months.
55% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre, 5% Roussanne
Paso Robles, Willow Creek AVA
Moving to the two Syrahs I was able to taste, the 2018 James Berry Vineyard reveals an opaque ruby/purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of spiced red and black fruits, cured meats, sandalwood, pepper, and new leather. Full-bodied on the palate, it starts out tight and reserved but blossoms with time in the glass, offering a rounded, expansive texture, ripe yet present tannins, and a gorgeous finish. This nuanced, elegant, seamless beauty will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for a solid decade.
Vinous 97pts
Jeb Dunnuck 97 pts
Currently Allocated for Wine Club
65% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 5% Roussanne NEW RELEASE
Paso Robles, Willow Creek District
Coming from a cooler, sandy terroir not far from James Berry Vineyard. It shows a more gamey, Côte Rôtie-like style in its black raspberry and darker berry fruits as well as notes of spice, black olives, white pepper, and spring flowers. Shinning just as much for its elegance and finesse as its power and richness, it's medium to full-bodied and has polished tannins, flawless balance, and great finish. This singular beauty (it's seemingly part Côte Rôtie, part Burgundy, and part Paso Robles) will evolve gracefully for at least a decade.-Jeb Dunnuck
Jeb Dunnuck 98pts
Vinous 96pts
Currently Allocated for Wine Club
2017 Adams Ranch Vineyard
51% Syrah, 46% Grenache, 2% Roussanne, 1% Mourvédre
Paso Robles, Willow Creek AVA
Deep brilliant magenta. Powerful aromas of ripe red and dark berries, exotic spices, potpourri and incense pick up a smoky mineral element as the wine stretches out. Juicy and seamless in the mouth, offering alluringly sweet raspberry, cola, spicecake and candied lavender flavors that show fine delineation and back-end thrust. The floral and spice notes build emphatically on a strikingly long, precise finish shaped by smooth, slowly emerging tannins- Josh Raynolds, Vinous 95 pts
Currently Allocated for Wine Club
100% Syrah
Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County
A new cuvée from a Grand Cru site in the Santa Maria Valley, the 2018 Syrah Bien Nacido offers classic salty, marine-like nuances as well as tons of meaty black fruits, olive, peppered game, and violet aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, seamless, and brilliantly put together, it’s another magical 2018 in the making, Dunnuck
Vinous 96 pts
Dunnuck 95-97pts
Currently allocated for wine club
30% Zinfandel, 25% Petite Sirah, 15% Syrah, 15% Tannat and 15% Cinsaut
Currently Allocated for Wine Club
100% Late Harvest Grenache Blanc