Black cherry, vanilla and caramel aromas make for a rich, lush and inviting nose on this blend of 70% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre and 10% Grenache, one of Paso Robles' premiere bottlings each vintage. Hearty flavors of black-cherry cream, butterscotch, wild herbs and roasted meat show on the palate, which is framed by chalky tannins.

(40% whole clusters and 40% new French and Hungarian oak) Opaque ruby. A complex, intensely perfumed bouquet evokes dark berry preserves, incense, potpourri and vanilla, and a smoky mineral nuance builds as the wine stretches out. Juicy, seamless and fleshy in texture, offering deeply concentrated blueberry, cherry cola, spicecake and floral pastille flavors and salty olive and mineral qualities. Distinctly rich but surprisingly vibrant, even graceful, with silky tannins adding shape and grip to the extremely long finish.

There's lots of torque here, but the fruit is subservient to the firm tannins, showing a profile of modest blackberry, mint and smoked pepper flavors. Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Best after 2020. 397 cases made.