Rhone Rangers Experience

This Rhone Ranger Experience tasting event was held at Windfall Farms and included about 40 members wineries of the Paso Robles Rhone Rangers. It was held in a beautiful horse stable on the property, with wineries paired in twos and sharing a stable, which may sound funky but actually worked really well. It allowed some intamacy in spite of the large number of attendees. Each winery had between 3-5 wines to taste with most including one or more single varietal wines and at least one blend. Vivant Fine Cheese in Paso provided cheeses and bread to help cleanse the palate and lets face it, absorb alcohol. The wines were all over the board but there were many fine examples from reliable sources as well as some up and comers.

• 2010 Adelaida Version White 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Soft tropical fruits, minerals, and a touch of citrus. Nice balance. Decent acidity, soft texture, short finish. A bit simple but tasty. Very good effort

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• 2009 Adelaida Version Red 89 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Silky texture. Red berries, smoked meats, and herbs with some nice spiciness on the med length finish. Fine structure, med/med+ weight with good concentration of flavors. I liked this

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• 2009 Adelaida Grenache

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Spicy mid weight grenche. Red berry, licorice, cola, spice. Bright acidity. Good 87-88

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• 2009 Alta Colina Mourvèdre 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Varietally accurate mourvedre. Bramble and meaty with plums, cooked meats, and herbs. Good weight and texture. Med length finish. I really liked this wine

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• 2009 L'Aventure Roussanne Estate 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Rich with substantial weight and an oily texture. Lots of honey, stone fruits, and vanilla cream. Good length. Excellent

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• 2009 Lone Madrone Points West White 89 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Friendly, soft, and fruit forward. Quince, honeysuckle, and melons. Snappy initial acidity. Good minerality shows up on the mid palate and continues thru the med length finish, where there is a pleasant touch of tartness that helps wrap things up. Very good 88-89

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• 2008 Lone Madrone Points West Red 89 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  For what its worth, I lost my notes on this one but I did write down my score

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• 2007 Pear Valley Syrah Pear Valley Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Melted tires on the nose. Black fruits and burnt rubber on the palate. Not a good showing. 78 for this tasting but methinks this was simply flawed.

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• 2011 Pomar Junction Vineyard Syrah Rosé 78 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Nice crisp red berry nose, weak syrupy palate. Not feeling this one

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• 2010 Tablas Creek Côtes de Tablas Blanc 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Clearly the best Cote Blanc to date. Bright viognier dominate nose with white flowers, honeysuckle, and melons. Very lifted and elegant palate for a Cote Blanc that's more reminiscent of their Esprit, at least in weight and mouthfeel. In previous vintages this wine has been a bit heavy and clunky in mouth, but not this one. One of the best whites tasted today. 90-91

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• 2010 Tablas Creek Côtes de Tablas 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Bright and structured. Fine tannic frame. Delicious, crunchy red and black fruits. Good length. Excellent but this needs some time to come together. Potentially one of their best Cote Rouges to date.

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• 2009 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Delicious blueberry/blackberry compote with red raspberries, licorice, and a touch of tar. Very well balanced med+ body with a glassy texture and a firm but giving tannic frame. Great depth and length. This is really starting to show well already though with a few years in the cellar this will shine. 92+

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• 2009 Treana White 87 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Quite viscous and oily in texture with good weight. Honeysuckle and butter with a lower fruit character. Sweet.

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• 2009 Venteux Vineyards Mourvèdre

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Odd. Green vines and euryops on the nose. Meaty palate. Astringent with more yellow flowers and greenness. Not a good showing 78-82

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• 2008 Venteux Vineyards Syrah Estate 89 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Blackberry preserves. A bit of smokey tar. Good weight. Excellent 89-90

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• 2009 Vina Robles RED4 Huerhuero 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Bright red and black fruit nose. Raspberry and plum palate with depth and length. Nose is more expressive right now than the palate. Needs a bit of time but good

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• 2009 Vina Robles Petite Sirah Estate 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Black fruit, oak, and crushed glass on nose. Black fruited palate with herbs and spice. A bit surly for now. Good wine but hold for now

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• 2010 Zenaida Cellars ZC White 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Oily texture with good weight. Subdued green apple palate. Honeysuckle, and melon to lessor extent. Rich. Good Rhone white

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• 2009 Zenaida Cellars Wanderlust Estate 87 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Sweet cherry vanilla cream. Med weight, med length. Light structure with silky/creamy mouthfeel. Good balance but still somewhat unremarkable

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• 2009 Zenaida Cellars Zephyr 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Friendly red and black fruits. A touch of mocha and coffee. Forward in style. Lean but tasty

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• 2009 Zenaida Cellars Syrah 87 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Blackberries, smoke, and oak spice. Med/med+ body and short/med finish. Good effort. 86

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I actually lost some of my notes as I tasted many other wines. In fact, my WOTT was a 2009 Alta Colina Syrah that is apparently as of yet unreleased. That syrah was in the 92-93 range and, along with their Mourvedre, was really eye opening, Overall an excellent event and a fine venue.