Nicole's Annual Wine Tasting - "Paso Robles Reds"

The 2014 installment of one of my favorite events of the year. Nicole hosted seven of us at her house and took us through a blind tasting of Paso Robles reds in three flights.

Nicole told us the first flight contained a Pinot Noir, a Rhone Ranger, and a "kitchen sink" red blend. The Pinot was easy to pick out but both blends had a bit of a peppery finish so it was hard to tell which was the Rhone Ranger.

• 2012 hi jinx cellars Red Wine 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  tasted blind, this was the bargain-priced ringer slipped into a tasting of Paso Robles reds ranging from about $20-$30. The group put it in the middle of the pack, suggesting that it's not a bad value at $12. I can't find any info online regarding what grapes are in the blend, but I guessed it was a southern rhone blend due to the pepper/spice finish (syrah?) bright red cherry on the front palate. A crowd pleaser, and one you could choose if you were planning to go through a case for a big group.

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• 2010 Calcareous Pinot Noir Twisted Sisters 75 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  tasted blind. sweet cloying syrupy cherry and really not for my palate. For such a young wine, this had an odd brownish hue around the edges. Other than the odd color, there was no evidence of any flaws here - no oxygen, no heat damage, etc - - just a sweet syrupy style. no thanks.

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• 2010 Tablas Creek Côtes de Tablas 85 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  tasted blind. gritty tannins, lots of heat/bite especially on the front palate. I would hold this a few years before trying again.

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Nicole told us the next two wines were Zinfandels but didn't tell us what they were.

• 2010 Sextant Wines Zinfandel Wheelhouse

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  tasted blind, this had an oddly sweet hint to it, with a nose that reminded me of a floral-scented hand cream. I'm not a huge zin fan, but I taste them when given the opportunity and I'm still trying to figure them out. This was unlike most I've had (floral was a surprise) but still not a great match for my palate.

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• 2010 Peachy Canyon Zinfandel Westside

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  tasted blind (other than being told it was a Paso Robles Zin) this had a jammy nose and a lot of "zing" on the tongue before settling in to a syrupy mouthfeel. Very typical of the zinfandels I've tasted, and I'm afraid it's just not my preferred style. The group liked this very much; I was the outlier.

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Nicole presented the last flight as Paso Cabs. I'm not sure if it was intentional, but she saved the best for last.

• 2011 Coastline Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 83 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  tasted blind in a lineup of 3 Paso Cabs. lots of heat at the start, then a bit flat in the mouth. No evident oak. drying tannins are very aggressive.

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• 2010 Ancient Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon 85 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles Santa Margarita Ranch

  tasted blind in a lineup of three Paso Cabs. Sweet cherry nose and palate. No noticeable oak. Very dry.

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• 2011 Justin Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  tasted blind in a lineup of 3 Paso Cabs and this was by far the class of the tasting. Smooth and long, this is bursting with flavor. The vanilla is present but stays in the background to complement the deep fruit. At $23 I think this is a real winner.

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All in all, the hi jinx red blend was an unexpected surprise in the bargain category and the Justin Cab easily outclassed the other wines in the tasting. I would have liked to explore more Rhone Rangers from Paso - maybe next year's theme!