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PHMG WAG Paso Robles
Paso Lyon
Tasted January 26, 2013 by Grinner with 400 views
Introduction
Our 101st tasting was small and unhurried, kinda like the region we were tasting. The bottles were opened 4 hours in advance. RIPE, RIPER, and RIPEST!
Flight 1 - The Opener (1 note)
Served with some asian salmon cakes... yum!
White
2011 Epoch Estate Wines White Wine
90 points
This has a light yellow color and a beguiling nose. Lemon and other white citrus, white peach, and flowers are the mainstay notes. Oily viscosity and good length, great for any ABC'ers. Grenache Blanc 70%, Marsanne 20%, Rousanne 10%.
Flight 2 - The Reds (8 notes)
Went well with some broiled tri-tip soaked in a '06 Summerwood Cab reduction sauce with a touch of balsamic and gorgonzola.
Red
2006 Summerwood Sentio
89 points
Purchased recently from the winery, this is in a good spot right now. Mellow with black cherry, cassis, dusty earth and a hint of spice. Tannins seem resolved. Not particularly deep or long. Has a few years, but it's on plateau.
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Comment
Red
2007 Opaque Wines Petit Verdot Opaque
88 points
Very dark in the glass = "Oh-pake". Black fruit and cocoa dominate. Smooth on the front, then tannins kick in on the back side. Lots of time.
Red
2009 Epoch Estate Wines Ingenuity
93 points
#2 in this tasting, this wine was the first that was OBVIOUSLY on the verge of being over-ripe. So it won't appeal to everyone, but for Aussie and Washington wine lovers, they'll feel at home. Big, jammy, briary blackberry (like a big Zin), but throws in blueberry, earth, and garrigue notes. The layers of complexity and fruit nearly hide the 16.1% etoh. Wow!
Red
2009 Summerwood Syrah Alta Colina Vineyard
90 points
Similar to last time, this wine is very dark and dense. Pepper and leather buttress the blackberry and plum notes big time. Tannins still need time...
Red
2009 Justin Vineyards & Winery Isosceles
92 points
Deep cassis, plum, black cherry, and earth notes "win the day" (oh wait Chip Kelly moved on...). I liked the balance, length, and grip. 15.5% etoh well hidden, tons of time but you don't hafta wait.
Red
2010 Caliza Winery Syrah
91 points
Another big syrah with fairly typical nose and flavors: blackberry, earth, spice/pepper, and leather are the keys. The 15.5% etoh and tannins are well hidden.
Red
2010 L'Aventure Estate Cuvée
94 points
My WOTN, this was ripe but not over-ripe, deep but focused, and a true pleasure to drink and ponder. Blackberry, cassis, plum, tobacco, and spice notes linger on and on. Tannins are moderate and can use some more time, time, time, 99, 99, 99,....
Red
2010 L'Aventure Optimus
92 points
More of a liquer like viscosity than some this night. Blackberry, spice, earth, tobacco, and tar notes. Great wine that has 10 years!
Flight 3 - Dessert (1 note)
To go with three different chocolates from Vosges, including a blood orange caramel, and a "Barcelona Bar"
Red - Fortified
2009 Domaine La Tour Vieille Banyuls Rimage
91 points
OK, this has nothing to do with the theme of the evening other than "ripe fruit". I would've loved to find a late harvest Zin from the right region for a Paso Robles tasting, but not so easy in Eugene. SO, this is still a crazy good wine and one of the best with chocolate. The black fruit, spice, underbrush, and tar notes sing with dark chocolate with caramel and pink Himalayan salt (Vosges).
Closing
Fun to double back on our recent trip and taste these again with some good food and friends!