93 Points - Wine Enthusiast
92 Points - Dunnuck
92 Points - Vinous
Being so robust, moderate to heavy dishes are best paired with this GSM.
Think fattier steaks, grilled sausage, duck risotto, mushrooms or dishes with Mediterranean spices.
This GSM blend from Thompson Vineyard from the Alisos Canyon corridor in Santa Barbara County is richly pleasing. Aged in large-format puncheons for 21 months, 29% of the French oak barrels being new. A big bold blend with great aging potential. Drink now through 2030.
Appellation: Santa Barbara County
Varietal Composition: 40% Grenache, 31% Syrah, 29% Mourvèdre
Vineyard Source: 100% Thompson Vineyard (Blocks 1E (Grenache), 1B (Syrah), 2A (Mourvèdre) located in the Alisos Canyon corridor in Santa Barbara County
Aging: 21 months in 100% French oak 500L puncheons, of which 29% were new
Cooperage: Mercurey, Ermitage
Harvest Brix: 22.5 - 25.5
Acid: 0.540 g/100mL
pH: 3.73
Alcohol: 14.1%
Production: 389 cases
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Polished and elegantly layered Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah offers red plum and black cherry, with hints of cigar box, forest floor, bay, baking spices, light pepper and vanilla on the nose. Expressive black raspberry, sassafras and smoky pepper flavors that linger with salted dark chocolate, red plum, cherry with notes of pepper on the palate.
94 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Dark berries and black plum aromas and dried violet and maple leap from a glass with layers of dried herbs, tar, smoke and BBQ meat to follow. Blackberry and blueberry compote rule the palate, while leather, grilled herbs, dark chocolate and scorched earth lead to a long, satisfying finish.
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Dark fruit aromas of black raspberry, blackberry and black cherry steer the aromatics backed by baking spices, anise and lavender. A touch of Syrah to add tannin and depth. On the palate, black cherry and blackberry preserve shine through rounded out by herbs de Provence, dark chocolate and vanilla. A gorgeous expressive wine!
