Deep, glistening ruby. Hugely perfumed cherry, blackcurrant and vanilla scents show outstanding clarity and pick up smoky mineral and floral nuances and strong suggestion of baking spices with air. Juicy and seamless in texture, showing superb depth and intense black and blue fruit liqueur, spicecake and violet pastille flavors that become more animated on the back half. Shows solid finishing thrust, an echo of sweet dark berries and finishes with deftly knit tannins that add gentle grip. (36% new French oak) -- Josh Raynolds

Dense in the glass, this blend of 58% Syrah, 19% Mourvèdre, 17% Grenache and 6% Tempranillo begins with intensely smoky dark fruits as well as blackberry jam, violet, wild sage and mint. The mouthfeel is full and rich, framed by smooth tannins that rise on the midpalate alongside flavors of mocha, gingerbread and black fruits. Drink through 2036. MATT KETTMANN

Coming from the Paderewski and Catapult vineyards on the western side of Paso Robles and a blend of 58% Syrah, 19% Mourvèdre, 17% Grenache, and the rest Tempranillo, the 2016 Estate Blend offers a forest, fleshy, pure style that's very much in the vintage. Darker fruits, ground pepper, violets, and meaty notes all dominate the nose, and it's full-bodied, offers ripe, building tannins, and has no hard edges.

The 2016 Estate Blend is made up of 58% Syrah, 19% Mourvèdre, 17% Grenache and 6% Tempranillo aged 17 months in 36% new French oak barrels and puncheons. Medium to deep ruby-purple in color, it has a lovely perfume of cracked white peppercorn, mint leaves, violets, warm wild blackberries and crème de cassis with an undercurrent of blueberries, charcuterie, loam and red berry sparks. It’s medium to full-bodied and silky with slowly unfurling savory-laced fruits, firmly grained and juicy with a long, perfumed finish. 1,204 cases produced. - EB