Our 11th Year !

$55

WA 94 (8/2010): The last 2007 to be released is the 2007 Outsider, a blend of 70% Zinfandel, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre. Trevisan’s great strength in blending Zinfandel with Rhone varietals continues to make him the leading practitioner of these types of blends. Taking advantage of some of the old Zinfandel planted in limestone in the Paso Robles area, he does a marvelous job turning out a wine that tastes more like a Rhone Ranger than a Zinfandel. The lovely, briary fruit of this wine intermixed with some new saddle leather, earth, spice, pepper, and herbs is just beautiful. It has loads of fruit, a lush texture, medium to full body, and a heady finish. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

2007

Scuffed Label

$55

2009

$55

VM 92 (8/2011): The 2009 Outsider is a rich, sensual wine bursting with fruit. It reveals marvelous depth and balance. Layers of dark fruit, menthol and mint wrap around the intense finish. I especially like the pliancy and generosity here. Outsider is 78% Zinfandel and 20% Syrah and 2% Mourvèdre. Antonio Galloni.

2012

$55

WA 93 (8/2014): The 2012 Outsider is a more elegant and graceful effort that has lots of baking spices, cherry pie and licorice in its medium to full-bodied, forward and approachable feel. Made from 72% Zinfandel, 22% Syrah and the balance Mourvedre, this beauty is nicely balanced, silky and lightly textured. Enjoy it over the coming 4-5 years.

2008

$55

VM 93+ (12/2010): (a blend of 50% grenache and 25% each syrah and mourvedre) Glass-staining purple. Ripe, smoky aromas of blackberry and boysenberry preserves and cherry-cola, with complicating notes of licorice and dark chocolate. Broad and sweet on the palate, offering chewy dark berry flavors and a slow-building bitter chocolate quality. Distinctly rich but in no way ungainly; in fact, this is very energetic for its heftiness. Finishes supple and sweet, with a repeating licorice note and a whiplash of smoky dark fruit. Josh Raynolds.

2009

$55

VM 93 (8/2011):

2010

$55

VM 94 (11/2013): (42% grenache, 35% syrah and 23% mourvedre): Vivid ruby. Powerful dark berry and cherry pit scents are lifted by notes of white pepper, candied flowers and allspice. Cherry-cola and boysenberry flavors show impressive clarity and breadth, picking up spicecake and lavender pastille nuances with aeration. Closes with striking energy and lift, leaving sweet blue fruit and Asian spice notes behind. Josh Raynolds.

2011

$55

VM 94 (7/2014): One of the more explosive wines in the range, the 2011 Overthinker bursts from the glass with notable intensity and depth. Raspberry jam, crushed flowers, spices, new leather and menthol meld together in a sumptuous, expressive wine full of character. The 2011 is 45% Grenache, 33% Syrah and 22% Mourvèdre, all from estate-owned vineyards. (Drink between 2014-2019) Antonio Galloni.

2012

$55

VM 95 (9/2015): Inky purple. Spicy black and blue fruits, incense, violet and Asian spices on the flamboyantly perfumed nose. Densely packed, mineral-tinged blueberry and bitter cherry flavors show superb depth and vivacity and a seamless texture, with zero excess fat. Juicy, precise and alluring sweet, delivering an uncanny blend of richness and energy. Sappy and focused on the gently tannic, penetrating finish, with the berry and floral notes echoing. (Drink between 2021-2028) Josh Raynolds.

2011

Perfectionist

$55

VM 93 (12/2013): (62% syrah, 27% mourvedre, 7% grenache and 4% tannat): Vivid ruby. Vibrant aromas of cassis, licorice and black pepper, with a suave floral overtone. Bright, juicy and tightly wound, offering intense black and blue fruit flavors and hints of candied violet and spicecake. Impressively fresh and focused, with excellent finishing thrust and smooth, harmonious tannins adding shape. Josh Raynolds.

2012

Perfectionist

$59

WA 94 (8/2014): The 2012 Perfectionist is mostly Syrah, yet incorporates 12% Grenache and 11% Mourvedre. Fermented with 100% whole clusters and aged mostly in concrete (one puncheon was used), it has complex, savory aromas and flavors of red and black fruits, bouquet garni, crushed rock and smoked herbs all emerging from the glass. While savory and rich, it shows that whole cluster doesn't mean rustic, and this beauty is full-bodied, seamless and incredibly polished on the palate, with no hard edges and high-quality tannin. It's another superb blend from Matt that will have a decade or so of evolution.

2009

$50

WA 94 (8/2011): The 2009 Problem Child shows off gorgeous inner perfume, juicy red cherries, menthol and licorice, all of which come together beautifully in this gorgeous wine. The intensity of the fruit flows gracefully to the striking, inviting finish. There is weightless, transparent quality along with expressive aromatics that makes this a totally beguiling wine. The blend is 76% Zinfandel, 15% Syrah and 9% Mourvedre. The unique qualities of Zinfandel add considerable character to this unique, gorgeous red. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021.

2010

$55

VM 93 (11/2012): (77% zinfandel, 16% syrah and 7% mourvedre): Dark ruby. High-pitched, floral aromas and flavors of redcurrant and cherry, with an exotic touch of Asian spices. Sappy and pure, displaying a silky texture and impressive energy. Notes of licorice and allspice come up with air and carry through the long, spicy, seamless finish. There's a pinot-like elegance to this wine that I find fascinating and inviting. Josh aynolds.

2011

$55

WA 94 (8/2013): Showing additional richness, the 2011 Problem Child (72% Zinfandel, 20% Syrah and 8% Mourvedre) possesses a sweet core of fruit as well as a medium to full-bodied, voluptuously textured profile. Blackberry, currants, exotic flowers and violets all show on the nose, and it continually changes in the glass and is beautifully complex. Aged in 20% new wood, the fruit is front and center here. Drink 2014-2021.

2012

$55

WA 93 (8/2014): Similarly styled (to the 2012 Nemesis), with its sweet berry fruit, bramble, licorice and hints of tar, the 2012 Problem Child is another seamless, sexy blend from Matt that dishes out tons of sweet fruit while staying fresh and lively. Made from 74% Zinfandel, 14% Syrah and 12% Mourvedre, this full-bodied, fruit-forward effort can be consumed anytime over the coming 5-7 years.

2013

$55

VM 94 (9/2015): Saturated ruby. A heady, explosively perfumed bouquet displays scents of ripe raspberry, incense and rose oil, with an intense spicy nuance adding lift. Stains the palate with potent red fruit liqueur and floral pastille flavors, with juicy acidity providing spine. Youthfully firm tannins build slowly through the strikingly long finish, which strongly repeats the red fruit and floral qualities. (Drink between 2021-2026). Josh Raynolds.

2005

Rising Tides

$40

WA 93 (8/2007): A blend of 51% Syrah, 38% Grenache, and the rest Mourvedre, the 2005 Rising Tides (700 cases) is dark ruby/purple, and has almost explosive garrigue-like notes interwoven with blackberry and cassis. The wine is firmly structured, very beautifully pure, dense, and expansive. This beauty should age nicely for 5-7 more years.

2005

Slacker

$35

VM 90+ (11/2007): (65% syrah and 35% grenache) Deep red. Fresh, lively scents of spicy cherry, dark berries and exotic licorice. Brisk, sharply-focused cherry and anise flavors are sweetened by vanilla and firmed by a bitter chocolate quality. Tannins build on the finish but don't detract from the impressively vibrant fruit. I'd hold onto this for another few years. The laconic Trevisan told me that he was the slacker for whom the wine was named. Josh Raynolds.

2007

$79

JD 94 (11/2009): A blend of 63% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 12% Syrah, the 2007 Linne Calodo Sticks and Stones boast stunning aromatics of perfumed red fruits, bramble, meat, clove and spice. Complex and nuanced on the nose, the palate is medium to full bodied with sweet fruit, awesome fruit and a long finish.

WA 94 (8/2009): The 2007 Sticks and Stones is a blend of 63% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, and 12% Syrah. This cuvee always comes across like a Paso Robles version of a Chateauneuf du Pape. Elegant as well as substantial, the 2007 exhibits sweet kirsch liqueur, raspberry, lavender, and dusty, loamy soil characteristics, medium to full body, and ripe tannin. Enjoy this beauty over the next 7-8 years.

VM 91 (12/2009): (63% grenache, 25% mourvedre and 12% syrah) Deep, bright red. Spicy red berries, flowers and minerals on the pungent nose. Juicy and bright, with harmonious acidity giving vivacity to the sweet red berry fruit. Becomes creamier as it sits in the glass, picking up a note of spicecake. This lively wine should put on weight with a couple more years of bottle aging. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and very good energy.

2008

$55

WA 94 (8/2010): One of my favorites among the 2008s is the Sticks and Stones, a blend of 57% Grenache, 29% Mourvedre, and 14% Syrah, (which sounds like a Chateauneuf du Pape). Moreover, tipping the scales at 15.8% alcohol (and not a bit of it showing), this wine has a subtle resemblance to the great Chateau Rayas. Kirsch liqueur, dark raspberries, loamy soil notes, lavender, and spice box are all present in this medium to full-bodied wine, which is extraordinarily elegant, focused, and pure. A delicious wine with good acidity, this is a sensational red from Paso Robles, and a tribute to the blending skills of Matt Trevisan. It should drink well for 5-7 years.

2009

$55

VM 92 (8/2011): The 2009 Sticks and Stones is a gorgeous wine laced with fragrant red cherries, plums, flowers, spices and sweet herbs, all of which come together beautifully. Soft and textured throughout, the 2009 Sticks and Stones shows gorgeous length and an attractive, open-knit personality. Bright red fruit notes reappear on the finish. In 2009 the blend is 64% Grenache, 29% Mourvèdre and 7% Syrah. Antonio Galloni.

2010

$55

VM 94 (8/2012): The 2010 Sticks and Stones is a gorgeous, vibrant wine laced with sweet red cherries, licorice, mint and spices. There is a purity and sheer finesse here that is striking. Sweet floral notes add lift on the finish. This is a stunning, medium-bodied wine built on freshness, acidity and length. In 2010 the blend is 71% Grenache, 19% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah. What a great way to start this tasting. Antonio Galloni.

2011

$55

WA 93 (8/2013): More Grenache dominated and comprised of 52% Grenache and the rest Syrah and Mourvedre, the 2011 Sticks and Stones is medium-bodied and fresh, with vibrant acidity, fine tannin and an all-around polished, lively feel. Kirsch, blackberry, licorice, pepper and plenty of underbrush all emerge from the glass, and this highlights aromatic complexity and elegance more than richness or power. It will evolve gracefully for 7-8 years. Drink now-2021.

2012

$55

WA 95 (8/2014): The 2012 Sticks and Stones is a smoking blend of 63% Grenache, 19% Mourvedre and 18% Syrah. Cherry blossom, cassis, wild flowers and licorice can all be found in this full-bodied, supple and elegant wine. It has no hard edges, but thrilling purity and a sexy style that keeps you coming back to the glass. Bottles wouldn't last long at my house, but this will evolve gracefully on its balance and purity.

2013