Obscenely pure raspberry, sage brush, strawberry preserves. Candied orange, cumin powder, sweet blueberry. Cherry blossom and fragrant rose, gummy candy and permanent marker. Cranberry compote, rosemary, and Asian spice highlight a rambunctious and incredibly expressive bouquet augmented by high-toned florals and a waft of captivating confections. Subtle impressions of bramble and Manzanita bark emerge along with a dousing of red pepper flakes to deliver a spicy and slightly wild edge. Notes of sandy earth, prickly pear, and iodine provide a concluding blast of complexity that seems to build in intensity with each minute in the glass. Bright, cheerful, and remarkably pretty; presenting itself loudly and expressively while remaining quite sultry and seductive. Impressively balanced with moderate tannin & acidity effortlessly supporting its full bodied frame. This 2016 Paso Robles Grenache by Le Cuvier Winery is a unique, characterful, and unquestionably delicious Rhone red.

While Paso Robles is home to an incredibly diverse range of grape varieties, few growers would dispute the claim that Rhone grapes are the most at home in this sunny stretch of California's central coast. This bottling, crafted by Le Cuvier Winery using Grenache sourced from within Paso Robles, showcases the brilliant depth and flamboyant complexity that Rhone varieties are capable of achieving in this lauded region. Though unquestionably fruit-focused and ripe this wine is a practical mosaic of savory and spice, yet its cascading layers do not distract from a wonderful sense of jovial unpretentiousness. It is currently mostly primary in character, though it should begin to reveal incredible tertiary development with a few years of bottle age. This is a delicious and memorable offering by one of Paso's most unique and creative producers.