Who still makes good Tempranillo in Paso Robles? Edgar Torres does. 100% Tempranillo from Paper Street, Stockdale, and Denner Vineyards; this opens up with black cherry, anise, leather, an vanilla extract. The palate follows with a core of pure, clean fruit sensation. The color is spot on and structure is true to Tempranillo. Acid is followed by dry leathery tannins on the finish. Wait for the finish... dark cocoa powder and a whiff of baked earth come through in the retro-nasal aromatics. | Falling Bright
The 2018 Syrah Alturas offers a more vivid, Cote-Rotie-like style and has beautiful notes of black raspberries, spring flowers, peppered meat, and violets. More sappy underbrush and even a kiss of bacon fat emerge with time in the glass... | 95 points, Jeb Dunnuck for jebdunnuck.com
The sun drenched wild west...in a bottle. Bret Urness is crafting his wines in Tin City, Paso Robles and his high spirited drive for making a great drink is coming through loud and clear. With his applications to university viticulture programs rejected and his ticket to adventures in winemaking the wild way accepted, his journey began. His project at Levo is turning out big but balanced reds from Rhone varietals. Under the Gun Petite is composed of 78% Petite Sirah, 18% Grenache, and tiny amounts of Roussanne and Syrah for a dense black and blue fruited flavor bomb. The aromatic intensity builds with air and exposure and the layers reveal cured meats, peppercorn, and sage. Get your lamb chops and go to town on this one. | Falling Bright