2016 The Paring Red Wine California Red

2016 The Paring Red Wine

93 JD

Featured Review

The 2016 Red Wine checks in as a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot. Brilliant notes of cassis, tobacco leaf, damp earth, cedary herbs, and graphite all emerge from this concentrated, remarkably pure, elegant Bordeaux blend hat has building tannins and a great, great finish. It tastes like it costs three times the price. Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

The 2016 Red is fabulous. Inky, bold and pungent, with terrific fruit density, the 2016 has so much to offer. Succulent dark cherry, plum, spice, grilled herbs, leather and licorice burst out of this vibrant Cabernet Sauvignon-base blend.

Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

Type of Wine	California Red : Whether it's Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Zinfandel, Californian red wine producers have a lovely habit of taking a varietal and expressing its essence in a unique, never before seen way. From Napa Valley to the regions south of Los Angeles, there's a red for everyone - and it's never too late to start exploring.
Varietal	Proprietary Blend : Proprietary Blend is a general term used to indicate that a wine is comprised of multiple grape varietals which are either “proprietary” to the winery or is blended and does not meet the required maximum or minimum percentage of a particular varietal. This also is the case for the grape’s place of origin, especially for region, appellation or vineyard designated wines. There are endless examples of blended wines which are labeled as “Proprietary Blend” and in conjunction with each region’s stipulated wine laws and regulations makes for a vast blanket for wines to fall into. Perhaps the simplest example is California; if a wine is to be labeled as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it is required to have at least 75% of the varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 85% of the fruit must be cultivated from the Napa Valley wine district. If the wine does not meet the requirements, it is then labeled as Proprietary Blend.
Country	US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region	California : With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world's most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region's produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it. While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California's most talented. Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover would die to visit. California's quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine.

Producer	The Paring : Imagine having the opportunity to taste high profile, luxury wines for under $25. This is a dream come true for those with Champagne taste on a beer budget. From the owner of Screaming Eagle (no introduction needed) and the historic Burgundy estate, Bonneau du Martray, comes The Paring; a winery that allows those dreams to come true. The Paring creates wines of extraordinary pedigree for all occasions, any palate and every budget. And, unlike declassified labels or wineries that sell their fruit with multiple legal pages of non-disclosure, the source of The Paring wines are clearly made known. Born in 2006 out of a driving passion to create wines of vintage California quality, the desire to explore, experiment and excite…without rules. The Paring sources its fruit from the highly acclaimed Jonata and The Hilt estates in Santa Barbara County, from vineyard blocks which are either too young or don’t make the final blend. The Paring is a cut (pun intended) of each estate. Winemaker, Matt Dees, puts pedigree first and then lets imagination take over. Dees, who worked at Craggy Range in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand and Staglin Family Vineyard in Napa Valley, is currently the winemaker at Jonata, The Hilt and The Paring. Interestingly, all three estates are owned by the same Billionaire who writes the checks at Screaming Eagle and Bonneau du Martray, Stanley Kroenke. Matt Dees, Kroenke’s wine guy, has become the dirt guru behind the genius of vintage California wines that have no bounds. Most vintners insist that 90% of winemaking happens in the vineyard; however, over the course of Dee’s career, he has begun to believe that people are 50% of winemaking. The longer he’s been in the industry the more he believes that people are just as much a part of terroir…and a loyal team and passionate people with a long-term vision are just as key. “You cultivate a team. You grow a team, you grow together kind of like the vines growing in the soil.” This is intriguing given he has a degree in Soil Science and an intrinsic feel for wine, from dirt to glass. He is curious, earthy and experimental by nature. Matt’s approach is grounded in the vineyard first and foremost. Attuned to the vines, the weather and soil, Matt seems almost to be a part of the vineyard himself. Not being bound by the conventions of the ecological world of academia has allowed Matt to come to an untethered philosophy of wine. Matt is a winemaker who’s emotionally and intellectually connected to structure, texture and tannin and explores these elements deeply in his wines. The wine portfolio of The Paring is impressively diverse, including single-variety Syrah, Pinot Noir, Rose of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and its highly-touted Red Blend (Cabernet-inspired Bordeaux blend). The wines combined have an annual production of 15,000 to 16,000 cases. Sourced from key vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley, St. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley, the wines explore the different styles from each vineyard, allowing the terroir of each to be discovered in the glass. The Paring wines are for pleasure, meant to be enjoyed any time in any setting. They allow consumers to explore the wine from the dirt to glass, in economical fashion, no limitations…no rules.