2022 G2 Vineyard Proprietary Red

More sweet red and black fruits, pepper, loamy earth, and spice emerge from the 2022 G2 Vineyard. Based on 93% Syrah, 4% Grenache, and 3% Graciano, it's medium to full-bodied and shows classic Paso Robles minerality and limestone character, with ample mid-palate depth and a great finish. Aged 22 months in 70% new French oak, this serious wine needs a year or two of bottle age. Drink 2027-2035. I think one of the most exciting estates in Paso Robles today is Stanley Barrios and Elena Martinez’s TOP winery. It’s one of those American Dream stories where hard work and talent pays off. Stanley, once working a corporate job in L.A., became obsessed with Rhône varieties and began commuting regularly to Paso for harvest internships, sometimes driving up and back in a single day. In 2014, he released his first wine, Exert, while still working his day job. By 2017, he took the plunge full-time, moving to Paso and launching TOP with Elena by his side. Today, TOP operates out of a small warehouse on the east side of Paso, modest yet impeccably clean and absolutely sufficient to make world class wines. It’s the kind of space that proves great wine comes from attention and talent, not extravagance. Stanley handles winemaking with an intuitive, minimal-intervention style while Elena runs the business side of the operation. As you can see from the notes here, the lineup has grown considerably, and they now have access to some truly world class fruit from top vineyard sites across the Central Coast, including Paso Robles, Edna Valley, and Carneros. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc form the backbone of their lineup, and while these certainly don’t lack for richness and depth, these are not massive, blockbuster wines and they shine every bit for their complexity, nuances, and balance as much as density and depth. Nothing is out of place or forced, and these are absolutely brilliant wines readers should pounce on.

The 2022 G2 Vineyard checks in as 44% Grenache, 19% Mataro, 18% Graciano, 14% Syrah, and 5% Carignan that's clearly from one of the leading sites on the west side of Paso Robles. Blackberries, red plums, Asian spice, pepper, candied violets, and incense-like nuances all shine in this killer wine. With full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, sweet yet certainly present tannins, and a great finish, this heavenly bottle of wine deserves 2-3 years of bottle age and will evolve gracefully over the following 15-20 years. It might be the wine of the vintage in 2022.

The 2022 G2 Vineyard is composed of 44% Grenache, 19% Mataro, 18% Graciano, 14% Syrah and 5% Carignan that spent 22 months in a mixture of 600-liter and 300-liter barrels, 77% new. The nose is deep, charred and brooding, clearly displaying this site's burly, unabashed power. The palate is a split personality that combines extreme, plush, opulent ripe fruits with a beautifully refined, elegant structure with impressive energy and clarity. The finish is coiled and long, ceaselessly expanding in its grip and dimension, which should carry this wine gracefully well past its 15th birthday.