2006 Linne Calodo Rising Tides

A gorgeous offering, the 2006 Rising Tides is a blend of 44% Grenache, 42% Syrah, and 14% Mourvedre. The sexiest, most opulent wine in this portfolio, it boasts a deep ruby color along with gloriously intense candied black cherry aromas intermixed with notions of spice box, garrigue, forest floor, and licorice. Full-bodied with sweet tannins, a voluptuous texture, and beautiful purity, this stunning effort demonstrates just how delicious a blended Rhone Ranger can be. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Matt Trevisan is one of Paso Robles’ up-and-coming stars. He’s doing everything right, and it’s good to see him planting a new estate vineyard of nearly 18 acres, building a new wine cellar, and taking full advantage of the gorgeous limestone soils on the hillsides of West Paso Robles. Trevisan has also been ahead of the curve in realizing that the finest Paso Robles wines are usually blends. Undeniably, he has demonstrated a Midas touch when it comes to assembling innovative blends. He is also the only winemaker in this region that I know of who is doing terrific work with Zinfandel, using it as the core component in some diverse as well as creative blends. His wines spend time in an assortment of different sized oak barrels, little of it new. 2006 is a strong vintage for Trevisan, further bolstering his ability to deal with more challenging harvests. Paso Robles has many old, dry-farmed Zinfandel vineyards in this area, most of which are being under-utilized. However, Matt Trevisan’s innovative use of this varietal includes the following four offerings, all brilliant examples of how Zinfandel can be blended intelligently with other varietals. There will be a few new cuvees in 2007, one of which had not yet been named when I tasted it, and another from the Booker and Denner Vineyards that is mostly Syrah. I gave it a provisional rating of (92-95). Trevisan said it may be called “The Widowmaker.” Tel. (805) 227-0790; Fax (805) 227-4868