2018 Epoch Ingenuity
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Tasting notes
Glass-staining ruby. Dark berry preserves, fruitcake, toasty oak, espresso and a hint of vanilla on the expansive nose. Stains the palate with ripe black and blue fruit, mocha, candied licorice and floral pastille flavors, while black pepper and smoky mineral notes add cut and back-end lift. Deeply concentrated but lively as well, thanks to a spine of juicy acidity. Finishes on a youthfully tannic note, with strong, spicy persistence. Raised in French oak barrels and puncheons, 52% of them new.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
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The 2018 Ingenuity is a blend of 36% Petite Sirah, 30% Syrah, 22% Mourvèdre and 12% Grenache, aged 19 months in 52% new French oak. Opaque in color, it explodes with gregarious blackberry and black cherry jam underpinned by dark, savory spices and wafts of purple flowers. The palate is full-bodied and firm, with loads of lush, spicy dark fruits and just enough juicy acidity to highlight the floral perfume on the long finish. 828 cases were made.
Lots of blue fruits, ground pepper, candied violets, and chalky minerality emerge from the 2018 Ingenuity, a pure, medium to full-bodied, seamless beauty with fine tannins and no hard edges. Like all Jordan's 2018s, it holds onto a terrific sense of freshness and elegance. The blend is 36% Petite Sirah, 30% Syrah, 22% Mourvèdre, and the rest Grenache, and comes mostly from the estate Paderewski Vineyard. Epoch is another top estate in Paso Robles that has seen incredible growth and change over the past decade. Now in a new facility on York Mountain, winemaker Jordan Fiorentini continues to experiment with new blends as well as different fermentation vessels, also using a touch more whole cluster at times. These are rich, textured, classic Paso Robles reds.