2017 Downstream
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Tasting notes
Coming more from the G2 and Paderewski vineyards, the 2017 Downstream is based on 66% Zinfandel, 15% Mataro, 9% Grenache, and the balance Petite Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Viognier. It's a darker, more black-fruited effort compared to the 2016 and has a powerhouse bouquet of black fruits, smoke tobacco, ground pepper, and cigar wrapper. It too is full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with a mouth-filling, more structured, foursquare style that should benefit from another year in bottle and keep through 2030. I was thrilled to be able to taste through a retrospective of all the Downstream releases, and while I’ve reviewed all of these in the past, it was incredibly educational to sit down and taste through the vintages together. The blends have changed dramatically since the inception, and you see that clearly in the style of the wines. The quality, however, is consistently great across the board. Unfortunately, with the passing of collaborator Philippe Cambie, the 2019 will be the last vintage produced. These are brilliant, singular, tiny production releases, and count yourself lucky if you have some in the cellar.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Opaque purple. Highly perfumed, mineral-accented blackberry and cherry preserve aromas are complemented by incense, licorice and pungent floral notes. Supple, sweet and impressively concentrated, offering palate-staining black/blue fruit, spice-cake, cola and lavender pastille flavors that are braced by a spice of juicy acidity. Plush yet surprisingly lively for its heft, showing a suave floral note and superb clarity on the strikingly long, youthfully tannic finish.
The 2017 Downstream is a blend of 60% Zinfandel, 15% Mourvèdre, 9% Grenache, 7% Petite Sirah, 6% Syrah, 2% Tannat and 1% Viognier and contains much less fruit from the Dusi vineyard than its 2016 counterpart. It was made with 20% whole cluster and aged 19 months (no new oak was used). Medium to deep ruby in color, the nose opens with blood orange, warm yellow peaches, raspberry, pomegranate and cranberry preserves with accents of red cherry candy, powdered sugar, dusty earth, dried leaves and an amaro undercurrent. The medium to full-bodied palate offers great layers and intensity with a grainy frame and fantastic freshness, finishing long with bombastic flavors. 300 cases were made.
The 2017 Downstream is slightly less Zinfandel-dominated and checks in as 66% Zinfandel, 15% Mataró, and the rest Grenache, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Viognier, a large portion of which comes from the Paderewski Vineyard. It’s a darker, smoky wine that has stunning notes of cassis, blood orange, smoke herbs, and ground pepper. Layered and multi-dimensional on the palate, with silky tannins, give bottles a year or so and enjoy over the following decade or more.