Bright staining ruby with considerable sediment. Overt petrichor and aged beef over a spicy banana peel and obvious alcohol. Blackberry preserves lie on a sarsaparilla base. Viognier has in no way “thinned this out” or “watered it down”.
Gritty and grainy from the first sniff, it doesn’t take a break into the mouth, pulling sharp acidity and grating minerality hard in all directions, barely letting the considerable fruit up for air. Edgy cinnamon-wet-leather tinge everything while muscular tannins obliterate all.
An impressive bargain effort and while far from one-dimensional, it lacks sophistication: playing–as much of Paso does–on muscular braggadocio rather than basic complexities more evolved appellations find effortless.
2011 ALTA COLINA ‘Baja Colina’ GSM/VG 58/21/19/2 15.0
Stephen McConnell 