No idea what this is–saw it was *red blend* but purposely didn’t study the ingredients. Dark, nearly impenetrable purple ruby with a huge fruity forward nose crazily spiced and with nice creamy oak. The signature THUD of Ledge fruit constipatingly dense, concentrated black cherry, but this one with more fun yummy delectability than some of his Syrah offerings. Full and round–no pretension–bubble-gum and milk chocolate and a giggling TikTok of generosity. But don’t lose sight of the dark berry streak. Or the tire-iron. Or the wood-chipper. Don’t worry: It won’t LET you.

Gorgeous and smart in the mouth. All the places you though it was going to be blonde and dumb have serious points jabbing at your intellect. All that spice-cake and vanilla in the nose are traded for pepper and brawn. Approachability woos you into thinking it is a fluffy kitten GSM with all the interest blended out of it but then the almost-Petite Sirah-aspect of the finish combines to blast all of your cuddly dreams into porcupine snuggles.

I think this could be Grenache, but after that, I’m kinda lost. There’s no way it is over 50% GR. I suppose you could call this wine unbalanced. There is ALWAYS that card to play. Always. Whenever a wine presents itself one way and blasts your initial opinions upon finish. But I’m not going to go there. I think this is–while quite possibly a mop-the-floor blend–a fun wine kissing you behind the ears and stroking your nape then grabbing you by the balls and grinding you into oblivion. This is a wine I would take to any party where Paso-youngster-trying-too-hard and herman-story-clone was being poured and PROVE to everyone how mountain fruit and accessibility can make a wine people with actual palates can geek over and n00b can see the difference in what we’re going for here.

A ridiculously fun wine with a blood-line that will sit you up straight.

2017 LEDGE VINEYARDS ‘MCA Cuvée’ California Red Blend GR/Cinsaut/Tannat/PS/SY/Zin 30/30/20/10/5/5 Paso Robles 15.0

www.ledgevineyards.com