This has to be the tartest Paso Cab I’ve ever had. Fairly transparent in the glass: deep murky ruby with wide clear edges. Not much of a nose. Really nothing other than light burnt-rubber on bright cranberry.

Shockingly thin on the palate, the brace of acidity also shocking where one *expects* Paso chub. Gorgeous fruit: a rather deep black cherry polished with bright raspberry and everywhere: pie-cherry and pith. Not a trace of alcohol, and, coming off a European holiday: extremely fitting with the inexpensive and approachable wines I’ve been drinking in restaurants. This thing CAN’T be over 13-5–another shocking oddity in Paso-land. Looking at the label now, I realize it does not say Cab, but “Proprietary Red”, though the website lists single-vineyard cab as the fruit source. A bit of Grenache in this would explain a lot, as it is delicious and COMPLETELY unlike the normal fortified syrups the region is unfortunately famous for. Fruit goes dense and complex into the finish, where soft tannins abound.

2016 GHOST CELLARS Proprietary Red Blend Paso Robles California 13.0

www.ghostcellars.com/