Comprised of varietals that flourish in Paso Robles' distinct growing region, Troublemaker consists of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvédre, Zinfandel and Petite Syrah. Syrah is the backbone of the wine setting the stage for a fruit forward style and a full body. Sweet and bright red fruit flavours of Grenache blend with the rustic and lively flavours of the Mourvédre. The Zinfandel adds its signature zing to round out the blend and Petite Syrah contributes to the deep colour. This intensely rich wine is deep purple in colour and radiates aromas of black fruit, cherry and spicy black pepper. On the palate , loads of vanilla, caramel and blackcurrant gracefully evolve into soft supple tannins and a signature zing that balances the wine.
Viticulture
The grapes for Troublemaker are sourced from key vineyard sites throughout the Central Coast, adding to the complexity of the blend. The warm climate of Paso Robles - specifically Creston, El Pomar and Estrella Districts add body and depth to the wine. Other Central Coast vineyard sites were chosen for their unique characteristics, including dry farmed Zinfandel from Lodi, and Petite Sirah from Suisun Valley - ultimately leading to a more complex blend.
Vinification
The grapes were harvested, crushed, then cold-soaked prior to fermentation in five-ton, open-top tanks, as well as a 20-60 ton closed top stainless steel tanks for 7-14 days. Wines were aged in oak for a minimum of 15 month's and a maximum of 27 months, depending on the vintage. All barrel aging was done in French and American oak barrels. Blend 13 was assembled in December of 2019 and was cross-flow filtered prior to bottling in late January 2020.