2018 Paradise Ridge “The Confessor” GSM Blend, Branham Vineyard, Rockpile AVA
Tasting Notes
This blend is 66% Grenache, 23% Syrah, and 11% Mourvedre. This blend is what you would see being produced more notably from Cote de Rhone. It has a complexity that can only be attributed to the 3 varietals. This wine introduces itself with the Grenache, offering a fruity mouthful of blackberry. The powerhouses of Syrah and Mourvedre give this wine its backbone and structure leading to an herbaceous and peppery finish. Pair with grilled ribeye with herbed garlic butter.
Vineyard Notes
Established in 2002, the Rockpile AVA is 15,000 acres of rocky, mountainous land. It’s influenced by Lake Sonoma which is a manmade reservoir. Rockpile lies at the northern tip of the AVA, is 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and sits at 2,000 feet in altitude, above the fog layer. At this elevation, the vines are gently cooled by onshore breezes. 2018 offered winemakers an exceptional year with excellent growing conditions. Rockpile has a long growing season with moderate temperatures. Summer was mild, creating tolerable conditions for fruit to mature slowly and steadily without additional heat stress. A mild winter followed by an early spring started the year off early. This vintage will be characterized by good acidities and lower alcohols.
The fruit was sourced from Branham Vineyards, which was planted in 1994 and has developed a well-established root system allowing us to grow high quality berries. The fruit coming from this location delivers consistency year after year.
2019 Paradise Ridge “The Confessor” GSM Blend, Branham Vineyard, Rockpile AVA
Tasting Notes
The Rockpile AVA lies at the northern tip of the AVA, is 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and sits at 2,000 feet in altitude, above the fog layer. At this elevation, the vines are gently cooled by onshore breezes. While Rockpile is Zinfandel country, several other warm climate varietals grow well here, such as red Rhone varietals of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vintage Notes
Moderate summer temperatures at this high-altitude vineyard slowed ripening, pushing the start of harvest out into mid-September. Favorable fall weather allowed us to pick each of the blocks over a couple of weeks at ideal ripeness. After fermentation, the wine was aged in 20% new French oak. Approachable upon release, this wine will continue to develop over the next 4-5 years.
This blend is 60% Grenache, 28% Syrah, and 12% Mourvedre. This blend is what you would see being produced more notably from Cote du Rhone. Like the 2018 vintage, this wine has a complexity that is attributed to the 3 varietals as well as the moderately warm summer.
Walter Byck & Marijke Byck-Hoenselaars discovered the magical Paradise Ridge property in 1977 in the heart of Wine Country. Walter and Marijke are wine lovers and art appreciators and saw their future in 155 acres overlooking the Russian River Valley. Their vision manifested into a beautiful estate winery which they built in 1991 and where they continue to produce elegant wines to this day. Because of their passion for art, the property also features a curated sculpture grove, serving as a gathering space for their community.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Paradise Ridge “The Confessor” GSM Blend
2 bottles for $49.99 $25/bottle + $4/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2019 Paradise Ridge, The Confessor
Branham Vineyard, Rockpile, Sonoma County GSM Blend.
42% Grenache, 42% Syrah, 16% Mourvedre. 13.7% Alcohol.
Picked up an odd-shaped box at our local UPS Depot at Advance Auto Parts, Thanks guys. Took the box home and opened it up. I was surprised to see two bottles, and thought I’d have a tough job, ratting two different wines. However, the bottles were identical (Thanks Alice and Paradise Ridge). The bottles were cool to the touch and nothing seemed amiss.
Now, I’ve got to state that I’m not a big fan of GSM, as it has a funny taste, sort of like a flavor I find in Carmenere and Pinotage. But, I’ve got a job to do, so I’ll power through my preconceived notions.
On Pop-N-Pour, I took a big whiff, which was quite pleasant. Little alcohol, nice fruit, but I did detect the stereotypical GSM Nose. My first quaff was quite enjoyable…fresh, well integrated, delicious, dry but not too dry, enough acid was detected to make this a good food wine and the finish was medium with mellow tannins. SWMBO mentioned an aftertaste of our local (Finger Lakes) wines…Catawba, Niagara, Concord, etc. (I think it’s petrol) She really enjoyed that flavor.
The 2018 gets 89 points on Cellartracker.
The look and feel of this wine leads me to believe that it will not be inexpensive, but GSMs, aside from those across the pond are not real pricey either, and this is Sonoma, not Napa, so…
I’m gonna guess $15 - $16 per bottle for a case, and it will be a steal at that price for anyone who enjoys GSM.
OK, I’ll do my job here…I popped a 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Tour St.-Michel Cuvee des deux Saeurs. 14% alcohol. It had a similar flavor profile, but less fruity/jammy on the mid-palate and had a more “mature” flavor. Definitely a more “serious” wine, but not more enjoyable. (91 points on Cellartracker)
I’ll get back to this tomorrow, after this Paradise Ridge has sat on the counter overnight.
Night two: Seems to be less bright, more subdued tasting, but a little more brambly feeling. More like the CdP was last night, and I don’t know what that means as far as aging goes. The change was significant, and I fear that the change might indicate a lack of ageability. Or, that cellaring will move this wine toward the CdP end of the GSM spectrum. Would be great for a pasta sauce or a braise tonight.
The CdP tastes similar to yesterday. We still like the Paradise Ridge GSM better.
We did not drink The Confessor with food, that’s not how we drink our wine, and I think this would be very good with a meal. Probably best with BBQ/Smoked Meat or a hearty Italian dish.
When I received notice from UPS last Tuesday of a shipment from WCC, I immediatly suspected that a call to Rat duty was pending. An email to Alice confirmed it, as well as a confirmation (from my analysis of the UPS reference number of CONFESSGSM2018 that it involved a 2018 Paradise Ridge The Confessor). When the shipment arrived late Thursday (in near 100°F temperatures) I was surprised at the size of the box (seemed to hold 2 bottles). After checking the temperature inside the box (finding it near the outside air temperatures), I opened the box and found what appeared to be two identical bottles of the 2018 Paradise Ridge The Confessor. Another email exchange with Alice clarified that there were two years in the coming offering, but I was shipped (from the winery) two of the same years. I correlated this to being an adult version of the Now & Later candies that my children were fond of years ago.
The winery web page suggested grilled ribeye with herbed garlic butter with this wine, which was certainly in my wheelhouse. I also noticed that their page stated that “Our wine club members have exclusive access to this exceptional, sought after wine blend” and an alcohol level of 13.7% (whereas the bottle stated 14.3%). I believe that the stats above need to be corrected.
I had cooled one of the bottles (the other is safely stored in my cellar for future enjoyment – what a lucky rat I am!) a bit to a normal (for me) opening temperature. I popped the natural cork (virtually zero penetration) and poured half into a 375ml bottle for tomorrow and two sample tastes while the rest of the the bottle breathed for a while. The wine was a beautiful garnet color in the glass, with perfect clarity. I picked up some dark berry on the nose. My wife and I both noticed the fruitiness of the Grenache come through, but there was definitely other depths of flavor coming into play. Seemed to have some good acidity, tannins were in check. As rat time approached, I was readying some ribeyes for the grill (and some fresh parsley and chives for the herbed garlic butter). I didn’t notice much change in the wine from when it was opened. It was very good on its own and with the meal it was delicious, but perhaps I felt not quite up to the muscle needed to accompany the steaks (I would sometimes have to take a second sip of the wine to bring out more of the depths of flavor). But it was extremely enjoyable with the meal (but 375ml seemed a bit sparse!).
The winery price of $60 seems quite high. I was thinking that on Casemates it might come in at around $18/bottle or so (at the case price).
I’ll try to watch this thread as the day goes on, and add some second sampling notes after tonight’s dinner. Special thanks to the winery for supplying not one, but two bottles, and to Casemates for another ratting opportunity.
For our second day testing with the 375ml bottle I poured off yesterday, I considered the winemaker’s video comments of pairing it with Bolognese sauce, and my wife cooked up some Italian sausage stuffed peppers (some tomato sauce included with the stuffing, since I try to avoid a lot of carbs such as in pasta). When I first poured out the wine, I noticed very nice dark cherry flavors. Upon returning to the glass when dinner was ready, some of those flavors had faded but came back with an additional pour from the bottle. Again with the dinner, I often had to take a second sip of the wine to appreciate all that it offered, but the next bite of food was always delicious, so I give this wine a high recommendation (as does my wife). If you are reluctant based on GSM blends from Australia (this one isn’t) consider the difference between a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and one from California (both of which I can enjoy in the right situation). I have had Australian GSM blends that were overly harsh, but this one (from Sonama) is quite smooth and balanced.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations).
Paradise Ridge “The Confessor” GSM Blend - $100 = 33.32%
90 Points. A blend of 66% Grenache, 23% Syrah and 11% Mourvèdre, this mountain-grown wine opens in a rich, fruity nose of cherry, strawberry and vanilla cream. A creamy palate accentuates the lushness amidst gritty texture and hints of crushed rock. VB 11/1/21
2018 Paradise Ridge “The Confessor” GSM Blend, Branham Vineyard, Rockpile AVA
Tasting Notes
Vineyard Notes
Specs
2019 Paradise Ridge “The Confessor” GSM Blend, Branham Vineyard, Rockpile AVA
Tasting Notes
Vintage Notes
Specs
What’s Included
2-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $720/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Aug 15 - Thursday, Aug 18
Paradise Ridge “The Confessor” GSM Blend
2 bottles for $49.99 $25/bottle + $4/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018
2019
Are the stats truly identical for both vintages?!
2019 Paradise Ridge, The Confessor
Branham Vineyard, Rockpile, Sonoma County GSM Blend.
42% Grenache, 42% Syrah, 16% Mourvedre. 13.7% Alcohol.
Picked up an odd-shaped box at our local UPS Depot at Advance Auto Parts, Thanks guys. Took the box home and opened it up. I was surprised to see two bottles, and thought I’d have a tough job, ratting two different wines. However, the bottles were identical (Thanks Alice and Paradise Ridge). The bottles were cool to the touch and nothing seemed amiss.
Now, I’ve got to state that I’m not a big fan of GSM, as it has a funny taste, sort of like a flavor I find in Carmenere and Pinotage. But, I’ve got a job to do, so I’ll power through my preconceived notions.
On Pop-N-Pour, I took a big whiff, which was quite pleasant. Little alcohol, nice fruit, but I did detect the stereotypical GSM Nose. My first quaff was quite enjoyable…fresh, well integrated, delicious, dry but not too dry, enough acid was detected to make this a good food wine and the finish was medium with mellow tannins. SWMBO mentioned an aftertaste of our local (Finger Lakes) wines…Catawba, Niagara, Concord, etc. (I think it’s petrol) She really enjoyed that flavor.
The 2018 gets 89 points on Cellartracker.
The look and feel of this wine leads me to believe that it will not be inexpensive, but GSMs, aside from those across the pond are not real pricey either, and this is Sonoma, not Napa, so…
I’m gonna guess $15 - $16 per bottle for a case, and it will be a steal at that price for anyone who enjoys GSM.
OK, I’ll do my job here…I popped a 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Tour St.-Michel Cuvee des deux Saeurs. 14% alcohol. It had a similar flavor profile, but less fruity/jammy on the mid-palate and had a more “mature” flavor. Definitely a more “serious” wine, but not more enjoyable. (91 points on Cellartracker)
I’ll get back to this tomorrow, after this Paradise Ridge has sat on the counter overnight.
Night two: Seems to be less bright, more subdued tasting, but a little more brambly feeling. More like the CdP was last night, and I don’t know what that means as far as aging goes. The change was significant, and I fear that the change might indicate a lack of ageability. Or, that cellaring will move this wine toward the CdP end of the GSM spectrum. Would be great for a pasta sauce or a braise tonight.
The CdP tastes similar to yesterday. We still like the Paradise Ridge GSM better.
We did not drink The Confessor with food, that’s not how we drink our wine, and I think this would be very good with a meal. Probably best with BBQ/Smoked Meat or a hearty Italian dish.
@FritzCat
I confuse easily…
both were the same wine and vintage?
Or one each 2018 and 2019?
Your rat is for the 2019?
@rjquillin Yes, both were the 2019, and Thanks CaseAdmins for fixing my post!
@FritzCat Day 3, still going strong. A very good sign!
2018 Paradise Ridge “The Confessor” GSM Blend
When I received notice from UPS last Tuesday of a shipment from WCC, I immediatly suspected that a call to Rat duty was pending. An email to Alice confirmed it, as well as a confirmation (from my analysis of the UPS reference number of CONFESSGSM2018 that it involved a 2018 Paradise Ridge The Confessor). When the shipment arrived late Thursday (in near 100°F temperatures) I was surprised at the size of the box (seemed to hold 2 bottles). After checking the temperature inside the box (finding it near the outside air temperatures), I opened the box and found what appeared to be two identical bottles of the 2018 Paradise Ridge The Confessor. Another email exchange with Alice clarified that there were two years in the coming offering, but I was shipped (from the winery) two of the same years. I correlated this to being an adult version of the Now & Later candies that my children were fond of years ago.
The winery web page suggested grilled ribeye with herbed garlic butter with this wine, which was certainly in my wheelhouse. I also noticed that their page stated that “Our wine club members have exclusive access to this exceptional, sought after wine blend” and an alcohol level of 13.7% (whereas the bottle stated 14.3%). I believe that the stats above need to be corrected.
I had cooled one of the bottles (the other is safely stored in my cellar for future enjoyment – what a lucky rat I am!) a bit to a normal (for me) opening temperature. I popped the natural cork (virtually zero penetration) and poured half into a 375ml bottle for tomorrow and two sample tastes while the rest of the the bottle breathed for a while. The wine was a beautiful garnet color in the glass, with perfect clarity. I picked up some dark berry on the nose. My wife and I both noticed the fruitiness of the Grenache come through, but there was definitely other depths of flavor coming into play. Seemed to have some good acidity, tannins were in check. As rat time approached, I was readying some ribeyes for the grill (and some fresh parsley and chives for the herbed garlic butter). I didn’t notice much change in the wine from when it was opened. It was very good on its own and with the meal it was delicious, but perhaps I felt not quite up to the muscle needed to accompany the steaks (I would sometimes have to take a second sip of the wine to bring out more of the depths of flavor). But it was extremely enjoyable with the meal (but 375ml seemed a bit sparse!).
The winery price of $60 seems quite high. I was thinking that on Casemates it might come in at around $18/bottle or so (at the case price).
I’ll try to watch this thread as the day goes on, and add some second sampling notes after tonight’s dinner. Special thanks to the winery for supplying not one, but two bottles, and to Casemates for another ratting opportunity.
For our second day testing with the 375ml bottle I poured off yesterday, I considered the winemaker’s video comments of pairing it with Bolognese sauce, and my wife cooked up some Italian sausage stuffed peppers (some tomato sauce included with the stuffing, since I try to avoid a lot of carbs such as in pasta). When I first poured out the wine, I noticed very nice dark cherry flavors. Upon returning to the glass when dinner was ready, some of those flavors had faded but came back with an additional pour from the bottle. Again with the dinner, I often had to take a second sip of the wine to appreciate all that it offered, but the next bite of food was always delicious, so I give this wine a high recommendation (as does my wife). If you are reluctant based on GSM blends from Australia (this one isn’t) consider the difference between a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and one from California (both of which I can enjoy in the right situation). I have had Australian GSM blends that were overly harsh, but this one (from Sonama) is quite smooth and balanced.
@Mark_L
Great rattage and thanks for the follow-up as well!
I’m slightly confused by your quote above though. For a second you had me thinking this was an Australian GSM, until I confirmed it’s CA juice.
@kawichris650 Sorry for the confusion. It looks like @rjquillin may have inserted some helpful clarification.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations).
Paradise Ridge “The Confessor” GSM Blend - $100 = 33.32%
I like the label.
This looks like something I would enjoy.
Nice job Rats!
And Simon says…wait, no WE says…the 2018:
90 Points. A blend of 66% Grenache, 23% Syrah and 11% Mourvèdre, this mountain-grown wine opens in a rich, fruity nose of cherry, strawberry and vanilla cream. A creamy palate accentuates the lushness amidst gritty texture and hints of crushed rock. VB 11/1/21
Winemaker says:
fwiw
GSM? Yes please. Can’t say I’ve tried one out of Sonoma. Excited to try
/giphy foulest-occupied-beaver
