Well, after many years of wooting for my wine, and now meh’ing for my wine (essentially) I was picked to be a glorious lab rat.
Wine arrived on Monday morning - I tossed in the cellar to relax a bit before popping Monday evening. Unfortunately no timely dinner plans or foods to pair with this wine, which I didn’t know much about but had a very large proponent of Syrah and based out of Paso Robles (near my alma mater) hinted that I would enjoy it.
A bit about me : I prefer the more full bodied varietals and enjoy a fruit forward wine but prefer ones with more complexity. I’ve drank a lot of Wellington, Harvey, WineSmith and similar over the years and go for Sonoma and Paso Robles wines primarily.
Pop and Pour:
Right out of the cellar, temperature around 55 deg F.
Cork is lightly stained, no leakage.
Pour into a large mouth glass. Color is dark, lots of skinny legs on swirl that take a long time to dissipate. At 15.3% alcohol, I’m not surprised. Smell is wonderful, lots of dark fruit, no hint of alcohol. A touch of pepper maybe.
Taste - very short burst of fruit, yields quickly to what I would describe as alcohol / heat, slowly yields to maybe some leather / licorice that is barely perceptible. The heat seems to overpower it a bit.
Let sit for another hour, not much change. I do notice that the wine very much pulls the moisture out of my mouth / mouth watering. I actually like that feature.
Lightly corked it to try the next day.
Next day, some of the heat has worn off, I’m now getting a bit of dare I say herbaceous on the tail end. Fruit is a bit more noticeable but a little weaker.
Put the price per bottle somewhere in the $15-20 mark.
Now that I’m looking at the offer, I’m happy that I’m relatively close. This seems to have some structure to hold up and be a bit more restrained in a few more years and if I hadn’t spent so much over the last month or so, I’d be in for a case, alas!
Hope my first ratting was acceptable, and hope to have more in the future!
Good morning everyone from rainy Northern California.
This is my first lab rat report, so here we go!
My partner and I opened the bottle last night while preparing dinner (we were making chili). On the nose I observed lots of fruity notes, with raspberries in particular standing out. Very aromatic! Nice!
The color was a nice dark purple. I am trying to post a photo of what it looked like in the fancy Casemates glasses, so hopefully this part works.
My thoughts on first sip was wow, this is very fruit forward wine with a fast, dry finish. Delicious. Black pepper, cherries, plums. It seemed extremely layered. Having not researched this ahead of time, I had guessed a Rhone style wine.
After 10 minutes it seemed to smooth out a bit, still extremely enjoyable. After 30 minutes I noticed the reappearance of black pepper, however this time it was not as layered as before.
It paired very well with the chili. I would recommend this wine to drink alone or with a meal. Overall, a fantastic wine that I would recommend. I’ll probably buy a case.
Not to leave out Michelle’s thoughts: On the nose she noticed lots of raspberries. Her thoughts upon first sip were that it was light at the beginning, then becoming warm towards the end, finishing with almost a caramel like flavor.
After awhile she noticed the wine becoming a bit more smooth and flavors of blackberries coming into play. She described it as a delicious fruit salad.
Thanks Casemates for the opportunity to become a lab rat. And thanks to Sanctuary Wines for making this fantastic beverage. The next time we are down your way we will stop in for a visit. Cheers.
@losthighwayz@Winedavid49Hello, yes, I did. I sent a response. I’m guessing you didn’t see it. My answer was yes, I think so. I hope that helps! Cheers.
@losthighwayz@Turner103200 Just a follow up - I decanted this (aka poured into a larger container for transport) on day three and tried it a bit later and didn’t notice anything. It’s possible it just needed more time to settle down/open up. I really really enjoyed it on day 3 (compared with a Wellington 2013 Estate Syrah that had been open 4 days and they were both very layered and wonderful).
Hello. David from Sanctuary Wines here. We did not produce this blend as far back as 2000. The vineyards in this vintage are from the Russell Farm, Ranch 7 Vineyard and Jada Vineyard. Our Winemaker Dennis Martin, who passed away recently, created each of the blends.
@headout Thanks for the information! I did buy a case as this is my favorite wine region and the blend is very similar to the one I remember from way back when. I look forward to giving it a try!
@headout good morning. What is story behind the wine? I noticed the 2011 is avaialBke on your site but not this 2012. Curious why. Also, how many cases were produced?
@losthighwayz There were 790 cases produced. We are finishing off the the 2011 vintage for the general public still and this is special release of the 2012 for this offer.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2012 Sanctuary West Side Red Blend - $50 = 23.80%
I finally opened one of these and it’s among my all-time favorites - however, when I try to contact Sanctuary about it, their online contact form errors out, as does their email address. @headout - help me, you’re my only hope!
@winedavid49@headout would love to get some more of this wine on the site at some point in the future! This is one of my favorites, drinking amazing now
Aroma: raspberries, blackberry and dark chocolate, with the complexity of dried fruit and touches of smokiness
Mouthfeel: soft palate with round tannins and a lingering finish
Flavors: blackberries, black cherries and oak spice
Vineyard and Winemaker’s notes
Our Red Blend sanctuary lies at the western edge of the Paso Robles AVA, which is the heart of California’s Central Coast wine region. Geologically, that places our vineyard sources on the inland side of the Santa Lucia Mountains, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. The extraordinary soil diversity in Paso ranges from ancient calcareous soils created by volcanic action to younger marine sedimentary rock. Combined with a long, warm growing season and relatively wet winters, this creates excellent conditions for Syrah and its companion Rhône varieties.
The 2012 Sanctuary West Side Red is based on Syrah, complemented by three of its classic blending partners – Grenache, Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah – for depth and complexity. The juice remained on the grape skins for nearly three weeks, to soften tannins and increase concentration, and then was allowed a slow, 100% malolactic fermentation before going into French barrels for 22 months. Another two years of bottle age brought the wine to optimum drinking quality.
To create these exceptional wines, we put ourselves in the grape’s place.
Each varietal has its sweet spot, a special balance of geography, geology and climate where it finds full expression. So we sought the California mecca for each: the uniquely situated Mendocino Ridge for our Zinfandel, the famed Rutherford Bench region for our Cabernet Sauvignon, the Russian River Valley for our Chardonnay, the northern end of the Santa Maria Valley for our Pinot Noir, and the west side of Paso Robles for our Red Blend. Then we get even more selective, hand-picking only the finest grapes and nurturing them into uncommonly good wines. We know how rare it is to find the perfect elements for winemaking. That’s why we call it Sanctuary.
To put it simply, there aren’t many places like this on Earth
Not many places that are good for growing wine, and fewer still that have the ideal conditions for each varietal. Sanctuary is about relationships. Between soil, water and climate. Between land and grape, and between winemaker and winegrower. We are honored to work with selective winegrowers in California’s most prized regions to bring Sanctuary to fruition.
A Melting Pot of Soil Diversity
Our Red Blend sanctuary is the Paso Robles AVA, situated in the center of California’s Central Coast, and more specifically the western boundary of the region, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean on the inland side of the Santa Lucia mountains. Paso Robles offers soil diversity not found in other California wine-growing regions, notably the calcareous rich soils created by volcanic and younger marine sedimentary rock, that combined with a relatively plentiful rainfall create ideal conditions for Syrah and other Rhône varietals.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI
Is this the same vintner for the Westside Red blend I remember seeing from the early 2000s? If so, that was my favorite red wine I have ever had, and I have not been able to find it since. I have to buy a case just on the chance this is even remotely close to the wine I remember.
@nklb Doing a bit of research I can’t tell if this is the same plot of land or not. The name of the winemaker is different, but the blend of grapes is the same as the wine I remember. Any chance this particular vineyard/winery was formerly owned by the Hope family a couple decades ago?
Question for winery: why is the 2011 on your website but not this 2012? Do you produce at a co-op or the like? I’m really interested in this offer but would appreciate more background on tj8s wine. Thank you!
@losthighwayz We are finishing off the the 2011 vintage for the general public still and this is special release of the 2012 for this offer. This wine is produced at our parent company winery in Mendocino County, not a co-op.
I’m not sure how else to describe it… But does this wine hit like a truck for anyone else? I felt inebriated after one glass of wine lady night! I also feel like it gives me more of a headachey hangover when I drink more of it. I’m not a light weight by any means…
@Grabeck989 I don’t recall feeling this when I ratted it, or the following day when I drank the larger majority of the bottle. I have not had an opportunity to open another bottle upon receipt.
@Grabeck989@deadlyapp So I just tried to find a comparison chart, but what I keep finding are things discussing the “Standard” US glass of wine, 5 oz. @ 12% AbV. This site provides a calculator, and if I plug in 15.3% AbV, it says I only need a 3.9 oz. glass to get me as inebriated as the “standard” glass would.
Sorry for the issues you have had trying to find us. Glad you enjoyed the wine! Go to www.poppyandquail.wine to purchase Sanctuary wines. Please let me know if you have any difficulties.
Well, after many years of wooting for my wine, and now meh’ing for my wine (essentially) I was picked to be a glorious lab rat.
Wine arrived on Monday morning - I tossed in the cellar to relax a bit before popping Monday evening. Unfortunately no timely dinner plans or foods to pair with this wine, which I didn’t know much about but had a very large proponent of Syrah and based out of Paso Robles (near my alma mater) hinted that I would enjoy it.
A bit about me : I prefer the more full bodied varietals and enjoy a fruit forward wine but prefer ones with more complexity. I’ve drank a lot of Wellington, Harvey, WineSmith and similar over the years and go for Sonoma and Paso Robles wines primarily.
Pop and Pour:
Right out of the cellar, temperature around 55 deg F.
Cork is lightly stained, no leakage.
Pour into a large mouth glass. Color is dark, lots of skinny legs on swirl that take a long time to dissipate. At 15.3% alcohol, I’m not surprised. Smell is wonderful, lots of dark fruit, no hint of alcohol. A touch of pepper maybe.
Taste - very short burst of fruit, yields quickly to what I would describe as alcohol / heat, slowly yields to maybe some leather / licorice that is barely perceptible. The heat seems to overpower it a bit.
Let sit for another hour, not much change. I do notice that the wine very much pulls the moisture out of my mouth / mouth watering. I actually like that feature.
Lightly corked it to try the next day.
Next day, some of the heat has worn off, I’m now getting a bit of dare I say herbaceous on the tail end. Fruit is a bit more noticeable but a little weaker.
Put the price per bottle somewhere in the $15-20 mark.
Now that I’m looking at the offer, I’m happy that I’m relatively close. This seems to have some structure to hold up and be a bit more restrained in a few more years and if I hadn’t spent so much over the last month or so, I’d be in for a case, alas!
Hope my first ratting was acceptable, and hope to have more in the future!
@deadlyapp nice work! many thanks.
Good morning everyone from rainy Northern California.
This is my first lab rat report, so here we go!
My partner and I opened the bottle last night while preparing dinner (we were making chili). On the nose I observed lots of fruity notes, with raspberries in particular standing out. Very aromatic! Nice!
The color was a nice dark purple. I am trying to post a photo of what it looked like in the fancy Casemates glasses, so hopefully this part works.
My thoughts on first sip was wow, this is very fruit forward wine with a fast, dry finish. Delicious. Black pepper, cherries, plums. It seemed extremely layered. Having not researched this ahead of time, I had guessed a Rhone style wine.
After 10 minutes it seemed to smooth out a bit, still extremely enjoyable. After 30 minutes I noticed the reappearance of black pepper, however this time it was not as layered as before.
It paired very well with the chili. I would recommend this wine to drink alone or with a meal. Overall, a fantastic wine that I would recommend. I’ll probably buy a case.
Not to leave out Michelle’s thoughts: On the nose she noticed lots of raspberries. Her thoughts upon first sip were that it was light at the beginning, then becoming warm towards the end, finishing with almost a caramel like flavor.
After awhile she noticed the wine becoming a bit more smooth and flavors of blackberries coming into play. She described it as a delicious fruit salad.
Thanks Casemates for the opportunity to become a lab rat. And thanks to Sanctuary Wines for making this fantastic beverage. The next time we are down your way we will stop in for a visit. Cheers.
@Turner103200 Thanks very much! and nicely done.
@Winedavid49 Thanks! And you are most welcome. Cheers!
@Turner103200 @Winedavid49 hi turner. Did you get my message?
@losthighwayz @Winedavid49Hello, yes, I did. I sent a response. I’m guessing you didn’t see it. My answer was yes, I think so. I hope that helps! Cheers.
@Turner103200 I didn’t get it but thanks for letting me know. The other rat mentioned heat/alcohol. Did you get any?
@losthighwayz Neither of us noticed any heat.
@losthighwayz @Turner103200 Just a follow up - I decanted this (aka poured into a larger container for transport) on day three and tried it a bit later and didn’t notice anything. It’s possible it just needed more time to settle down/open up. I really really enjoyed it on day 3 (compared with a Wellington 2013 Estate Syrah that had been open 4 days and they were both very layered and wonderful).
Hello. David from Sanctuary Wines here. We did not produce this blend as far back as 2000. The vineyards in this vintage are from the Russell Farm, Ranch 7 Vineyard and Jada Vineyard. Our Winemaker Dennis Martin, who passed away recently, created each of the blends.
@headout Thanks for the information! I did buy a case as this is my favorite wine region and the blend is very similar to the one I remember from way back when. I look forward to giving it a try!
@headout good morning. What is story behind the wine? I noticed the 2011 is avaialBke on your site but not this 2012. Curious why. Also, how many cases were produced?
@losthighwayz There were 790 cases produced. We are finishing off the the 2011 vintage for the general public still and this is special release of the 2012 for this offer.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2012 Sanctuary West Side Red Blend - $50 = 23.80%
Sanctuary West Side Red Blend
4 bottles for $69.99 $17.50/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159.99 $13.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2012 Sanctuary West Side Red Blend
Hoping for some rats to appear…
I finally opened one of these and it’s among my all-time favorites - however, when I try to contact Sanctuary about it, their online contact form errors out, as does their email address. @headout - help me, you’re my only hope!
@winedavid49 @headout would love to get some more of this wine on the site at some point in the future! This is one of my favorites, drinking amazing now
Tasting Notes
Aroma: raspberries, blackberry and dark chocolate, with the complexity of dried fruit and touches of smokiness
Mouthfeel: soft palate with round tannins and a lingering finish
Flavors: blackberries, black cherries and oak spice
Vineyard and Winemaker’s notes
Our Red Blend sanctuary lies at the western edge of the Paso Robles AVA, which is the heart of California’s Central Coast wine region. Geologically, that places our vineyard sources on the inland side of the Santa Lucia Mountains, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. The extraordinary soil diversity in Paso ranges from ancient calcareous soils created by volcanic action to younger marine sedimentary rock. Combined with a long, warm growing season and relatively wet winters, this creates excellent conditions for Syrah and its companion Rhône varieties.
The 2012 Sanctuary West Side Red is based on Syrah, complemented by three of its classic blending partners – Grenache, Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah – for depth and complexity. The juice remained on the grape skins for nearly three weeks, to soften tannins and increase concentration, and then was allowed a slow, 100% malolactic fermentation before going into French barrels for 22 months. Another two years of bottle age brought the wine to optimum drinking quality.
Specifications
Price Comparison
Not for sale at winery website, $420/case MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Sanctuary Wines
To create these exceptional wines, we put ourselves in the grape’s place.
Each varietal has its sweet spot, a special balance of geography, geology and climate where it finds full expression. So we sought the California mecca for each: the uniquely situated Mendocino Ridge for our Zinfandel, the famed Rutherford Bench region for our Cabernet Sauvignon, the Russian River Valley for our Chardonnay, the northern end of the Santa Maria Valley for our Pinot Noir, and the west side of Paso Robles for our Red Blend. Then we get even more selective, hand-picking only the finest grapes and nurturing them into uncommonly good wines. We know how rare it is to find the perfect elements for winemaking. That’s why we call it Sanctuary.
To put it simply, there aren’t many places like this on Earth
Not many places that are good for growing wine, and fewer still that have the ideal conditions for each varietal. Sanctuary is about relationships. Between soil, water and climate. Between land and grape, and between winemaker and winegrower. We are honored to work with selective winegrowers in California’s most prized regions to bring Sanctuary to fruition.
A Melting Pot of Soil Diversity
Our Red Blend sanctuary is the Paso Robles AVA, situated in the center of California’s Central Coast, and more specifically the western boundary of the region, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean on the inland side of the Santa Lucia mountains. Paso Robles offers soil diversity not found in other California wine-growing regions, notably the calcareous rich soils created by volcanic and younger marine sedimentary rock, that combined with a relatively plentiful rainfall create ideal conditions for Syrah and other Rhône varietals.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, March 21st - Monday, March 25th
Sounds really interesting. Any other WNY folks interested? @catcoland@noodles@lamplighter
@ddeuddeg I’d be interested in a few bottles, lets see if anyone else is, @noodles @lamplighter?
@catcoland @ddeuddeg @noodles Sure, I’d be in for a few bottles
@catcoland @ddeuddeg @lamplighter I’m gonna sit this one out. Thanks though
@lamplighter @noodles I’ll order a case, and we can settle the details of the split later.
@ddeuddeg @noodles sounds good, just let me know
@ddeuddeg @lamplighter @noodles
Awesome, thanks!
POKER! JOKER! NOT MEDIOCRE! AWESOME!
@catcoland @lamplighter @noodles You’re welcome. Order has been placed. Leaving for Albany first thing tomorrow, and didn’t want to forget.
OH has been missing from the state list for a few of these sales lately…
@browncj7 Ohio has some restrictions for wineries shipping directly into the state that sadly precludes a winery of our size from doing so.
Is this the same vintner for the Westside Red blend I remember seeing from the early 2000s? If so, that was my favorite red wine I have ever had, and I have not been able to find it since. I have to buy a case just on the chance this is even remotely close to the wine I remember.
@nklb Doing a bit of research I can’t tell if this is the same plot of land or not. The name of the winemaker is different, but the blend of grapes is the same as the wine I remember. Any chance this particular vineyard/winery was formerly owned by the Hope family a couple decades ago?
Anyone in Austin want to split a case?
Question for winery: why is the 2011 on your website but not this 2012? Do you produce at a co-op or the like? I’m really interested in this offer but would appreciate more background on tj8s wine. Thank you!
@losthighwayz We are finishing off the the 2011 vintage for the general public still and this is special release of the 2012 for this offer. This wine is produced at our parent company winery in Mendocino County, not a co-op.
I’m not sure how else to describe it… But does this wine hit like a truck for anyone else? I felt inebriated after one glass of wine lady night! I also feel like it gives me more of a headachey hangover when I drink more of it. I’m not a light weight by any means…
@Grabeck989 I don’t recall feeling this when I ratted it, or the following day when I drank the larger majority of the bottle. I have not had an opportunity to open another bottle upon receipt.
@Grabeck989 AbV 15.3% is pretty significant alcohol, in my experience.
@Grabeck989 @deadlyapp So I just tried to find a comparison chart, but what I keep finding are things discussing the “Standard” US glass of wine, 5 oz. @ 12% AbV. This site provides a calculator, and if I plug in 15.3% AbV, it says I only need a 3.9 oz. glass to get me as inebriated as the “standard” glass would.
@deadlyapp @InFrom I didn’t even notice the higher abv. That will definitely play a factor.
Sorry for the issues you have had trying to find us. Glad you enjoyed the wine! Go to www.poppyandquail.wine to purchase Sanctuary wines. Please let me know if you have any difficulties.
@LinnE
@headout Thanks so much - I’ll do that!