2019 Ledge Red Rhone Adams Ranch Vineyard

The 2019 Adam's Ranch is an elegant blend of Syrah (62%), Grenache (34%) and Roussanne (4%), matured in about 50% new oak. Medium ruby-purple, it offers a kaleidoscope of wild berries and plums, with accents of licorice, white pepper and violet. The medium-bodied palate has rounded tannins and uplifting acidity, and it balances plush California fruit and structural polish, finishing long and spicy.

Checking in as a blend of 62% Syrah, 34% Grenache, and the rest Roussanne that's all from the cooler, sandy soils of the estate on the westside of Paso Robles, the 2019 Adams Ranch Vineyard offers a lighter ruby/purple hue (it's not opaque) to go with an incredibly perfumed nose of black raspberries, white pepper, melted licorice, olive tapenade, and peppery herbs. It starts out reticent and closed but blossoms with extended time in the glass and offers incredibly complex nuances as well as medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, and incredible length. As with the 2018, this required lots of air (I followed this bottle for two days), so don't be afraid to throw this in a decanter if drinking any time soon. It will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15+. The young Mark Adams continues to knock it out of the park, fashioning pure, balanced, elegant wines that still bring incredible California fruit and opulence.