2019 Fulldraw Chopping Block

The 2019 Chopping Block is a gorgeous blend of 52% Syrah, 31% Mourvèdre and 17% Grenache grown on limestone that buzzes with energetic acidity. Medium ruby-purple, it's scented of crushed cherries and iron, with nuances of mint chocolate, licorice and game meats. The full-bodied palate offers finely detailed, savory dark fruits, a plush, rounded feel and loads of spices on the uplifted finish.

More tobacco, peppery herbs, graphite, asphalt, and crushed stone notes emerge from the 2019 Chopping Block, another rich, powerful, yet still fresh and lively wine from winemaker Connor McMahon. It's going to round into form with just a year in bottle, and I wouldn't put it past this beauty to still be drinking nicely in a decade. The blend is 42% Syrah, 31% Mourvèdre, and 17% Grenache, brought up in 50% new French oak. It has a decade or more of prime drinking ahead of it. Another estate that is unquestionably on the upswing, Fulldraw was created in 2012 when Connor McMahon purchased a 100-acre vineyard situated in the Templeton Gap region of Paso Robles. Connor learned the ropes working for Eric Jensen at Booker Vineyard, and he makes a rich, concentrated, classic Paso Robles red with the focus on Rhône varieties. Readers looking for the next top estate in Paso Robles should check out these wines.