THE WINE
Blend: 100% Carignan
Vineyard & AVA: Paper Street Vineyard in the Willow Creek District, Paso Robles CA
Alcohol: 15.5%
Aging: Enjoy now, or lay down for 10-15 years
THE SONG
“Carry On” by Fun. is a great reminder to maintain a sense of levity in life. Even when things seem dire, the problems of today rarely remain so after a bit of time passes, so why worry too much? The past few years have been a challenge for us all, and it’s easy to allow ourselves to get overwhelmed, but look at where we are now! We made it through and things are looking up, and hopefully we all grew through the struggles. In spite of a dicey couple years financially, I decided to take a calculated risk and follow my heart by putting an offer in on my own Estate vineyard this year. It was a a move made miles outside of my comfort zone, and in spite of all the joy, the uncertainty of closing on the property was emotionally draining. Until I had the keys in my hand, I had to not let my hopes get up too high. The Song “Carry On” by Fun. was one of Evan’s (my son) favorites on the album, and he insisted on playing to school everyday. In my head, I’d be stressing out but looking at him bouncing up and down, singing along next to me always put my mind at ease. When I was trying to find a song that fit this bold and intense wine, I felt this was a perfect fit. Carignan (pronounced “caring-yawn”) also sounds a lot like “carry on,” especially if you’ve had a couple glasses of this amazing wine.
VINIFICATION
Fermented on native yeast, 30% whole cluster, on skin for 14-18 days. Aged for 22 months in 265L Hungarian oak barriques, 100% new.
TASTING NOTES
100% Carignan from Paper Street Vineyards. Aged in 100% new French oak, these were the very best Carignan barrels of the 2019 vintage. I’ve always loved the nose on Carignan–it reminds me of my early days in Mexico when the first rain would fall and the smell of the rain hitting the red roof bricks. The palate shows tart cherries, paprika, leather and tobacco. It finishes with bright raspberries and a chalky tannin structure. You don’t see carignan bottled by itself very often, but these select barrels surprised me with their complexity and depth.
