Who doesn’t love a little CHAOS?! If you have been around Wine Spies for a bit (or indulged in any of our EPIC Live Steaming events) you know that we LOVE some good CHAOS.

How about pure PANDEMONEUM?! From a veteran family in the wine industry at an insane price today?! Yes, please and thank you!

We have been fawning over Miller Family Wines for some time now. This family knows their stuff and you’ve discovered their wines from Optik and J. Wilkes here on Wine Spies.

This brand is born of a desire to push boundaries and never settle for mediocre. Sounds like something we can get behind, huh?! And of course, craft beautiful wines in the process.

It comes from a LEGENDARY vineyard. You probably know the Bien Nacido Vineyard. The same team, Bob and Steve Miller, planted the French Camp Vineyard just after they set up the famed Bien Nacido site in the Santa Maria Valley in 1973. Tucked in the corner of the Paso Robles Highland District AVA, it has incredible drainage and sees one of the biggest diurnal shifts in temps - often 50 degrees - in the region. This helps keep acidity high while bringing ripeness up.

The blend focuses on Zinfandel at almost half the final blend with Lagrein (a lesser known Italian varietal), Merlot and Mourvedre rounding out the lush body.

Oh, the winemaker, Joey Tensley? Maybe you know him from his Tensley brand, where he makes iconic Syrahs and other Rhône-style reds. He’s amassed over 200 wines rated outstanding and simply does not miss. Antonio Galloni’s Vinous confirms, “Joey Tensley makes this range for the Miller family, who own Bien Nacido, Solomon Hills and other properties in the Central Coast. The wines offer plenty of varietal and site character at prices that remain quite accessible.”

The wine itself is juicy and yummy! Rich fruit and elegant presence of black pepper and warming spices. This speaks to the power and intensity that Paso Robles is known for while balancing the grace of a well seasoned vineyard. Beautifully tannins flow into a finish that hands on for literal days.

Oh did we mention 95 Points from Tasting Panel?! If you needed one more reason!

Be fast! There is only so much!

95-Points – The Tasting Panel “Violets and sweet red berries maintain a lively perfume. On the palate, the tone is moody, with tobacco, new leather, and cured meats. Blue fruit rises to the fore and leaves a lasting impression of coffee cedar.”