Mission Codename Palate violator
Operatives, are you ready to storm the gates with us?
Hop in and come along for the ride as we smash through your expectations and cross into a reality altering land where everything is just…bigger. Badder. More exhilarating. We’re talking about Paso Robles, of course, and today we wrangled a behemoth of a red.
Still with us? Good. Because we haven’t even mentioned the best part…
It comes with a 94-points glowing review, and a hefty 50+% plus off!!
Aaron Jackson set out in 2002 with a simple focus to produce powerful, age-worthy wines from the rugged hills of Paso Robles. He learned from the best - Saxum for one, along with ONX and Four Vines. With namesake Aaron Wines he breaches the boundaries of what’s possible, focusing mostly on Petite Sirah, to create some truly unique and expressive wines. You really need to taste this to experience it. If you’ve ever had a $200 bone-crushing bottle of Saxum, you know what to expect.
That is to say, this one is for all you lovers of BIG, ripe, brawny reds. Pure, hedonistic delight in every sip. Certainly not a shy wine, or what you might call “elegant”. It’s a full throttle, stacked and packed, rip roaring thrill ride of ripe fruit. We can’t say it much better than the Galloni review, “Ripe dark fruits, incense and candied flowers on the deeply perfumed, spice-accented nose. Broad and velvety in the mouth and alluringly sweet, offering plush blackberry, blueberry, violet pastille and licorice flavors that turn livelier with air.” And Dunnuck backs it with, “blackberry, scorched earth, ground pepper, and violet notes, and it too is bright, juicy, full-bodied, and opulent on the palate, with a supple, sexy texture.”
We might add a little fig jam, dates, new leather and woodsmoke in the mix. While the Petite Sirah and the Mourvedre have near equal contributions here, it’s the dark Mourvedre driving the soul while Petite Sirah seems to be enlightening the heart. Now that, is a rare treat.
Bottom line, it’s a thrilling and explosive wine that will rock your face completely off.
Put some in your stash… before it’s G-O-N-E.
94 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous
“Aaron Jackson has been producing, including this year’s lineup, superb wines, consistently outstanding Petite Sirahs and Petite Sirah–based or -dependent wines that. Production here only totals around 1,000 cases, for now, so the best shot at getting your hands on them is contacting Jackson directly… Deep magenta. Ripe dark fruits, incense and candied flowers on the deeply perfumed, spice-accented nose. Broad and velvety in the mouth and alluringly sweet, offering plush blackberry, blueberry, violet pastille and licorice flavors that turn livelier with air. Shows outstanding energy and solid dark fruit thrust on an impressively long, floral-tinged finish shaped by sneaky, harmonious tannins. Drink 2024-2034.”
92 Points – Jeb Dunnuck
“This is another blockbuster set of new releases from the talented Aaron Jackson and they’re certainly the finest wines I’ve tasted from him. The 2016 Trespasser checks in as a blend of 38% Petite Sirah, 32% Mourvedre, 25% Syrah, 5% Grenache that saw a long maceration (50% whole clusters and 35-40 days on skins) that spent 22 months in 20% new French oak. It offers more blackberry, scorched earth, ground pepper, and violet notes, and it too is bright, juicy, full-bodied, and opulent on the palate, with a supple, sexy texture. Drink 2019-2027.”
What the Winery Says
2016 'Trespasser' Paso Robles Red Blend
- Winemaker
- Aaron Jackson
- Varietals
- 38% Petite Sirah, 32% Mourvedre, 25% Syrah, 5% Grenache
- Vintage
- 2016
- Appellation
- Paso Robles
- Vineyards
- Webster, Alta Colina, Jada, Kiler Grove
- Alcohol
- %15.4
- Fermentation
- 50% whole cluster
- Aging
- 22 months
- Barrels
- 20% new French oak
- Production
- 9 barrels