Vins de Garage No Repair Necessary—These Wines Are All in Top Condition! NICORA WINES
Small lot vintner Nicolas Elliott is a fi rst-generation winemaker who works closely with the vineyard owners and growers in Paso Robles to fi nd the best Rhône varieties to showcase
Nicora's Nicolas Elliott.
his big, bold style. Take the Nicora 2009 Buxom, for instance, a Syrah/Grenache blend from two top sites in the hilly Adelaida area of Paso. Sage and lico- rice don't dominate, but they are not shy, and blueberry comes in for the sweeter side of savory. www.nicorawine.com
LA FILICE WINERY
Referring to themselves as a "micro-boutique," Paso Robles–based La Filice is dedicated to Rhône-style wines. We picked La Filice 2008 Convivio, San Luis Obispo County as our go-to garage wine, a blend of 87% Petite Sirah, 21% Grenache, 9% Syrah and 2% Tannat. Raspberry notes spring up in per- petual waves—like a cordial, or the jam in a mocha-fi lled pastry. Deep and intense. www.lafi lice.com
KATIN KINERO CELLARS
Winemaker Anthony Yount, who is the current winemaker at Paso Robles's Denner Vineyards, also has his own eponymous label. His Kinero 2010 "The Rustler" Roussanne, from Paso's James Berry Vineyard, is a refi ned, alluring white that, in her rustic beauty, doesn't disguise her dusty heart and fl aunts her round peachy fi gure. www.notplonk.com
The cool, marine- infl uenced Templeton Gap's chalky white calcareous soil bears fruit that offers a sweetness ranging from a ripe pineapple to the honeyed dew of white fl owers
Winemaker Justin Kahler crafts Katin wines as well as sister label Arada at his JK Wine Company.
in the Katin 2009 Viognier. Its acidity is well-balanced: no oily or over alc-y quality at all. www.jkwineco.com
january/february 2012 / the tasting panel / 105
