Opaque ruby. Powerful, deeply pitched black and blue fruit, candied licorice, violet pastille and fruitcake flavors are braced by a spine of juicy acidity and a hint of smoky minerals. Stains the palate with densely packed cassis, bitter cherry and blueberry flavors that pick up exotic spice, cola and dark chocolate on the back half. This deeply concentrated wine shows remarkable clarity and litheness for its richness and finishes extremely long and spicy, with a resonating floral note and chewy, steadily building tannins.

Brought up in half new barrels, the 2017 Paderewski Vineyard has closed down substantially since I tasted it from barrel and is a big, rich, chewy effort as well as one of the more structured and tannic wines in the lineup. Loads of blueberry and mulberry fruits as well as notes of ground pepper, herbs, and graphite give way to a full-bodied 2017 that has good acidity, a more tight, backward feel on the palate, and a great finish. Hide bottles for 2-3 years.

The 2017 Paderewski Vineyard, owned by Epoch, is a blend of 43% Syrah, 25% Mataro, 10% Zinfandel, 9% Petite Sirah, 9% Tempranillo and 4% Viognier. It was made with 31% whole cluster and aged 19 months in 55% new oak. Medium to deep ruby in color, it's scented of red and black currants, cranberry jelly, turned earth, grilled game meats and dried herbs. The medium to full-bodied palate is plush, lushly fruited and intense with lip-smacking freshness and a long finish. 700 cases produced.

Deeply structured and brimming with personality, this blend expresses blackberry, licorice, grilled meat and savory pepper notes, building density and power toward broad-shouldered tannins. Syrah, Mataro, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo and Viognier. Best from 2021 through 2030. 690 cases made.