2021 E-Squared
Blend: : 51% Grenache, 49% Syrah
Vineyard & AVA: Kimesy Vineyard, Ballard Canyon AVA Santa Barbara County
Alcohol: 14.5%
Aging: Drink now through 2032
Vinification: 19 months on the lees in 8% new 228L new French oak barriques, 35% once used 228L French oak barriques, 18% neutral 265L French oak barriques, 21% neutral 300L French oak barriques, and 18% neutral 500L: French oak Puncheons
Crafted in Limited Quantities
Vision
The wine that started it all. This was the first wine that I ever produced under the Bodega de Edgar label. My favorite variteal is Grenache and my wife Erica’s favorite variteal is Syrah. Hence this wine has always been a blend of those two varietals in roughly equal parts. Throughout the years the fruit has always been sourced from cooler climate regions within the central central coast.
The last several vintages of this wine has seem fruit from the Ballard Canyon ava in Santa Barbara county, which offers a more restrained and old world expression of these varietals than you would normal see from Paso.
Vintage Notes
Overall, thanks to a relatively temperate growing season, the timing of the 2021 harvest is about a week or two later than in recent years, with most growers pulling the first of the core white wine grapes in late August. While the region has seen smoke from wildfires up north, it didn't affect the vineyards in Paso Robles.
The ongoing drought conditions are presenting growers with a double-edged sword of sorts. The good news is the dry conditions this vintage created smaller, more concentrated grapes, which is ideal for winemaking. While yields are lower, it produces more flavors, bolder colors, strong acidity, and manageable tannins. These conditions have winemakers feeling it's an epic vintage for quality.