Quench + Temper Chapter III Bas Vineyard Paso Robles 2018

If you love the hedonistically rich, classically California styles of Turley, Saxum, or L'Aventure...you’re going to want some of this. Turley Cellars alum, Brennan Stover, used his years traveling up and down the wine regions of California to his advantage, finding an idyllic plot of land in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. At an elevation of 1400’ in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, Brennan planted the BÃS vineyard in 2013. It was the peak of a five year drought... probably not the traditionally ideal time to plant an organic, dry-farmed vineyard on steep slopes of siliceous shale stone and Miocene marine sediments. And yet, out of that was born the name of “Quench + Temper”... a forging technique that strengthens steel through heating it to its very brink, then plunging it into liquid and back into fire again and again to increase the durability and resilience of the metal far beyond its natural capacity. Such was the philosophy of the vineyard planting – high density planty on meager soils, under intense conditions – ensuring that the surviving vines are hearty and durable, with low yields of intensely concentrated fruit. To add even more sadistic levels of stress to these poor vines, Brennan opted to train the plants in the Échalas tradition, named for the village in the Northern Rhone valley where this style was first used. Never submitted to the press, we heard from a friend of a friend, and luckily made the connection. With this stellar pricing, we can’t say it enough... You need to try this!!

The vineyard site is a south-east exposure within a stone’s throw of an industrial rock quarry – exposing a 500’ deep cut into the Mountain side (saves the need to dig your own soil pits throughout the vineyard!). At merely 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the climate experiences diurnal temperature shifts of 30 plus degrees for cool nights and warm days. All that and more is expressed in the luscious and delectable wine with killer aromas of black raspberries and blueberries and huckleberry reduction mingled with cigar box, plum jam, fruit leather, and licorice. The palate is equally powerful and superbly polished, delivering an experience that is layered and complex, with plentiful blackberry goodness, black raspberry, and black cherry flavors that somehow keeps things fresh and bright, despite the bold and ripe qualities of the fruit. One last time, this is one of the most exciting new projects we have come across in quite some time. Do yourself a favor and find a new favorite California red blend!

PAIRING IDEAS: This wine makes me want to go all nostalgic for my grandma’s Filipino Adobo. She’d haunt me for the rest of my life if I gave that recipe away, but luckily, this one here is pretty darn close. Brighten things up with a green mango salad (unripe mangoes, red peppers, carrot sticks, and cilantro tossed with s+p, lime juice and a dash each of sesame oil and fish sauce).

MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” was the ultimate comeback song… a bold challenge to the artist’s critics, naysayers, and personal demons. Plus, it just rocks!