There are some wines from Paso Robles that are dang near impossible to get. These are small-production, high-scoring wines that only the lucky seem to find. Well…Denner's "Dirt Worshipper" Syrah is one of those wines!
Planted in 1999, Denner Vineyards is a winegrowing estate on the far western border of the Paso Robles AVA. Their 156 acres press up against the Santa Lucia Range, giving the site great diversity of elevation, aspect and soil. Previously dry farmed barley, the estate is nestled into the Templeton Gap, an East/West corridor where the marine layer can reach the inland valleys. As a result they receive large diurnal temperature swings without high moisture pressure, giving us a near perfect growing climate.
Winemaker Anthony Yount "cut his teeth" in the wine industry at Denner, working as cellar rat for two vintages. Later, he moved up the road to become Cellar Master at Villa Creek, where he continued to work with Denner fruit. Coming full circle, Anthony returned to Denner as Winemaker in 2009. The 108 acres under vine are comprised of 19 different varieties in 26 unique blocks. Each block is farmed with painstaking attention to detail, allowing only for the best possible grapes to reach the winery. Vineyard manager Aron Nevarez is committed to environmentally friendly farming practices, using only sustainable inputs and minimal irrigation.
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 96 POINTS - "Deep, brilliant purple. An expansive, smoke- and spice-accented bouquet evokes fresh black/blue fruits, succulent flowers, incense and baking spices. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering deeply concentrated boysenberry, blackberry, fruitcake and violet pastille flavors that become more lively as the wine opens up. Shows fine clarity and floral thrust on a tenacious finish framed by velvety, finely knit tannins."
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 96 POINTS - "The 2018 Dirt Worshipper Syrah, blended with a 1% splash each of Roussanne and Viognier, is a stunning Syrah, with an opaque ruby-purple color and a powerhouse nose that's fierce and wild: iron, black licorice, tar, chargrill and coffee emerge along with sparks of white pepper and intense cassis-like fruit. The palate is incredible, exploding with flavor but grounded with round, plush tannins and loads of juicy uplift that carries the long finish. It evolved over many days after the cork was popped, which suggests it will age gracefully in the cellar over the next 15+ years. 1,298 cases produced."
Planted in 1999, Denner Vineyards is a winegrowing estate on the far western border of the Paso Robles AVA. Their 156 acres press up against the Santa Lucia Range, giving the site great diversity of elevation, aspect and soil. Previously dry farmed barley, the estate is nestled into the Templeton Gap, an East/West corridor where the marine layer can reach the inland valleys. As a result they receive large diurnal temperature swings without high moisture pressure, giving us a near perfect growing climate.
Winemaker Anthony Yount "cut his teeth" in the wine industry at Denner, working as cellar rat for two vintages. Later, he moved up the road to become Cellar Master at Villa Creek, where he continued to work with Denner fruit. Coming full circle, Anthony returned to Denner as Winemaker in 2009. The 108 acres under vine are comprised of 19 different varieties in 26 unique blocks. Each block is farmed with painstaking attention to detail, allowing only for the best possible grapes to reach the winery. Vineyard manager Aron Nevarez is committed to environmentally friendly farming practices, using only sustainable inputs and minimal irrigation.
ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 96 POINTS - "Deep, brilliant purple. An expansive, smoke- and spice-accented bouquet evokes fresh black/blue fruits, succulent flowers, incense and baking spices. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering deeply concentrated boysenberry, blackberry, fruitcake and violet pastille flavors that become more lively as the wine opens up. Shows fine clarity and floral thrust on a tenacious finish framed by velvety, finely knit tannins."
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 96 POINTS - "The 2018 Dirt Worshipper Syrah, blended with a 1% splash each of Roussanne and Viognier, is a stunning Syrah, with an opaque ruby-purple color and a powerhouse nose that's fierce and wild: iron, black licorice, tar, chargrill and coffee emerge along with sparks of white pepper and intense cassis-like fruit. The palate is incredible, exploding with flavor but grounded with round, plush tannins and loads of juicy uplift that carries the long finish. It evolved over many days after the cork was popped, which suggests it will age gracefully in the cellar over the next 15+ years. 1,298 cases produced."
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