They say two are better than one. Together Dureza and Mondeuse Blance, two ancient varietals, created the beloved Syrah. While neither of the original grapes were popular before the combination, they created a grape that is now the 6th most planted around the world. Its popularity is no surprise when you consider how diversely Syrah can be paired with foods. Its pairings range from grilled or smoked meet to stewed fishes to hard and soft cheeses. Another special characteristic about Syrah is its ability to evolve in a bottle over the years, creating some of the darkest full-bodied wines in the world. Syrah is known for its dark fruit flavors: blueberry, plums, black cherry, blackberry. It is also known for its spice. Your mouth will first be greeted by a burst of fruit-forward flavors and will then be left with a spicy, peppery aftertaste.
In the world today, Syrah is most prominently grown in France. It is the only red wine grape permitted to be planted in the Northern Rhone Region. Often winemakers will try to create a more midpalate wine and will blend Syrah with other grapes. In France, Syrah is commonly blended with Grenache and Mourvedre to create the famous Côtes du Rhône blend. In California, Sea Shell Cellars uses Syrah to produce our acclaimed blend, Collection.
One last fun fact about Syrah is that its high levels of tannins make it a wine with one of the highest levels of antioxidants. Delicious and health-benefiting! Cheers!
To learn out more about Syrah, explore these links:
http://winefolly.com/review/the-secrets-to-syrah-wine/
https://vinepair.com/wine-101/learn-about-syrah-shiraz-wine/
http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-topics/wine-educational-questions/grapes-for-wine-making-flavor-characteristics-explained/syrah-wine-grapes-flavor-character-history/
To learn more about some of our grape varietals, click here:
https://seashellcellars.com/blogs/news/cabernet-sauvignon-blog-post
https://seashellcellars.com/blogs/news/sea-shells-first-varietal-series-blog
It's time to announce exciting news! Sea Shell Cellars has opened a wine bar in a fun tasting room called The Rabbit Hole in downtown Paso Robles, which is located at 1244 Pine Street. We are so excited to be welcomed into the funnest tasting room downtown. Please stop in and and taste our wine! Additionally, be prepared to take some fun photos amidst Sea Shell Decor and the overall Alice in Wonderland theme of the tasting room.
Along with the introduction of our Grenache Rosé, we just released our 2013 red blends. They received amazing awards.Vinous - Explore all things wineBy Josh Raynold - September 16, 2017Paso Robles - Taming the beast2013 Low Tide 90 Points2013 Balboa Reserve 88 points2013 Collection 86 pointsSan Francisco International Wine CompetitionJanuary 16, 20162013 Low Tide GOLD Medal winner2013 Collection Bronze Medal winner2013 Balboa Reserve Bronze Medal winnerIt has been a great month for Seashell Cellars! We are thrilled to have won these awards and to have finally opened up a tasting room in such a lively location. Please come visit us and enjoy!Cheers...
We have an exciting announcement to make for our first varietal series Blog! Recently, Sea Shell Cellars made the decision to switch from our Grenache Blonde to a Grenache Rosé. With the help of our talented team, we created a new wine we believe you will love. It is the perfect wine to indulge in no matter the occasion.
To kick off our new Blog, we decided that there would be no better grape to feature than the mighty Grenache: in honor of the new Rosé. Grenache is a grape that is planted in many vineyards all over the world: France, Spain, Italy, U.S., and Australia. This being said it can often be ignored. It has only begun to take off in the past few years. Grenache is known to have a strong, wider trunk. It also is a wine that ripens late, making it the perfect grape to grow in warmer conditions, like those in Paso Robles.
Looking a little further at the exact details of the grape, Grenache has some staple characteristics. It is often associated with hints of strawberry, black cherry, and raspberry. Other flavors one may be able to discover would be tones of anise, tobacco, citrus rind, and cinnamon. The tannin and acidity both sit at a nice in between level, not overpowering or depriving your taste buds.
In our Rosé, the nose presents a cornucopia of exotic aromas, mixing notes of guava and papaya with hints of hibiscus and coriander. On the palate, layers of fresh cut peaches and nectarines emerge while the wine’s vibrant acidity carries it through to a crisp, refreshing finish.
Several Sommeliers have tasted this wine and they have commented that our Rosé is fabulous and possibly one of our best wines yet. It will be released within the next week or two so please check our website or your favorite liquor store if you would like to purchase a bottle.
There is much more exciting news to follow in the next week or two so please stay tuned.
Cheers...
Coming up next month, make sure to look out for Seashell's Grape Education Series Blog. Each series will feature a grape on the Seashell Vineyard and its characteristics.
Looking forward to learning more about our grapes with you!
Cheers...
Are we surprised that Paso Robles received this tremendous award from the powerhouse magazine Wine Enthusiast? Not one bit! The award will be officially handed out in New York in January but this region of California earned a special place in our lives more than a decade ago. Of course, this is a huge honor and yet also just one more affirmation in our dreams for Sea Shell Cellars! To give you some perspective for the last six years this prestigious award has gone to wine regions in Spain, Argentina, Italy and France. Wine Enthusiast said: "Paso Robles is having a moment in the sun, attracting truckloads of dynamic young talent unafraid to experiment with grape varieties and winemaking techniques. Consistently high-quality wines, a vibrant food culture, and diverse travel experiences for adventurous wine lovers add to the package."
Rick and I had been to Napa, Sonoma and Temecula several times and we had heard of the Paso Robles Region but we had never visited. Kevin Carter, Rick's brother, encouraged us to come to this beautiful, central coast region, which was virtually in his backyard. In 2001, we finally made the trip with our dear friends, the Smith's. We fell in love with this emerging vineyard and winery destination--that was when the seed was planted. Paso Robles was where we wanted to own a vineyard and make wine.
Paso Robles was a breath of fresh air! We enjoyed the beautiful rollings hills, gorgeous vineyards and the out-going friendliness of all the vintners and wineries! It was apparent this wine destination had all the potential to be world renown one day. The town is exceptionally charming with an old fashion square reminiscent of another era. Not only has it become a wine destination, it has also become a culinary destination. There are fabulous restaurants that are small and very quaint. Last but not least, there are many small boutiques that offer tremendous shopping from clothing to a plethora of artistic locally-made wine accessories. Next time you plan a trip to the "wine country" you really need to consider Paso Robles. As the article says, "Wine regions far more famous than Paso Robles produce great wine but few places exhibit the spirit and can do positivity of this Central Coast appellation."
To read more of Wine Enthusiasts wonderful comments please go to: http://www.winemag.com/Web-2013/2013-Wine-Region-of-the-Year-Paso-Robles/
A few months ago Rick and I had the opportunity to participate in a wine dinner hosted by 'Villa Parker Summer Wine Series along with Jordan Wine & Spirits.' After dinner a gentleman by the name of Joao Roquette Alvares Ribeiro from Quinta Do Vallado stood up and shared a quote from his experiences with his family vineyard that has been around for over 100 years in Portugal. "Someone once asked me what the best wine in the world is...there is only one answer. The best wine is the one you enjoy the most, but more than that, the best wine is the one that leaves the best emotion. Try having a $1000.00 bottle of wine on the day your wife left you, then tell me how it tasted..wine is about emotions and memories, about who you had it with and where."
We loved this quote! This philosophy embodies Sea Shell Cellars. Everything in life is better when shared with friends or while making new friends! Cheers...