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Ledge, “Vineyard Drive,” Rhône Blend

Other, United States 2013 (750mL)
$39.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol
SommSelect

Ledge, “Vineyard Drive,” Rhône Blend

This is our first-ever offering from California’s Paso Robles region and after tasting Ledge Vineyards, it’s clear we need to spend more time discovering small producers of this region. Only on the scene for 15 years, Ledge is already abuzz in the industry, being touted for its New World richness and Old World elegance.
I’ve heard their name for quite some time now, so I was thrilled when a recent weekend excursion with the family led us to them. I was driving down the Central Coast and we stopped at a seaside town for a quick bite. Of course, we ventured inland a few miles and ended up at a local winery where they pointed us to nearby Ledge Vineyards. We rattled up a steep dirt road and arrived at what we later found out was the winemaker’s childhood home. After tasting through a string of impressive new releases, he pulled out a few back vintages and today’s 2013 “Vineyard Drive” was a showstopper. It is largely inspired by the finest Châteauneuf-du-Pape and made in minute quantities from Paso’s top vineyards. Though I don’t drink much wine from Paso Robles, this exception had me floored with its rich layers and nuanced earth; both framed with perfect tension. A full-bodied and wildly expressive standout from start to finish, Ledge is now forever on my radar—before long, it will be on everyone else's too. Less than 200 cases were originally produced and there aren’t many left to offer, so act now!
Ledge owner Mark Adams started his wine career at Saxum, a winery that attained cult status for their hedonistic and intensely-layered wines. After mastering viticulture and winemaking, Mark returned to his childhood home in 2003 and began planting vines on his family’s 40-acre ranch. Since bottling his first wine, Mark has received incredible accolades from the industry—Ledge could very well be the next big cult wine, and deservedly so. His work to bridge the gap between southern Rhône and California has been hard-earned and his vision to make world-class wine is quickly becoming realized. He’s not alone either: The Perrin family of famed Château de Beaucastel have been operating down here for the last three decades because they too saw promise in this land and climate. 

“Vineyard Drive” is a blend of Rhône varieties—Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Grenache—from his own expanding vineyard “Home Ranch” and two other high-profile sites, most notably the James Berry Vineyard (made famous by Saxum). If you talk Paso Robles with someone, this parcel will undoubtedly come up; it’s essentially a Central Coast Grand Cru. All three vineyards are located within the Willow Creek District (a much cooler region where nearly all the best wines come from within Paso Robles) and are farmed sustainably year round. Seeing as he is close with the Saxum team, Mark carries out his winemaking at their winery. He ferments the majority of his grapes with whole clusters intact, and indigenous yeasts are always used, which means ferments can take upwards of a month. The wine then ages in new and used 400-liter French oak barrels for 20 months before bottling. 

Ledge’s 2013 “Vineyard Drive” shows an opaque dark ruby-purple core that moves to a dense garnet-pink rim. It’s incredibly viscous with thick tears that slowly work their way down the glass. The nose is powerful, with notes of black cherry, raspberry liqueur, boysenberry, anise, baking spice, and fruitcake, followed by Rhône-like notes of purple wildflowers, crushed earth, white pepper, garrigue, and accents of black olive. The full-bodied palate is impressively rich, with nuanced earth and herbal notes. Expect serious layers of opulent fruit with unending texture that is perfectly framed by a surge of freshness—the lengthy finish diverts from typical Paso Robles by avoiding a syrupy sweet presence. This is a pleasure-seeking wine hitting its stride right now; simply decant for 30 minutes or allow to open up in your Burgundy stem while enjoying over several hours. Pair with the attached barbecued rabbit recipe that calls for a rich blackberry sauce. Whether you go for the grill or the oven, be sure you cook low and slow. Enjoy!

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Country
United States
Region
Other
Sub-Region
United StatesWillow Creek District
Soil
Clay Loam & Sandstone
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Syrah 45%, Mourvèdre 30%, Grenache 25%
Alcohol
15.0
OAK
New and Used 400L French Barrels
TEMP.
65
Glassware
Large Burgundy Stem
Drinking
Now-2023
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Barbecued Rabbit w/ Blackberry Sauce

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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