The Data

Country   USA

Appellation   Paso Robles

Varietal   Red Blend

Retail Price   $32

ABV   14%

Score   4.5 Stars/96 points

In the Glass

Brilliant, deep ruby/purple color.

The aromatics are very intense offering scents of black currant, plum, and mineral with supporting notes of sour cherry, five spice, and leather.

The palate echoes the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavors of blackberry with accents of toasted oak and mocha. The finish is long and lingering with supple tannins.

Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a voluptuous texture.

Cool Factor

We love boutique wineries that do it well using their first-rate grapes to produce wines with style and panache. We are new to the wines from Derby and we will follow them closely going forward.

Value Grade

Sold in the lower $30 range this very charming and beautiful Spanish-styled red is among the better Cal-Spaniards that you will encounter so we find it to be a value.

Analysis

The Derby's thought that they were retiring in 1992 when they purchased what has become the Derbyshire Vineyard located just one and a half miles from the Pacific Coast. Like many in their position they got the wine bug and turned from grape growers to winemakers in 2008. The very charming Project España red is made with a Spanish inspired blend of 63% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano, 14% Grenache, and 8% Carignane. The wine is aged in a combination of French and American oak (25% new wood) — just like many Spanish wines — for a period of 30 months. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered so if you have the patience to rest this wine in the cellar for five years or more it will most definitely require decanting. 96 points.

How to Enjoy

Enjoy with just a glass but it really shines with grilled sausages, rich beef stews, and duck confit.