2018 Law "Sagacious" Rhone Blend, "The Nines" Grenache & Law Estate "Beyond Category" Red Blend Horizontal

“The Southern Rhône inspired 2018 Sagacious (close to equal parts Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre) offers lots of red and blue fruits as well as savory herbs, spice, and dried flower-like aromas and flavors. It’s seamless, full-bodied, and has remarkable purity of fruit. As with all the releases here, it’s a ripe, powerful wine loaded with character.” (09/2021)

“The 2018 Sagacious is a blend of 35% Grenache, 34% Syrah and 31% Mourvèdre, aged 19 months in 42% new oak. The nose offers top notes of cedar and graphite over cassis, blueberries and licorice. The full-bodied palate has explosive, perfumed, juicy fruits with a grainy texture and long, layered finish. It's lovely right now but should age well in bottle. (EB)” (10/2020)

“Dark ruby. A highly complex, mineral-accented bouquet evokes red and dark berry preserves, incense and exotic spices, and a suave floral quality emerges as the wine opens up. Stains the palate with sharply delineated black raspberry, cherry-vanilla and fruitcake flavors that are braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Shows impressive depth as well as energy and finishes extremely long and spicy, leaving notes of candied lavender and Chambord behind. (JR)” (10/2020)

“Wiry and appealingly gamy, offering tightly focused notes of dried cherry and grilled anise, with a whiff of jerky that builds structure toward medium-grained tannins. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. (TF).” (04/2022)

“The 2018 Beyond Category is more Tempranillo based and includes 24% Grenache, 21% Graciano, and 5% Carignan. It has a big, meaty, salty, spicy style to go with ample black cherry and darker fruits, full-bodied richness, terrific balance, and a great finish. It’s another pedal-to-the-metal, balanced, beautiful wine from winemaker Philipp Pfunder.” (09/2021)

“The 2018 Beyond Category is a final blend of 50% Tempranillo, 24% Grenache, 21% Graciano and 5% Carignane, expected to age another eight months in 48% new oak. It has an inky purple-black color and scents of cassis with graphite, cast iron, aniseed, violet and soy sauce. The full-bodied palate has a serious, minerally character with a pleasantly rustic touch of chew and a very long, spicy finish. 500 cases will be made (EB).” (10/2020)

“Saturated ruby. Black raspberry, cherry, licorice and a subtle vanilla nuance on the deep-pitched, smoke-tinged nose. Smooth and expansive on the palate, offering ripe cherry and red berry flavors that show fine definition and take on a spicy quality with air. Gently gripping tannins add shape to a very long, dark-fruit-dominated finish that leaves espresso and red berry notes behind (JR).” (10/2020)

“A big wine, but wonderfully seamless and velvety, with dark chocolate, plum and star anise flavors that are fragrant and harmonious. Delivers toasted cumin, fresh sage and peppery notes on the finish. Tempranillo, Grenache, Graciano and Carignan. Drink now (MW).” (10/2022)

“Just as sexy and hedonistic as they come, the 2018 The Nines (100% Grenache) reveals a lighter ruby hue as well as a magical bouquet of kirsch, ground pepper, sandalwood, and violets. It’s full-bodied and powerful on the palate yet stays light on its feet, with perfect balance, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. Fermented in concrete tanks and aged 19 months in a mix of concrete eggs and French oak (69% new), it’s up with the greatest Grenache from Paso Robles. It has another 10-12 years, probably more, of prime drinking ahead of it.” (09/2021)

“The 2018 The Nines Grenache was fermented in concrete and spent 19 months in 69% new French oak. Medium ruby-purple, it's perfumed and layered with raspberry and blueberry preserves, blood orange and notes of apricot, plus tones of charcuterie, bitters and wildflowers. The medium to full-bodied palate is finessed and fresh this vintage, with intense, spicy fruits corseted by ripe, grainy tannins and finishing with notable length and layering. (EB)” (03/2022)

“Brilliant ruby-red. Intense red fruit preserve, cherry cola, baking spice, incense and smoky oak qualities on the highly expressive nose. Palate-staining raspberry, kirsch, boysenberry, candied lavender and vanilla flavors are supported by a spine of juicy acidity. Shows outstanding tenacity on the penetrating finish, which features polished tannins and resonating cherry and floral notes. 69% new French oak. (JR)” (11/2021)

“Vibrant and tightly focused, with precise raspberry and cherry flavors laced with smoked pepper and grilled herbs. Delivers refined tannins on the finish. (TF)” (04/2022)