Ancient Peaks Renegade Red Wine 2020, Santa Margarita Ranch, Paso Robles, California

The 2020 Renegade is composed of Syrah (67%), Malbec (6%), and Petit Verdot (27%) from the estate Santa Margarita Vineyard on the historic Santa Margarita Ranch. The winemaking vision of Renegade is to craft a rich, boldly flavored wine with structure and finesse provided by classic Bordeaux blending varieties. Each lot was cold soaked for 48 hours prior to fermentations spanning 12 to 15 days. After fermentation, the individual lots were aged for 20 months in a combination of French (40%) and American oak (60%) barrels, including a total of 20 percent new oak. A majority of the Syrah was aged in barrels with medium-plus toasting to accentuate the varietal’s savory, smoky nuances. The Bordeaux varieties were matured in medium-toast barrels for pure fruit expression. In the final blend, Syrah sets the tone with deep black fruit and savory nuances. The Petit Verdot intensifies the overall color, nuance and tannin profile, while the Malbec brings juiciness to the mouthfeel. The result is a uniquely styled blend and a true Ancient Peaks original. The 2020 Renegade presents heady aromas of dark fruits, blackberry cobbler, toasty oak and allspice. The palate unfolds with dense, mouthfilling flavors of fresh wildberry, boysenberry and blueberry, expanding into essences of roast coffee, peppery spice, woodsmoke and savory game. Gravelly tannins bring length and structure to a robust, juicy finish.