2011 Linne Calodo Nemesis Syrah

Linne Calodo was founded in the late 1990s by Matt Trevisan and Justin Smith, former college roommates at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on California’s Central Coast. Trevisan worked at Justin Winery after graduating in biochemistry and within a few years he and Smith started Linne Calodo. Smith branched off on his own in 1998 to start Saxum. Today Linne Calodo produces a portfolio of Rhone-style reds and whites, and Zinfandel. Along with Saxum, it is one of the area’s hot cult wine producers. Robert M. Parker Jr. calls Trevisan “one of the more impressive winemakers in California…All these cuvees possess singular names as well as personalities.”

Paso Robles AVA is midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and it is considered one of the West Coast’s most exciting winemaking regions. With its hot, sometimes searingly dry and sunny weather, it is especially good country for growing warm climate grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. Because many Paso Robles wineries have been successful with blending these grapes into Rhone Valley-style wines, it is known as the Rhone zone of California. The AVA was created in 1983 and there are 32,000 vineyard acres. In late 2014 the AVA was divided into 11 smaller sub-appellations, so starting with 2015 vintages labeling will become more specific on Paso Robles wines, which will now also list sub-appellations. Located in San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles, the town and its surrounding area, was traditionally a farming and ranching region. But from a few dozen wineries in the early 1990s to more than 200 today, the area is quickly becoming known for wine and risk-taking winemakers.

This grape is grown in milder climates and produces a medium-to full-bodied wine. It is also known as Shiraz, but should not be confused with Petit Sirah, which was developed by crossing Syrah with Peloursin.