Color:Garnet

Nose:Cassis-like juiciness, baker's spice, chocolate, and oak — the softest of the Bordeaux offerings in the lineup.

Palate:As it warms, candied plums, cedar wood, and pipe tobacco emerge. The wine shows great reach and depth, with hints of cacao and carob that juxtapose its growing structure. The finish perfectly balances refreshing acid with fine-grained tannins and a note of crème brûlée.

A ski lodge at the end of the day, the most dedicated visitors finishing the last runs as the setting sun gives way to a roaring fireplace with fresh logs on the pile. Hints of toasted oak intertwine with a steaming glass of hot cocoa and half-melted mini marshmallows. Desserts emerge from the kitchen — chocolate, cinnamon, and clove — setting the stage for a long night of revelry with friends old and new.

Appellation:The Willow Creek District features calcareous, high-pH clay soils, steep slopes up to 30%, and a strong marine breeze cooling high diurnal temperatures.

Vineyard:G2 North sits in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, a stone's throw from James Berry. Steep, rocky, calcareous ground - the kind that makes a vine work for its living. Organically farmed, hand-harvested, drip-irrigated from wells on site.