Nemesis Vintage Notes
The idea of making a single varietal wine is the Nemesis to the ethos of winemaker Matt Trevisan’s work. With a normally high percentage of Syrah each year, this brooding blend is the closest LC will ever come to producing a single varietal wine.
2019
77% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 3% Tannat
A celebration of our Syrah this wine invokes the rich dark velvety texture Paso is known for. Or perhaps this wine, first made in 2001, is what all those other wines are striving for? The spice box in this wine is wide, from pipe tobaccos to a pfeffernusse Christmas cookie. Quince, sugar plums, strawberry rhubarb pie; all the fruit is there as well. As it ages, the wine will move further into brooding and dark flavors, molasses and sausage in the same sip. Drink with a decant now through 2027 or wait for those darker flavors to take hold 2027 through 2037. You will need more than one bottle.
Pairings
Mole Beef Chili, Sous vide Beef Ribs, French Onion Soup,
Grilled NY Strip, soft rich flavored cheeses like Red Hawk or Epoisses
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2017
77% Syrah, 12% Grenache, 7% Mourvedre, 4% Graciano
The Nemesis is constantly transforming itself from vintage to vintage. If you asked what it was like to grow syrah, I would say “easy.” If you asked what it takes to grow great syrah, I would say “determination.” The wine is always derived from our most distinctive blocks of syrah, mourvedre, and grenache. In this vintage… A savory blueberry pie with whipped cream and graham cracker crust. What else can I say? This wine has a big and gorgeous nose, chased on the palate by flavors of roasted meats, toast, and cinnamon. The Nemesis is a pleasure to drink. The mouthfeel is soft and luscious, an extrovert of a wine. With each sip, more and more layers are revealed. The wine is syrah-dominate but the grenache, mourvedre and graciano do their part to impart finesse and a breadth of freshness. Drink now through 2030.
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2016
87% Syrah, 9% Mourvedre, 4% Grenache
Dark fruits, roasted meats, subtle hints of cinnamon spice. A medium to heavy weight but not over the top; juicy, soft. The tannins are there and should develop nicely over the next 3-7 years. Aged 18 months in 2200L new French oak foudre, neutral 500L and new 350L casks.
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2014
77% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 2% Cinsault
Syrah gets its time to shine and grabs ahold with a firm grip. The wafting scent of a late summer barbecue, charred meats and charcoal is followed with comforting maple syrup and sweet baking spices. Blueberry dreams come from within a cedar box. Blood and guts, iron and tar, buttressed by boysenberry. Deeply inviting, this wine gives off layer after layer of rich aromas and flavors. Aged in concrete and new French oak. Drink now through 2024.
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2013
82% Syrah, 14% Mourvèdre, 4% Grenache
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2012
72% Syrah, 21% Mourvèdre, 7% Grenache
An intoxicating concoction of syrah, mourvèdre and a splash of grenache, 2012 Nemesis is rich and saturating on the palate with a light-footed jump at the mid-tongue. The fruits of ripe raspberry, black currant and plum interweave to form a flavor explosion. Aged in 25% new French oak 500L puncheons and concrete tanks for the remainder. The wine is approachable today yet retains enough tannin for future exploration. Drink at 58F and enjoy the ride. 370 cases produced
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2011
87% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 3% Grenache
The Nemesis is constantly transforming itself from vintage to vintage. If you asked what it was like to grow syrah, I would say “easy.” If you asked what it takes to grow great syrah, I would say “determination.” 2011 Nemesis is a gorgeous wine. Big, but not too big. Bright but not too bright. Delicious? Absolutely! As always, the wine is derived from my best blocks of syrah. There are no “Ifs, Ands, or Buts,” just great fruit, delicately blended into the Nemesis. Syrah, mourvèdre, grenache. Drink now through 2023.
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2010
77% Syrah, 18% Mourvèdre, 5% Grenache
Oh you are in for such a treat! Layers and layers of bacon fat, cocoa, and boysenberries evolve from this syrah driven wine. Dark and brooding, yet extremely balanced with elegantly lush tannins that coat the mouth. Your taste buds will be excited with each and every sip.
A compilation of 77% syrah, 18% mourvèdre, and 5% grenache, the fruit originates from Roxie Block (a block at our Estate Vineyard named after my daughter), Booker, Denner, and Caliza Vineyards. Aged in 500L French oak for 19 months and bottle aged for the last 3 months. The wine is ready to drink now or can be cellared for another 7 years. I cannot say enough good things about this wine!
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2009
87% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 3% Grenache
From our most distinctive blocks of syrah, mourvèdre, and grenache comes 2009 Nemesis: a dark, unrelenting flavor experience. The aromatics hint at ripe blackberries, blueberries, graham cracker crust, and nuances of cigar. The wine is firmly structured to create pleasure over the next 4-8 years.
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2008
82% Syrah, 14% Mourvèdre, 4% Grenache
In addition to the huge notes of fresh black and blue berries, intense aromatics of Mission fig, cinnamon, cardamom and sweet piecrust waft out of the glass. The mid-palate is so lush and velvety, yet still showcases that quintessential dusty Paso minerality. After a sip, the wine lingers, allowing you to chew on the supple tannins and ruminate on the sweet baking spices for minutes. Have a glass all by itself, or enjoy it with a roasted tenderloin of beef and braised winter root vegetables. This wine will age gracefully for 5-8 years.
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2007
80% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 5% Grenache
Weighing in at 80% syrah, 15% mourvèdre and 5% grenache, this wine is always a joy to make. A deep redish purple with aromatics of blueberry cheesecake and tar. The Nemesis coats the mouth with a sensory explosion that screams out boysenberry, cola, and fresh roasted meat. As great as the wine is today, I feel the wine will age gracefully over the next 8 years.
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2006
82% Syrah, 14% Mourvèdre, 4% Grenache
Appropriately tight for those who prefer more ageability. This wine’s lush and creamy mouthfeel is packed with flavors of blueberry, boysenberry, smoke and tar as well as subtle hints of oak and vanilla bean. If you decide to drink this wine now, it will benefit tremendously from an hour in a decanter. Drink now through 2013.
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2005
85% Syrah, 11% Mourvèdre, 4% Grenache
This is essentially a syrah wine with a twist of character. Fermented in open tops for 30 days with both punch downs and delestage techniques employed to saturate the color and flavor while leaving a soft and silky texture. Aged in small French casks for 20 months and bottled 4 months prior to release. This wine is drinkable now, yet can be aged for 4-6 years.
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2004
80% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 5% Grenache
From Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“Exhibits an open-knit, flamboyant, exuberant nose of black fruits, flowers and spice. It displays great intensity on the palate, a savory, broad, expansive, mouth feel, superb purity, and a long, layered finish. Consume this stunning red over the next decade or more.”
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2003
82% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 8% Grenache
From Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“Sadly, only 200 cases were produced of this exceptionally fragrant effort. Aromas of acacia flowers, blackberry liqueur, camphor, and a hint of barrique are followed by a wine with tremendous stuffing, a rich, full-bodied, multilayered mid-palate, and a ripe finish displaying sweet, but noticeable tannin. It will benefit from 1-2 years of cellaring, and should age easily for a decade.”
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