Booker Oublié, Paso Robles, 2018

Katie here. I’m pretty open to trying all wines, but typically, GSM blends (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) are not my preference. To clarify, though, I was only drinking GSM blends from southern Rhône Valley in France. I’m not saying anything against them! They’re very famous (think Châteauneuf-du-Pape), and my husband loves them!

HOWEVER, winemakers in Paso Robles have been making GSM blends, and I’m finding these to be a wholly different experience! Our friend just got back from leading a hiking expedition to Machu Picchu in Peru (like you do), and we wanted to celebrate the chance to hang out again. He’s a great cook, and he was making handmade cheese ravioli and dry-aged lamb wrapped in bacon with his homemade bordelaise sauce (it was just as amazing as it sounds), so we decided to bring the Booker Oublié 2018 from Paso Robles.

This lovely GSM is 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 30% Mouvèdre. The classic GSM blend from Rhône tends to be earthy and herbaceous, whereas this one is very fruity and overall brighter. It reminds me of red cherries and strawberries, but unlike the Grenache from Rhône that has more of a cooked strawberry character, this displays ripe cherries. I also get a little bit of coffee and black pepper in this. We all really enjoyed this one! It was a delicious wine that you could really sit back and savor. It makes you feel warm and fuzzy, just like you should on a wonderful evening with a wonderful friend.

In a nutshell,

The wine: A

The price: $75 at Jacob Liquor

Would I buy it again: yes, for a special occasion