More kirsch liqueur, raspberry, and Chateauneuf du Pape-like cherry and lavender characteristics are found in the 2006 Leona’s, a combination of 74% Zinfandel, and the rest Mourvedre and a dollop of Alicante. With lovely ripeness as well as more body and depth than the Outsider, it possesses a style that falls somewhere between a top red Burgundy and a first rate southern Rhone. Just intriguing stuff! Drink it over the next 5-6 years. Matt Trevisan is one of Paso Robles’ up-and-coming stars. He’s doing everything right, and it’s good to see him planting a new estate vineyard of nearly 18 acres, building a new wine cellar, and taking full advantage of the gorgeous limestone soils on the hillsides of West Paso Robles. Trevisan has also been ahead of the curve in realizing that the finest Paso Robles wines are usually blends. Undeniably, he has demonstrated a Midas touch when it comes to assembling innovative blends. He is also the only winemaker in this region that I know of who is doing terrific work with Zinfandel, using it as the core component in some diverse as well as creative blends. His wines spend time in an assortment of different sized oak barrels, little of it new. 2006 is a strong vintage for Trevisan, further bolstering his ability to deal with more challenging harvests. Paso Robles has many old, dry-farmed Zinfandel vineyards in this area, most of which are being under-utilized. However, Matt Trevisan’s innovative use of this varietal includes the following four offerings, all brilliant examples of how Zinfandel can be blended intelligently with other varietals. There will be a few new cuvees in 2007, one of which had not yet been named when I tasted it, and another from the Booker and Denner Vineyards that is mostly Syrah. I gave it a provisional rating of (92-95). Trevisan said it may be called “The Widowmaker.” Tel. (805) 227-0790; Fax (805) 227-4868

A blend of 62% Zinfandel, 30% Syrah, and 8% Mourvedre, the 2005 Leone’s exhibits gorgeously sweet raspberry and black cherry fruit along with a hint of resiny pine forest, medium to full body, terrific texture and richness, and a Mediterranean-styled personality as well as mouthfeel. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years. Tel. (805) 227-0797; Fax (805) 227-4868

The 2004 Leona’s (a 320-case blend of 74% Zinfandel, 21% Syrah, and 5% Mourvedre, and perhaps a small dollop of Alicante) offers crunchy black raspberry fruit intermixed with a floral characteristic, tangy acidity, a full-bodied palate (16.3% alcohol), refreshing vibrancy and delineation, and tremendous purity as well as depth. It is a gorgeous wine to enjoy over the next 7-8 years. the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered after spending 16 months or more in primarily American wood barrels, of which approximately 20-30% is new. If you haven’t discovered the wines of Linne Calodo, it’s about time as this is one of the up-and-coming superstar performers in Paso Robles. Tel. (805) 227-0797