Linne Calodo, 'Sticks and Stones', Paso Robles, California, 2020

Overview of the Wine
One of the most revered producers in Paso Robles, Matt Trevisan’s conceptual and artisan wines have made him a pioneer in California’s small production wine movement. Born in South California, Matt moved to San Luis Obispo in 1990 to study biochemistry at Cal Poly University. It was during this period that he began apprenticing at local wineries, sparking his passion in winemaking and (unknowingly) launching a career in the field.

Matt started Linne Calodo in 1998 as a side project while driving forklifts at Wild Horse Winery, with the intention of producing small batch, low intervention wines that showed the very best of West Paso terroir. 

And that he did - always fine-tuning, Matt has become known for his impressive, fresh blends of Central Coast grown Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache and Zinfandel (among others). Polyculture is thriving. Vineyards are farmed sustainably, and vines are surrounded by oak trees, olives and fruit trees. In the cellar, there’s no formula; Matt makes wine by the taste and feel, crushing fruit straight into the barrel. 

Linne Calodo’s minimalist wines have gained a cult following among passionate consumers and sophisticated somms alike, and Slacker, Matt’s second label, has all there is to love at a more accessible price point. Swimming with the big boys but having more fun doing it, Slacker wines don’t worry about expectations, reviews, and scores. Grapes are manually harvested, sorted by hand and ferment with native yeast. These fun blends showcase Matt’s ability to constantly keep creating and pioneering the exciting possibilities of the Paso Robles wine regions.

Grape / Blend
77% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 3% Mourvedre

Origin
Paso Robles, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Few wines can compete with the intoxicating aromatics of Sticks and Stones.  Wild chaparral, soft delicate rosewater, and bright peak of season strawberries pull in your olfactory senses and send a dizzy pleasure directly to the brain.  The tannins on this wine grab the front of the tongue, then slowly creep across the rest of the pallet, melting away at the lingering finish.  The fresh red fruit notes on the pallet are offset by a gentle salinity and soft cedar notes.  

Young the wine has a kinetic energy, the flavors exploding across your pallet reminiscent of a toddler running through a strawberry field.  To allow for better aromatic development and a softer more featherlike feel on the pallet, decant the wine for one to two hours.  Five to seven years of aging from vintage date allows for secondary characteristics to develop; earthy mushrooms and worn leather creating a perfect compliment to the now dried roses and ever present strawberries.  A short decant is still recommended at this time to allow for the wine to relax into life outside the bottle.  

95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Sticks and Stones is made up of 77% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 3% Mourvèdre. It has a medium ruby-purple color and alluring aromas of cranberry sauce, Earl Grey tea, tobacco leaves, blood orange and aniseed. The palate is medium-bodied, soft and juicy with approachable, spicy fruits and a long, layered finish.

Product size: 750ml