Cypher was without a doubt one of the highlight, stand out wineries I visited in Paso Robles earlier this year.  With a philosophy that avoids “safe” wines, and a embraces the variety of Mother Nature combined with the art and science of wine making, Cypher was a fun winery from the moment I walked in the door, with one of the more eclecticly decorated tasting rooms I’ve seen. As the wine went, I particularly enjoyed their “Drop Dead Legs” Grenache and their Phoenix Syrah, enough to join their wine club.

As part of their wine club, they’ve started sending me interesting cases of wine, packed with fun bottle art and information on the wines.  For my birthday this year, I had to open something special, and so I couldn’t think of a better way than to break into the wine they’d sent me with Cypher The Peasant.  Comprised of 69% grenache, 13% syrah, and 18% mourvedre, this Rhône style blend is limited to 2112 cases and should benefit from the bright character of the grenache balanced with the spicy character of the syrah, and deep, brooding nature of the mourvedre.  Perhaps even more fun than the promise of the make up, is the label that states, “Temperance, like chastity, is its own punishment.”  Cypher The Peasant is anything but punishment.

Sight:  Cypher The Peasant pours a brickish shade of red at the edges, and hedges toward purple in the center.

Smell:  There’s a distinctly earthy quality, like forest floor mixed with dark chocolate that sits in the forefront.  It becomes mixed with racy caramel, toast, and a mix of blackberries and raspberry.  The smells of fruit are jammy, and have a richness to them like an overripe red plum tinged with just a hint of vanilla cream and spice.  The nose undoubtedly complex, but also slightly tight.

Sip:  To be honest, Cypher The Peasant needed some time to breathe after I opened it.  While it is alright to drink, I can’t help but feel that it’s slightly tight and angular at this point in it’s life. The body is large thanks to the alcohol content, but only briefly hot, being incredibly smooth despite the weight.  The texture is truly smooth, rolling around like melted ice cream.  The bright body leads in with racy raspberries, red plums, currants, and hints of toasty oak.  The flavors develop over time, pulling in some dried herbs and creamy oak mixed with vanilla.

Savor:  As evidenced before, the tannins aren’t quite fully calmed down at this point, and the finish is a little bit mouth drying.  On the finish, the red plum flavor continues laced with a small amount of macerated red raspberry and charred oak.  Over time it tones down, pulling in softer, smooth vanilla flavors, and a texture reminiscent of having finished some super premium ice cream.

Cypher The Peasant is just a complete cast of characters.  It’s hard to truly explain how many complex elements are going on simultaneously in this bottle.  From the oak influence to the balance of the grenache – syrah – mourvedre, Cypher The Peasant is a roller coaster ride of vanilla, oak, mixed berries, plums, and a host of textures and smells.  I would recommend decanting or opening the bottle an hour prior to serving based on my own experience with it.  If you happen to love a richer grenache or are a fan of Rhône style blends, then Cypher The Peasant is worth the price of admission.

Verdict:  Complex Oak, Raspberry, Red Plum, Smooth
Price: $40
Paso Robles, California