93 Points & Under $20: Classic Cali GSM - Save 40%

2019 Stolpman "Estate - Own Rooted Field Blend" Ballard Canyon Red Blend (Elsewhere $38) ($19.95)

93 points Wine Advocate: "The 2019 So Fresh Own Rooted Field Blend is made from 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah and 30% Grenache. Medium ruby-purple, the nose opens with bay leaves, white pepper, violets and bergamot with a core of crunchy blackcurrant fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and floods the mouth with juicy, perfumed fruits, softly framed and finishing fruity. It's a yummy, immediately accessible style... (EB)" (10/2020)

K&L Notes: A true field blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Syrah, and 30% Grenache — entirely estate grown in Ballard Canyon. This wine is selected from a block of own-rooted vines planted at an extremely high density of 6,000 vines per acre! Mourvèdre and Syrah are fermented with native yeast, whole-cluster carbonic fermentation in sealed stainless steel for 9-12 days. The wine is then aged in neutral French Ermitage 500L puncheons for 5 months.

Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 05, 2024

This is a fascinating wine on so many levels! Starting from the ground up — this wine is entirely estate-grown at Stolpman's estate in Ballard Canyon. This fantastic site covers a swath of oak-studded, rolling hills with complex soils of weathered sandstone over fractured shale and limestone. The Stolpman family who pioneered this region for grape growing have an intimate knowledge of the land and are constantly experimenting with diverse planting across the varied terroir their property affords them. This particular block is a small planting of ultra-high density, own-rooted, head-trained, dry-farmed vines. At 6000 vines per acre, this is one of the highest density plantings in California with spacing at less than 3ft x 3ft! Everything has to be done by hand as the spacing is too tight for machinery. The block is a natural blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache.

The wine is made in a completely hands-off style, the fruit is naturally fermented with native yeasts, the Mourvèdre and Syrah are fermented whole-cluster, using carbonic maceration. The Grenache gets a more typical, whole berry, open top native fermentation. After a relatively short elevage in 500L neutral French oak Puncheons the wine is bottled with no sulfur is added at any point. Folks who know me and my wine preferences are probably aware that I'm typically very skeptical of no sulfur / "natural" wines. Often times making wine in this way is akin to Russian Roulette. The wine is unprotected from oxidation and many forms of microbial spoilage. So...when I'm considering wines of this genre for offerings at K&L I'm sure to be particularly meticulous in my selection. This wine, I'm pleased to say, represents a sulfur-free wine in all the best ways! To the point where the fact that it's a no SO2 added wine is perhaps the least important thing about the wine! It's remarkably pure expression of fruit, and place is way more consequential.

The wine is bright, with lots of crunchy, juicy fruit, garrigue notes, classic Rhône-like meaty, gamey notes, a raw authentic expression of the varietal mix, with depth and concentration coupled with an ethereal, lift and crushed flower top note. Really interesting wine, certainly one that will appeal to folks more used to drinking more "Old World" styles with pronounced acidity and savory elements interwoven with fruit. It also works brilliantly for folks who enjoy the oh-so-trendy category of "chillable reds", serve this beauty at a cool cellar temp or even give it 15-20 mins in the fridge before pulling the cork and it's totally delicious. A great stand alone wine in it's own right, and really interesting for folks curious about no added sulfur wines who don't want overtly funky, barnyard characters to dominate their experience. Nice work team Stolpman! *Top Value!*

Alexandre Tweedie | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 31, 2024

Plump fruit with a lighter styled body, Stolpman's 2019 Field Blend is a juicy delight of soft fruit and great acidity. My key note for the fruit on this blend is "Blueberry Pie Perfume" ten different times in a row -cinnamon spice, sandy minerals, a solid splash of earthy pepper on the finish, but in between those notes? Blueberry Pie! Like if short crust and blueberries fell into the fermenter, this wine brings absolutely killer blue fruit sheathed in a solid layer of minerals, and the fruit glistens! If you're in the mood for a little juicy delight, jump right to Stolpman's Field Blend.

Scott Beckerley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 24, 2024

It seems like so many, many years ago when I had my first Stolpman wine. A Syrah. They are still doing such a great job with Rhone varietals. This bottling has an upfront peppery nose encased in dark currant scents and (light) savory herbs. On the palate, lovely richness with blackberry, boysenberry and just the lightest touch of roasted gamey meats. So easy to drink. As a bonus, there is even no sulfur added!