Chronic Cellars Dead Nuts 2022

Cellar for up to 8 years. No need to decant before serving. Chronic Cellars was founded by brothers Josh and Jake Beckett in 2004 out of a desire to turn “chronic” or top quality fruit into delicious and accessible wines. The siblings grew up in Paso Robles in California and spent their early years helping out on the family winery washing down barrels and bottling wine. These skills and strong work ethic would come in handy in later life when setting up their very own winery from scratch. Thanks to their Paso Robles roots, the brothers are able to access some of the region’s finest fruit which are selected by winemaker Josh. They strive to use the very best raw ingredients wherever possible to craft opulent, fruit-forward blends. Their striking labels are also the result of a local partnership thanks to an old friend and artist who interprets their bold and characterful wines in visual form. This quirky bottle is named “Dead Nuts” after the old walnut and almond trees that had to be removed to make way for the brothers’ vineyards. It’s a punchy blend of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah along with a drop of Tempranillo. Expect opulent dark fruit flavours and hints of spice, tobacco leaf and licorice with a generous full body and firm tannins.

Price: £28.91 from 8wines UK