Paso Robles

Paso Robles Willow Creek District

Syrah

IN MEDIAS RES Codex Syrah

United States

California

Willow Creek Wine Co.

SOUBRETTE Vernacular Petite Sirah Blend

SOUBRETTE GSM

EMERSON BROWN Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

IN MEDIAS RES Thesis

EMERSON BROWN Oakville Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

ROCOCO Vista Verde Chenin Blanc

ROCOCO Shell Creek Chenin Blanc

IN MEDIAS RES Eunoia

Black Dahlia

ROCOCO Own Rooted Chenin Blanc

ROCOCO Reserve Chenin Blanc

Willow Creek Wine Co. is a boutique winery on the westside of Paso Robles, owned and operated by Natalie and Brian Brown. It focuses on old-vine Chenin Blanc, estate Syrah, and Rhone-style blends.

The vision for Willow Creek Wine Co. began in 2016 when the Brown family purchased a small ten-acre parcel on Vineyard Drive in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles. Brian and Natalie Brown moved to the property and began the work on rehabbing the land that had been overrun with underbrush and weeds. Both winemakers professionally, their dream was to farm their own piece of earth and build a winery that could house their multiple brands. At the time, Brian and Natalie already produced their own projects, Emerson Brown and Rococo, respectively, and were beginning to produce wines together under the brand that would eventually become Willow Creek Wine Co. In 2019 they harvested their first crop off the property, and these wines led into the development of In Medias Res. In 2020, they slowly opened the doors on the estate’s brand-new production facility and tasting room, and now feature all four of their brands in their tasting room. 

Cabernet Sauvignon

Chenin Blanc

Grenache

Mourvèdre

Petite Sirah

Pinot Noir

Zinfandel

Petite Sirah Blend

Brian and Natalie first produced the Vernacular in 2019 with Petite Sirah as the leading grape variety in this full bodied red blend. It has been a crowd favorite and therefore continue to make this wine every vintage.

Syrah-Mourvèdre Blend

GSM, a classic blend on the Central Coast. Our soils and climate are similar to the Rhône region in France, therefore these grapes grow well here and make for an approachable blend. 


 Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Upon swirling, the 2020 Napa Cabernet quickly unfolds to reveal fragrant violets, graphite, cocoa powder, and chocolate covered blueberries.  Carrying onto the palate, the signature blue and black fruits emerge, supported by firm tannins and balanced acid.  Integrated French oak provides layers of Tahitian vanilla notes and a rich rounded mouthfeel.  Full bodied, but still lifted and light on its toes, this wine finishes long while hitting all the right notes.

This wine is 100% Syrah from the vineyard's south facing block, directly west of the winery. Its name, Thesis, refers to the pedigree of the vine cuttings. They are from a suitcase clone that came over to the US from France a few decades ago and are rare to find in California. 

Early results suggest that this unique selection will make for a truly individual wine, and over the future decades we will study this clone’s potential in our Paso Robles soil. In the cellar, this wine was aged in 50% new French Oak for seventeen months. It is the prettiest, most forward Syrah produced from the estate.

White

Sourced from the Pebble Ridge block at Vista Verde, this ranch was originally the Almaden Vineyard. The Chenin block is a small, hand worked parcel. The soil is a complex combination of rolled alluvial stones and volcanic remains. Despite being one of the furthest inland sites we work with it is one of the coolest, as a result of diverse mountains that run both east-west and north-south, funneling cold Monterey Bay air inland.

The Shell Creek vineyard was planted in 1972 by the Sinton family, now in their sixth generation as stewards of the land. The family has a very large ranch located in the Paso Robles Highlands. They primarily raise cattle but planted vines in certain silty sections of their property. These vines are on their own roots and are celebrated their 50th birthday in 2022!

Syrah Blend

Vintage to vintage, this wine is a blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah. Its name, Eunoia is a rhetorical term that refers to the feeling of goodwill that exists between a speaker and their audience. The literal translation from Greek is “well minded or beautiful thinking”. Aristotle uses the term to describe the kind and benevolent feelings of goodwill a spouse has for their partner. When Brian and Natalie were conceptualizing the wines that would make their In Medias Res brand, they knew they wanted a wine that would exemplify and encompass the best efforts of the people and the benevolence of the land. Eunoia is the vehicle for those efforts. The wine comprises parts of what they consider the most expressive lots of each vintage put together in a way to reflect the epitome of SōNA Estate.

This fruit comes from a single vineyard in Los Alamos planted in 1974. Bordering the newly appellated winegrowing region of Alisos Canyon, the Los Alamos Vineyard has a unique growing environment. It is warmer than both Santa Maria and Los Olivos despite being approximately the same distance from the Ocean. The vines are on their own roots, and are enormous.

100% Chenin Blanc fermented and aged in new oak. The fruit sourcing is from the Los Alamos vineyard, the same property from which we source our Own Rooted Chenin.

Paso Robles

Willow Creek Wine Co.

California

2020

2019

IN MEDIAS RES Codex Syrah

Paso Robles Willow Creek District

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