The wine explodes with flavor, like a firecracker. OK, it’s not a good idea to play with explosives, especially in your mouth, but fear not the bright red fruit aromas & spicy flavors that bounce off your palate. Notes of cinnamon, cranberry, pomegranate & curry dance about, like a ’20s-era flapper in her lacy duds, enticing you to flaunt the staid norms that keep you slavishly in tow. With the essence of sour cherry & birch beer - warmed by spiced leather, ancho chili & sweet tobacco – this wine is an alluring invitation to a more raucous party. Do not go quietly into that speakeasy – embrace this mourvedré with a platter of suitably saucy barbecued ribs.  Bottle price: $28



So there you are, minding your own business & chewing on a rope of licorice (red or black, take your pick), when you spot that chrome-slicked Harley Sportster on the side of the road, its rider sweaty & glistening in the west side Paso Robles heat. Your brain says, “Whoa!” but your palate says, “Yes!” This Syrah has all the richness of ripened plums, layered with all-spice, raspberry, cinnamon, vanilla & potpourri, brightened with a briary dash of olallieberry. Racy yet slick & smooth.  It beckons you to hop on the back of that bike & take a ride on the wild side.  Bottle price: $33 (only a few cases remaining)

Color of red velvet. Aromas of black & red licorice, Bing cherry, vanilla, cedar, & orange peel. Ah, to settle into someone’s lap of luxury. Leros exhibits elegance, yet it has a bad boy quality too – a dusty grit that reminds us of something a tad side of naughty, a carnival midway of sensations. Step right up & take a ride. Savor the whiffs of velveteen cherry compote fruit, anise & fennel, & cola. Delight in flavors redolent of rich berry fruit pie – mmm, blackberries, strawberries, olallieberries. Sumptuous & daring. Our eyes say “maybe,” our mouths say assuredly, “Yes!” A well-considered blend of 59% Syrah, 21% Grenache, 15% Mourvedré, 5% Counoise. Bottle price: $30



Off you go on a pleasant romp through the rustic countryside with a fair-haired confidante. Dusty silkiness on the nose, a fragrant whiff of rose petals, a patch of Sweetbriar & potpourri. Notes of wild fruit suddenly break out – blueberry, ollalieberry, mingled with scents of cigar tobacco, mint, dried sage & sweet cherry. Chewy, yet lively with a crisp acidity, this wine insists on being shared with a spread of choice morsels, delectable, seductive. Spread a blanket, lay out the feast, forget the time of day. Romp away. Bottle price: $28

There once was a king & queen who could not decide on their nightly potation. “Rich & thick, dark with cassis & licorice, leather & spice,” said he. “Bright & dashing, floral & lively, with vivid cherry tart & buttered rum,” replied she. Thus, they did grab this bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, & their kingdom thrived. This wine’s earthy complexity – coarse dried herbs, cinnamon & blackberry – marries divinely with seraphic qualities of rose water, pluot & blueberry. A strong acidic structure & lingering finish promise just rewards for long-bottle aging. This is a wine truly worthy of regal stature. Bottle price: $30

Délos is an island of archaeological treasures & mythical wonders. Délos is a wine of vinous treasure & sensory wonders. Travel there with us: Inviting aromas of cassis, plum, cherries, tobacco leaf lead into nuanced notes of vanilla, cola & exotic dried spices. Still yet, the palate fills with a waxy texture of mocha, mint, blackberry & plum sauce. Is this god-like stuff, or are we fiddling with our fig leaves? Named after the birthplace of Apollo, Délos offers its own shining light of poetic muses. A wondrous blend of Bordeaux varietals, including 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, & 4% Petit Verdot. Bottle price: $30