Paydirt “going for broke” Red Blend*

Juicy with sweet red fruits. 79% Zinfandel, 10% primitivo, 4% Petite Sirah, 3% Syrah, 2% Mourvèdre, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon from multiple regions in California. Brambly fruits of blackberry, boysenberry, and blueberry; tasting somewhere in-between pie filling and preserves, the homemade preserves with a little fresh vanilla bean added in.  Nary a tannin to be found in this fruit bomb. Smooth and easy.

A brooding yet lively mix of Zinfandel, sourced from some of the same vineyards behind icons such as Ridge, Turley, and The Prisoner. That means it’s cut from the same cloth as some of the most legendary bottles in California. 

Two of the main sources of the powerful Going for Broke blend are the Paper Street and J. Dusi Vineyards in Paso Robles. Planted and farmed by the Dusi family (who’ve grown the Dusi Zinfandel for Ridge and Turley for decades), the star sites supply the family’s own wines and have also been tapped by Austin Hope and McPrice Myers. 

The dominant Zinfandel component (often called the “Gold Rush Grape”) claims its mark with exotic berry-pie notes and a deep cherry core from some of the state’s earliest plantings. Primitivo, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Cabernet Sauvignon pepper the remainder of this blend with spicy allure.

The co-owner at Paydirt is Patrick McNeil, the California wine-business veteran whose great-great-grandfather struck gold in 1848. McNeil has been crafting some of California’s most sought-after reds for over a decade. Pair him up with Jarman, whose talents are normally reserved for his triple-digit-priced Cabernets from Domaine Curry and Kenefick Ranch, and you’ve got a team with a red-wine Midas touch.