Refugio Ranch Barbareno

This powerful blend of syrah and petite sirah from one of the region’s more ambitious new producers smells like vanilla ice cream melting over a warm blackberry pie fresh out of the oven.

On the tongue are serious, chewy tannins (maybe too heavy for some?), revealing the rough and rugged side of winemaker Ryan Deovlet, whose personal label’s pinot noirs and chardonnays are opposite exercises in finesse.

See refugioranch.com.