Thacher Winery New Routine Review

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New Routine: What I think

Thacher Winery in Paso Robles (California’s Central Coast) is an overlooked gem. It is situated in what used to be called "The Far Out Wineries" but is now known as the Adelaida District, nestled in among more famous wineries like Justin, Tablas Creek, and Denner. I think most people notice the red barn with initials KR (for Kentucky Ranch) and keep on driving. That’s too bad for them, because the wines at Thacher are exceptional.

Winemaker Sherman Thacher likes to come up with quirky names for most of his wines — and he has a knack for it. One of my favorites is Approximately Perfect (a white blend) which was indeed, approximately perfect. Oddly Natural, Original Copy, and Controlled Chaos are can’t miss elixirs, too.

This one, New Routine, is a familiar concept — a Cabernet Sauvignon blend — but instead of the expected blending partner, a Merlot or other Bordeaux red grape, he has paired it up with Syrah — something that would NEVER happen in Bordeaux or the Rhône.

I inevitably tried this for the first time in the tasting room, though I wasn’t keeping notes that far back. When we cracked it open for drinking, Mitch and I were still playing this game where he knows what the wine is (one of us must) and I was to guess what it was. I tired quickly of this game because I’m terrible at it. Here’s a demonstration:

It was so intense I guessed it contained Petite Sirah, Tannat, Zinfandel, or Carignan. I didn’t even consider Cabernet Sauvingon but suspected there was some Syrah in there. Once I knew there was some Cab in there, all of a sudden the blue fruits, dusty graphite, and spearmint surfaced. They joined other delightful flavors like dark red fruits, black currant, white pepper, cedar, and a touch of anise.

Truly enjoyable.

Last updated: May 19, 2023