Maniacal is our Southern Rhone inspired red blend, consisting of 50% Grenache, 26% Syrah, and 24% Mourvedre, all from the westside of Paso Robles. Our goal was to create a GSM with finesse, treating it closer to Pinot Noir than the big reds of Paso Robles. The wine is bristling with brambly blackberry and black cherry. Florals lend a soft edge, while spice and toast bring a warmth to the glass. On the palette, the fruits are unctuous and generous, while the fine tannins hold focus.
Production Notes
The grapes were hand-harvested at optimal ripeness, after which they were then hand-sorted and destemmed. We cold-soaked the grapes for 5 days to extract color, and then fermentation kicked off spontaneously. Daily pump-overs and punch-downs were performed for cap management. When the fermentation was dry, the grapes were pressed and put into 30% new French oak barrels plus 70% neutral barrels (a mix of 228L barriques and 500L puncheons) to age. The wine was racked 5 months after harvest and then returned to barrel for another 15 months. The blend was then assembled prior to bottling. We bottled this wine in August of 2023, unfined and unfiltered.
Specs
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: 50% Grenache, 26% Syrah, 24% Mourvedre
Appellation: Central Coast
Vineyards: Luna Matta, Mesa Del Sol, Rolph, Coastview
Harvest Date: 10/11/2021
Bottling Date: 08/03/2023
Release Date: April 2024
Alcohol: 14.80%
Cases Produced: 453
2022 Cordant Winery Maniacal GSM
93 points: Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
Matt Kettman (Wine Enthusiast): “Aromas of dark hibiscus, damp earth, gamy meat and elderberry show on the nose of this blend… The palate is rugged yet refined, offering blackberry and peppercorn flavors that are framed by chalky tannins and
persistent acidity.”
Production Notes
The grapes were handpicked, sorted, and fully destemmed. 3 to 5 days of cold maceration was then followed by 7 to 14 days of fermentation using wild yeasts and bacteria. Pump-overs and punch-downs were used for cap management. The wines were drained and pressed, then barreled down to neutral 500L puncheons. They aged for 4 months, and were then racked in the spring, where they aged an additional 16 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Specs
Vintage: 2022
Varietals: 38% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache, 26% Petite Sirah, 8% Syrah
David and DeAnn Taylor founded Cordant Winery in 2014 with the goal to produce Pinot Noir and Rhone-style wines that would become favorites in their own cellar, and hopefully those of friends, family, and customers.
We made about 3000 cases of wine per year, from Monterey County in the northern California Central Coast moving south through Santa Barbara County, a distance that covers almost 200 miles.
Certain wines we vineyard-designate which allows us to present those vineyard sites through their unique terroir, micro-climates, and soil conditions. It is always a joy to taste vineyards side-by-side to understand their unique contributions.
But we blend other wines throughout the range of our Central Coast vineyards to offer the best combined contributions and complexity we can nurture from these vineyards. In fact, in a given year we source fruit from 16 to 20 different vineyard sites for our wines. With so many different vineyards, it allows us to mix it up a bit each harvest.
It has been an educational and rewarding journey since we joined the vibrant Paso Robles wine community.
Available States
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations)
Cordant Winery Maniacal GSM Blend - $50 = 20.83%
WE 2022(mentioned above)…93 points. Black cherry and light licorice aromas converge on the nose of this blend of 38% Mourvèdre, 28% Grenache, 26% Petite Sirah and 8% Syrah. The palate is intense with black cherry compote flavors that are dusted in pepper and herbs. — Matt Kettmann 5/1/25
Vinous 2022…88 points. The 2022 Maniacal opens with a fresh mix of sweet sage and crushed wild blueberries. It is soothingly round, with balanced inner sweetness and ripe red and blue fruits. A subtle mineral tinge and cascade of lavender pastille linger on the medium-length finish. Drink 2025 - 2028 Eric Guido June 2025
Vinous 2021…89 points. The 2021 Maniacal opens with a candied blend of rum-soaked cherries, violet pastille and baking spice. It’s silky smooth with sweet inner herbal tones that complement its ripe wild berry fruits. Grippy tannins resonate as this finishes with impressive length and a tinge of heat (14.8%), leaving notes of licorice and exotic spice to slowly fade. Drink 2025 - 2030 Eric Guido June 2024
Drunken Cyclist 2021…94 points. Heavy bottle (693g; 1lb 8.5oz). 50% Grenache, 26% Syrah, 24% Mourvèdre. This is Cordant’s take on the (what-has-become) classic G-S-M blend and it is fantastic. While I could not find any info for this wine on the website, I was actually OK with that–I would much rather focus on what is in front of me. And Whoa. As with all of the Cordant wines I have sampled thus far, this is quite dark in the glass. Even inky-dark. The nose, however, is surprisingly reticent even after several hours open. Eventually, through more than a modicum of coaxing, there were traces of dark fruit, pencil shavings, and anise. The palate, however, was not shy but nor was it rambunctious, it was measured and balanced. Juicy, with both red and black fruit, and while yes, it’s fruity (even really fruity), I really like this wine as there is plenty of tartness to wage a battle with that fruit and several levels of complexity. Maniacal? Not quite a maniac but surely exuberant. In the best kind of way. Outstanding. Jan 2024
Decanter 2021 paywall teaser…Red berry fruits scented with cedarwood and mocha spices. Medium-bodied, sporting substantial and present tannins through which…
Winery website references 93 points for 2021 from Owen Bargreen
I spent two nights with the 2022 Maniacal Cordant Central Coast red.
First night, pop and pour was more on the higher alcohol/acidity side. The color looked good, deep ruby with a darker edge. The nose gave mostly heat at first, with dark cherry buried under it. The first sip was the same. Alcohol showed on the back end and the acid felt pointy and apart from the fruit. Tannin was there but hard to read under all that.
I put the rest in a decanter for close to three and a half hours and kept going back to it. It settled in stages. After an hour the nose opened a bit. After two the cherry got clearer and a little plum skin came in. By hour three the heat had dropped back and the palate felt a bit rounder. Still young and tight, but drinkable, and a lot more pleasant.
Night two was better by a clear margin. I had corked half the bottle and left it on the counter. No decant, just poured. The nose was deeper and sweeter, more black cherry than anything else. The acid had folded in. The finish was longer and less hot. The whole bottle felt more put together.
My take is to wait on this. If you buy a few, leave them alone for a year or two. It has the fruit and the structure. It just needs time to knit.
With food it made more sense even now. On night one we had a small cheese plate after the decant. Aged cheddar was great with it. Manchego worked too. The salt and fat helped smooth the edge. For a full meal I would lean spicy or heavy. My best guess would be spaghetti with red sauce and a good hit of red pepper, or a big cut like ribeye. Short ribs would work for the same reason. It wants something bold enough to meet it where it is.
Cordant Winery Maniacal GSM Blend
2021 Cordant Winery Maniacal GSM
Tasting Notes
Production Notes
Specs
2022 Cordant Winery Maniacal GSM
Tasting Notes
Production Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$576 at Cordant Winery
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Oct 12 - Tuesday, Oct 13
Cordant Winery Maniacal GSM Blend
4 bottles for $79.99 $20/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $189.99 $15.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2021 Cordant Winery Maniacal GSM Blend
2022 Cordant Winery Maniacal GSM Blend
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations)
Cordant Winery Maniacal GSM Blend - $50 = 20.83%
WE 2022(mentioned above)…93 points. Black cherry and light licorice aromas converge on the nose of this blend of 38% Mourvèdre, 28% Grenache, 26% Petite Sirah and 8% Syrah. The palate is intense with black cherry compote flavors that are dusted in pepper and herbs. — Matt Kettmann 5/1/25
Vinous 2022…88 points. The 2022 Maniacal opens with a fresh mix of sweet sage and crushed wild blueberries. It is soothingly round, with balanced inner sweetness and ripe red and blue fruits. A subtle mineral tinge and cascade of lavender pastille linger on the medium-length finish. Drink 2025 - 2028 Eric Guido June 2025
Vinous 2021…89 points. The 2021 Maniacal opens with a candied blend of rum-soaked cherries, violet pastille and baking spice. It’s silky smooth with sweet inner herbal tones that complement its ripe wild berry fruits. Grippy tannins resonate as this finishes with impressive length and a tinge of heat (14.8%), leaving notes of licorice and exotic spice to slowly fade. Drink 2025 - 2030 Eric Guido June 2024
Drunken Cyclist 2021…94 points. Heavy bottle (693g; 1lb 8.5oz). 50% Grenache, 26% Syrah, 24% Mourvèdre. This is Cordant’s take on the (what-has-become) classic G-S-M blend and it is fantastic. While I could not find any info for this wine on the website, I was actually OK with that–I would much rather focus on what is in front of me. And Whoa. As with all of the Cordant wines I have sampled thus far, this is quite dark in the glass. Even inky-dark. The nose, however, is surprisingly reticent even after several hours open. Eventually, through more than a modicum of coaxing, there were traces of dark fruit, pencil shavings, and anise. The palate, however, was not shy but nor was it rambunctious, it was measured and balanced. Juicy, with both red and black fruit, and while yes, it’s fruity (even really fruity), I really like this wine as there is plenty of tartness to wage a battle with that fruit and several levels of complexity. Maniacal? Not quite a maniac but surely exuberant. In the best kind of way. Outstanding. Jan 2024
Decanter 2021 paywall teaser…Red berry fruits scented with cedarwood and mocha spices. Medium-bodied, sporting substantial and present tannins through which…
Winery website references 93 points for 2021 from Owen Bargreen
fwiw
I spent two nights with the 2022 Maniacal Cordant Central Coast red.
First night, pop and pour was more on the higher alcohol/acidity side. The color looked good, deep ruby with a darker edge. The nose gave mostly heat at first, with dark cherry buried under it. The first sip was the same. Alcohol showed on the back end and the acid felt pointy and apart from the fruit. Tannin was there but hard to read under all that.
I put the rest in a decanter for close to three and a half hours and kept going back to it. It settled in stages. After an hour the nose opened a bit. After two the cherry got clearer and a little plum skin came in. By hour three the heat had dropped back and the palate felt a bit rounder. Still young and tight, but drinkable, and a lot more pleasant.
Night two was better by a clear margin. I had corked half the bottle and left it on the counter. No decant, just poured. The nose was deeper and sweeter, more black cherry than anything else. The acid had folded in. The finish was longer and less hot. The whole bottle felt more put together.
My take is to wait on this. If you buy a few, leave them alone for a year or two. It has the fruit and the structure. It just needs time to knit.
With food it made more sense even now. On night one we had a small cheese plate after the decant. Aged cheddar was great with it. Manchego worked too. The salt and fat helped smooth the edge. For a full meal I would lean spicy or heavy. My best guess would be spaghetti with red sauce and a good hit of red pepper, or a big cut like ribeye. Short ribs would work for the same reason. It wants something bold enough to meet it where it is.