Several months ago, a PR person contacted me about a few of his clients and wanted to know if I would be interested in trying the wines and perhaps writing about them. In other words, the kind of thing that happens all the time. I agreed (which also happens all the time) and I received the wines a few weeks after that.

As is often the case, shortly after receiving the wines, life happened. I had a few trips this fall, my father died, and then basketball season started up (for those that you that don’t know, I am the JV coach at my son’s school where he is on the Varsity; his team is decent, my team is not).

So it took me a bit longer to get around to tasting these wines than I would have liked (I also had a slew of other wines to get to as well), but finally, here they are. I do not know much about the winery other than what I could glean from its website but suffice it to say that I really liked the wines.

The production is fairly low (only about 3,000 cases total) and the wines are only available directly from the winery but based on the six wines I tried, Cordant Winery should certainly be on your list as wines to seek out and try.

2021 Cordant Winery Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills, CA: Retail $70. Heavy bottle (731g; 1lb 9.7oz). I like to think that I am fairly familiar with the Sta Rita Hills appellation even though it has been a few years since my last visit there. I would have to go back and look, but I believe this is my first experience with a wine from the Radian Vineyard, which is both the furthest south and west vineyard in the appellation. Given the proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the vineyard is quite chilly, particularly at night, and it shows in this wine. While this wine is quite fruity (black cherry, red currant), but it is also rather dark, pushing right up against brooding. Whoa. Big, a bit burly, but short of boisterous, all of that fruit is held in check by a strong backbone of acidity, which, even given all the fruit, is what defines this wine. And that is the way it should be with Pinot, at least for me (and, frankly, you should agree). Outstanding. 95 Points.

2021 Cordant Winery Pinot Noir Solomon Hills, Central Coast, CA: Retail $70. Heavy bottle (731g; 1lb 9.8oz). This is the second bottle from this Paso Robles producer that I have popped in as many days. I do not know a ton about the producer, but they are located in Paso and this wine is appellated as a Santa Maria Valley wine (and the previous wine I sampled was Sta Rits Hills), indicating that they source their fruit from a variety of growers in several different appellations. This wine? Joyous. While the website decrees that this Pinot is perhaps the “lightest-in-style” of all of the winery’s offerings, it still packs an impressive punch. Quite dark in the glass with plenty of fruit both on the nose (black cherry and cassis with clove) and the palate (rich, layered, and assertive), this is certainly a candidate for those who like their Pinot big and bold. Excellent. 92 Points.

2021 Cordant Winery Syrah Coastview Vineyard, Monterey, CA: Retail $62. Heavy bottle (693g; 1lb 8.5oz). 100% Syrah. This is now the third bottle of Cordant Wine that I have popped and I continue to be impressed. The first two bottles were Pinot Noir and they were fantastic. This Syrah easily continues that trend with an extremely dark color and dark fruit (blackberry, cassis, blueberry) aromas, paired with hints of mocha and bits of spice. Whoa. The palate has many of those same fruit characteristics (along with some plum) but it is much lighter on its feet than I expected from the aromas in the glass. Make no mistake, though this is no shrinking violet (although there are hints of violet, for sure); it is bold and pretty big, but it stops before becoming boisterous. It kinda like the friend who is the life of the party, talking to everyone, quite popular, full of interesting and engaging conversation. But ducks out quietly before becoming sloppy. Maybe that’s not a perfect analogy, but I’m running with it. Whoa. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2021 Cordant Winery Maniacal, Paso Robles, CA: Retail $65(?). 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. 94 Points.

2021 Cordant Winery Indocile, Central Coast, CA: Retail $65, Really Heavy Bottle. 86% Syrah, 14% Grenache. This is now my fifth foray into the wines of Cordant and can I say “whoa”? I have loved all of the previous wines (92-95 points) and this wine certainly falls in line with those. Yowza. Rather dark in the glass, even on the verge of brooding with dark fruit aromas: plum, blackberry, cassis. The palate, though? Much more lively and vibrant than the nose did portend with, yes, all that dark fruit, but also a singing zinginess and loads of verve. Notes of earth, a touch of spice, and layers of intrigue define the palate here. Whoa again. Honestly? If more Syrahs were like this? It truly would be the “next Pinot Noir”. Whoa. Outstanding. 96 Points.

2021 Cordant Winery Pinot Noir Escolle Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, CA: Retail $70. Heavy Bottle. Well, sadly, this is the last bottle (no, not that Last Bottle) that I received from Cordant to try and this falls in line with all of the others: Outstanding. Medium to dark in color with rich cherry and boysenberry fruit on the nose as well as vanilla, eucalyptus (which I always associate with Central Coast Pinot), subtle oak (30% new), and also a hint of spice. The palate, as I might have expected given the nose and previous bottles from the producer, is rich, fruity, layered, and fantastic. While the website touts the Solomon Hills Pinot as the “lightest in style”, this beauty is not far adrift and it is in a wonderful place now with integrated tannins and wonderful balance. Outstanding. 93 Points.