Unique red from a legendary winemaker and top-tier Central Coast winegrowers

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2022 Optik Valdigue French Camp Vineyard Highlands District Paso Robles 750 ml

Retail: $50

$4020% off per bottle

Shipping included on orders $150+.
  • Curated by unrivaled experts
  • Choose your delivery date
  • Temperature controlled shipping options
  • Get credited back if a wine fails to impress

Off the Beaten Path—with Pedigree

One of our favorite Central Coast winemakers plus an iconic grapegrowing clan—you know the results will be excellent. 

First, the talent: Joey Tensley is a magician of the Central Coast, producing world-class reds that put him squarely in the ranks of some of California’s greatest winemakers. Second, the farmers: The Millers are a legendary family who own some of the choicest parcels in California—including Bien Nacido, one of the greatest vineyards on the West Coast. 

Longtime suppliers to other top-notch wineries, the Millers founded Optik to showcase their fruit and their winemaking skills, hiring Tensley to take the lead. And for this wine, they tapped to their famed French Camp Vineyard. 

Established by the family in 1973, French Camp is a cornerstone of the Paso Robles Highlands AVA. Spanning over 1,200 acres in the southeastern corner of the region, resting in the rain shadow of Black Mountain, it enjoys a diurnal swing of nearly 50 degrees—a perfect environment to produce ripe red grapes with a healthy dose of vivifying acid.

As for the Valdigué grape, it was once plentiful in California, prized for its ability to make large amounts of deeply colored wine with refreshing acidity—it was once widely mistaken for Gamay, the grape of Beaujolais, and referred to as "Napa Gamay." But the variety fell into obscurity, with many vintners ripping out their Valdiguié vines in favor of grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. But the grape remains at French Camp, and Tensley has turned it into a delightful bottling. 

Comprising 100% Valdigué, this wine was aged for 10 months in new French oak barrels, the result is a wine that drinks great with a slight chill on it. It’s fresh, plush, and elegant, with aromas of dark cherry and plum accented by red and purple florals and licorice. The palate offers a rich dark-fruited core, with silky tannins and a lasting finish.

This is an off-the-beaten path with some serious pedigree behind it. Enjoy!