Austin Hope
Troublemaker Paso Robles Red Rhone Blend
Paso Robles, Central Coast, California, USA
I used to be all over this wine, years ago, but apparently I'm not there anymore. Feels a little forced and manufactured.
Full bodied and bold with medium minus acidity.
A tad sweet on the palate with some RS. I liked the nose better than the palate.
Showing black fruits with wood, heavy vanilla, tobacco, peppercorn, espresso, milk chocolates and spices.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after some air time.
A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
86 points.
$14.
I used to be all over this wine, years ago, but apparently I'm not there anymore. Feels a little forced and manufactured.
Full bodied and bold with medium minus acidity.
A tad sweet on the palate with some RS. I liked the nose better than the palate.
Showing black fruits with wood, heavy vanilla, tobacco, peppercorn, espresso, milk chocolates and spices.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after some air time.
A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
86 points.
$14.
Dark Inky in color with a short reddish rim.
Fruity nose with black currants, blackberries, ripe figs, wood, spices, licorice, chocolates, mocha, caramel, light vanilla, tobacco, light alcohol and peppercorn.
Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, plums, cherries, currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, coke, coffee and peppercorn.
Long finish with very soft tannins and tangy cranberries.
This California Red Blend is always enjoyable. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Still showing nice acidity and complexity.
It's a non vintage, but I held it for a couple of years so it must be 4 or 5 years old by now.
Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
$17.
Dark Inky in color with a short reddish rim.
Fruity nose with black currants, blackberries, ripe figs, wood, spices, licorice, chocolates, mocha, caramel, light vanilla, tobacco, light alcohol and peppercorn.
Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, plums, cherries, currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, coke, coffee and peppercorn.
Long finish with very soft tannins and tangy cranberries.
This California Red Blend is always enjoyable. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Still showing nice acidity and complexity.
It's a non vintage, but I held it for a couple of years so it must be 4 or 5 years old by now.
Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
$17.
Flavour bomb. The "Trouble" is, after the first glass you want to drink the whole bottle. Then there's Trouble!
Flavour bomb. The "Trouble" is, after the first glass you want to drink the whole bottle. Then there's Trouble!
5 people found it helpfulMar 13th, 2015
Well-priced wine to keep around the house. Heavy fruit. Good for drinking without food.
Well-priced wine to keep around the house. Heavy fruit. Good for drinking without food.
4 people found it helpfulJan 27th, 2015Killer wine with spice and fruit galore. Starts off like straight up syrah but slowly settles into a more delicate wine. Great BBQ wine with ribs.
Killer wine with spice and fruit galore. Starts off like straight up syrah but slowly settles into a more delicate wine. Great BBQ wine with ribs.
2 people found it helpfulJan 15th, 2016
Quick out of the gate! Difficult to put back in.
Quick out of the gate! Difficult to put back in.
1 person found it helpfulMar 16th, 2022
The 11th iteration of Austin Hope's Troublemaker... a Central Coast, quasi-Rhone, kitchen sink blend (57% Syrah, 15% Grenache, 11% Petite Sirah, 10% Mourvèdre, 7% Zinfandel). It's hard not to compare this to something like Marietta's Old Vine Red, especially since it's released by version or lot, and not vintage, as it's a multi-vintage blend. This is noticeably darker and sweeter than my experiences with the Old Vine Red. The Syrah is immediately evident with a dominant smoked-meat characteristic, along with blackberry compote, and a chocolate milkshake note that bares a noticeable resemblance to a Wendy's frosty. Rather straightforward, and pushes the boundaries of gratuitous sweetness, but avoids being cloying. This is probably an exceptional selection to pull at the end of tasting lots of better bottles when no tasting notes will be written or even discussed and especially when you have no business opening something really good.
The 11th iteration of Austin Hope's Troublemaker... a Central Coast, quasi-Rhone, kitchen sink blend (57% Syrah, 15% Grenache, 11% Petite Sirah, 10% Mourvèdre, 7% Zinfandel). It's hard not to compare this to something like Marietta's Old Vine Red, especially since it's released by version or lot, and not vintage, as it's a multi-vintage blend. This is noticeably darker and sweeter than my experiences with the Old Vine Red. The Syrah is immediately evident with a dominant smoked-meat characteristic, along with blackberry compote, and a chocolate milkshake note that bares a noticeable resemblance to a Wendy's frosty. Rather straightforward, and pushes the boundaries of gratuitous sweetness, but avoids being cloying. This is probably an exceptional selection to pull at the end of tasting lots of better bottles when no tasting notes will be written or even discussed and especially when you have no business opening something really good.
1 person found it helpfulOct 6th, 2017
mushrooms in the nose, blackberry, minimal tannins
mushrooms in the nose, blackberry, minimal tannins
1 person found it helpfulJan 31st, 2015
Second time I've had this and Pepper Pot back to back. Very similar wines but again I still like this one better. Great vanilla tones in there. Stupid label change though.
Second time I've had this and Pepper Pot back to back. Very similar wines but again I still like this one better. Great vanilla tones in there. Stupid label change though.
1 person found it helpfulJun 27th, 2013Deep, dark Inky in color with a short purple rim.
Beautiful nose of violets, blackberries, figs, raisins, blueberries, sweet plums, strawberry pie, oak, earth, alcohol, light cloves, pencil lead, vanilla, licorice and black pepper.
Full-bodied, jammy and bold, with medium plus acidity and great legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet plums, vanilla, cherries, dirt, chocolates, dried prunes, wood, cabbage, tobacco and peppercorn.
Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.
A great blend of 71% Syrah, 16% Grenache, 8% Zinfandel, 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Mourvedre, from Central Coast, California.
Good pretty much right out of the bottle. Enjoyable by itself, a great Porch Wine.
Nicely balanced, with a kick of acidity at the end that makes it very interesting and pleasurable.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
Deep, dark Inky in color with a short purple rim.
Beautiful nose of violets, blackberries, figs, raisins, blueberries, sweet plums, strawberry pie, oak, earth, alcohol, light cloves, pencil lead, vanilla, licorice and black pepper.
Full-bodied, jammy and bold, with medium plus acidity and great legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet plums, vanilla, cherries, dirt, chocolates, dried prunes, wood, cabbage, tobacco and peppercorn.
Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.
A great blend of 71% Syrah, 16% Grenache, 8% Zinfandel, 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Mourvedre, from Central Coast, California.
Good pretty much right out of the bottle. Enjoyable by itself, a great Porch Wine.
Nicely balanced, with a kick of acidity at the end that makes it very interesting and pleasurable.
14.5% alcohol by volume.