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This Cabernet Sauvignon is pure Paso Robles, full of polished aromas of blueberry, cherry and vanilla, leading to flavors of dark red fruits, black currants and hints of pepper, mocha and caramelized oak. Rich yet smooth, this wine is very approachable now, and will continue to mature for years to come.
94pts Tasting Panel, 2020 vintage. Succulent notes of wild strawberry in a bed of sweet soil appear in the wine’s perfume as well as on its juicy entry. Dark chocolate-covered cherry adds opulence, the tannins are round and well structured, and the wine’s ripeness persists through the long-lasting, expressive finish. May/June 2023
APPELLATION:
Paso Robles
VARIETALS:
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, 5% Petite Sirah
HARVEST DATES:
September 29, 2020 – October 30, 2020
AGING:
15-18 months
FERMENTATION:
Fermented from 12 to 16 days at 78˚-82˚F
OAK:
Aged on new French and American oak for 15-18 months.
ALCOHOL:
14.5%
PH:
3.75
TA:
5.7 g/l
BOTTLING DATE:
N/A
The 2020 vintage in Paso Robles was met with many challenges, as was most of California, yet the wines proved resilient and without negative effect from natural events. The heat of the season created good phenolic ripening with supple tannins, and powerful dark fruit notes in the glass. Due to a cool spring, the grapes had longer than average hang time, allowing for high acid development. The combination of high acidity and full tannins make for a beautiful wine to enjoy now, or age and enjoy in the years to come.
Coming from hand-selected vineyard sites, this wine showcases the power and lushness of Cabernets from Paso Robles. Beloved for its rolling hills East of the Salinas River and steeper hillsides, cut by small canyons, West of the Salinas River, the Paso Robles AVA is a large, diverse appellation that begins six miles away from the deep, blue Pacific Ocean. While the hot days allow Cabernet Sauvignon to fully ripen, the Ocean influence and higher elevations of the hillsides bring cool nighttime temperatures that maintain high acidity in the grapes. Sourced from old vines, which bring the bold, powerful and opulent notes of black cherry, cassis and pepper associated with high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon. Cool-climate Syrah from our home in Edna Valley is an important part of this blend, as it imparts blue fruit and red cherry notes, as well as a noteworthy juiciness and memorably silky texture. A touch of Petite Sirah adds subtle notes of plum and structured tannins.
90pts Wine Enthusiast, 2019 vintage. This reliable bottling grows more interesting with each vintage, in this case offering clean blackberry jam and hints of purple flowers on the nose. There is an impressive though not overly imposing layer of tannins on the sip, where boysenberry and black cherry flavors remain fresh into the slightly sticky finish. -Matt Kettmann
92pts Wine & Spirits, 2019 vintage. This leads with plum scents and plum-skin flavors, dark and weighty. The extracted fruit is flavorful, the texture saturated, with only the lightest of oak notes. For smoked pork. -Patrick Comiskey
