Winemaker Notes
Donati Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas of milk chocolate truffle, black cherry, blackberry, cherry cola and maraschino. On the palate, the wine is balanced and delicious with a medium grip. Notes of dark cherry, candied raspberry, hazelnut and nutmeg spice. Finishes with a slight graphite note.
Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Petite Sirah
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Ripe blackberries and currants with hints of pine cones, spices and pencil shavings. Medium- to full-bodied, plush and fruit-forward with creamy tannins. Opulent and encompassing on the palate with a long, generous finish.
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Tasting Panel
Showing well- extracted color and an appealing aroma of black fruit, this finely crafted bottling aged 14 months in oak is immensely accessible and enjoyable. Flavors of black truffle, dark plum, and smoky oak show ripe intensity in a solid structure with balanced weight. Plenty of acidity keeps it lifted as a soft character arises on the back palate.
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Wine Enthusiast
Baked blackberry and black pepper aromas are dusted with a pinch of cocoa on the nose of this bottling. Bittersweet chocolate and ripe blackberry sauce flavors are framed by tannins that grow sticky on the finish.
As Paso Robles, California has soared in number of wineries and gained in popularity, Cabernet Sauvignon has firmly taken root as the region’s number one varietal. Alone, it accounts for just over 40% of plantings and is grown throughout both the western and eastern sides of the appellation. Though viticulture here dates back to the 18th century, Cabernet Sauvignon didn’t emerge as a significant grape here until the 1970’s. But since then it has definitely made up for lost time.
Legendary winemaker and consultant Andre Tchelistcheff first recognized Paso’s potential with Cabernet Sauvignon in the early 1960’s. The calcareous soil and dramatic diurnal temperature changes of Paso’s westside particularly intrigued him. Today modern winemaking techniques and focused experimentation with various clones, rootstocks and vineyard strategies optimize the region's ideal combination of soil and climate to deliver the best fruit possible.
The results are evident in the glass. Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon can be mesmerizing, with rich aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis, black cherry, graphite, toasty oak, vanilla and spice. The structure, balance and unbridled opulence of these wines impress from first sip to last. Not surprisingly, Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignons have steadily grown in reputation, not just in the U.S., but around the world.