Winemaker Notes
A vibrant and dense ruby color in the glass. The nose shows pure Cabernet Sauvignon varietal notes of iron shavings and graphite with blackcurrant. There is a touch of medium toasted oak present when first opened that graciously recedes to the background after a bit of air. The 2016 exhibits a beautiful level of ripeness, a judicious balance of hangtime and restraint. The wine is plush and finely textured on the palate. The limestone laden soil yields wonderfully chalky tannins that carry the wine from the mid-palate, graciously through the lingering finish. There is sufficient acidity to provide balance throughout. It has the confidence to accompany traditional red wine food pairings yet the social graces to be enjoyed by itself.
Blend: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 3% Merlot, 1% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A refreshing approach to the grape, this bottling offers red currant and black plum alongside an earthy elegance of gravel and wood on the nose. It's well balanced on the palate, with flavors of ripe red fruit, wood spice, dried herb and tobacco.
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Wine & Spirits
Jim Saunders, a grape grower in eastern Paso Robles since 1993, met Steve Hearst at his cattle ranch in San Simeon, and they soon struck up a partnership. Saunders now bottles his Paso fruit under the Hearst Ranch label. Their 2016 cabernet is soft and supple, with an earthy cushion of tannins firming up the juicy cherry and tobacco flavors. It’s clean and fresh, a well-grown Paso red.
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.