Winemaker Notes
About half of the grapes come from Heart Hill Vineyard, tucked into the rocky, steep hillsides on the Westside of the AVA. They farm the other half in the rolling hills and sandy soils of Bootjack Ranch. The 2019 vintage was temperate and even, resulting in a crop of well balanced, gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon across both sites.
Blend: 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A well-balanced cabernet here showing fragrant currants, mineral and fine spices. Rather juicy with tight and chalky tannins that are fully interwoven with the fruit. Pretty long and bright finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
This bottling, which includes 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot, offers focused aromas of blackberry jam, dried herbs and a hint of wood. The palate is chalky with tannins, which hold the ripe berry flavors quite well against accents of white pepper and milk chocolate.
Editors' Choice
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.