Winemaker Notes
Try pairing with beef tagliata or wild boar.
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This longtime winery recently released new labels, and this bottling is one of the first releases to wear the slicker style. Lavish aromas of blueberry, black currant and caramel lead into a palate full of soft chalky tannins that carry flavors of tangy plum skin, bacon fat and crème de cassis. This will age very well, but is tasty now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals a deep garnet-purple color and nose of cassis, crushed black berries and black plums with hints of underbrush, cedar and cloves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers plenty of bright, youthful black fruits with a grainy backbone and long, refreshing 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.