Winemaker Notes
The St. Huberts The Stag Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon shows a deep ruby, garnet, crimson color. Perfumed aromas on the nose offer inviting bramble berry notes of wild raspberry, dark cherry, and red currant, alongside baking spice notes of allspice, cedar, tobacco leaf and clove. The wine is rustic, rich and bold with good weight and body, offering flavors of macerated red berries, plum, warm red currant and cherry compote, alongside allspice, sweet tea leaf and cinnamon notes from the oak integration. This well-balanced wine is opulent and refined, providing great structure alongside a plush texture with velvety smooth tannins and lengthy finish.
Professional Ratings
-
Tasting Panel
Focused, far forward wild berry aromas and cocoa powder envelop the senses. Cranberry-cocoa fills out the palate with a broad wash of cinnamon and cedar. Tannins are grainy, and savory notes of tobacco leaf come into play. This is well structured and over delivers for the price, as experienced on the upright freshness on the finish.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Polished aromas of roasted blackberry, crushed rocks, fresh violet and wet slate show on the nose of this bottling. The smooth palate packs ripe blackberry jam and black cherry with toasted and roasted flavors, made more complex by a punch of green herbs.
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.