Winemaker Notes
Showcasing the juicy dark fruit and velvety tannins that make the finest Paso Robles Cabernets so alluring, this wine begins with enticing aromas of raspberry compote, plum jam and sassafras, along with oak-inspired notes of vanilla and molasses from barrel aging. On the generously structured palate, lavish berry flavors lead to layers of chocolate and clove, with hints of warm baking spice emerging during a long, dramatic finish.
Production
The vintage began with a cool winter, with late rains, followed by a mild spring and early summer. As the weather turned hot over Labor Day, our Pinot Noir harvest commenced, with the vast majority of the grapes picked over a 10-day period. The late-summer heat also spurred our Cabernet Sauvignon to an early harvest, with our first grapes picked on September 16th. While the impact of smoke required us to be exacting in our grape selection process in both Monterey County and Paso Robles, Southern San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County were largely unaffected. To ensure the absolute quality of our wines, only the finest grapes were used in 2020, yielding wines with great complexity and depth, generous layers of dark fruit and deep, rich colors.