If you are holding on to some of our older vintages, here are some older notes that we hope you will find helpful
Cabernet Sauvignon
2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
The Cabernet hang time on the vine was as long as possible this year and we believe this will pay off with a fuller mouthful and rounder flavors. We also used more of new French oak to add rich tannins and toasty vanillin in the finish. A recent barrel tasting in January 2005 shows the wine is well balanced with forward fruit and great acidity. An estimated production of 425 cases.
2003
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
This
wine is rich and full bodied with great forward fruit, fully ripe
tannins
and great structure and balance. A nice touch of new French
oak completes
the long, lingering finish. Drinks well now or will age
gracefully
for up to 10 Years! Only 320 cases produced.
2002 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Our 2002 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. 2002 was an excellent Cabernet vintage. A warmer spring was responsible for an earlier bud break and the resulting longer growing season added rich, full bodied flavors of cherry and blackberry to the Cabernet Sauvignon. The small amount of Cabernet Franc added to the final blend helps lifts the nose and brings a nice wild berry and dark currant flavor to the wine. This wine shows a great balanced between fruit, oak and tannins and will age well for 6-10 years. 425 Cases.
1994 Cabernet Sauvignon
Our 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon (winner of a Bronze medal at the Orange County fair, 86 points from the Wine Spectator) offer lots of ripe, supple plum, currant and wild berry flavors and soft fleshy tannins. The toasty oak is well integrated with a long lingering finish. Drink/Hold 3-6 years.
1995 Cabernet Sauvignon
Our 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon (winner of a Bronze medal at the Orange County fair, 86 points from the Wine Spectator) with its attractive garnet color, releases classic flavors of plum, red berry and cedar with sweet vanilla from the new French oak. This wine has great structure and the soft tannins provide a very elegant finish. Drink/Hold 3-6 years.
1996 Cabernet Sauvignon
Our 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon (Bronze Medal Grand Harvest Award, with 89 points from the Wine Enthusianst) is a deep redbrick color with ripe cherry, currant, plum and berry flavors. Finishes with a touch of new French oak and soft tannins. Drink/Hold 3-6 years.
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon
Our 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon (87 points from the Wine Spectator) is dark, ripe and intense with wonderful flavors of ripe cherry, plum, currant, minerals and spice. This wine is well structured with toasty French oak and soft supple tannins on the finish. Drink/Hold 3-6 years.
Chardonnay
2004 Estate Chardonnay
100% barrel fermented this wine is full bodied, with layers of pear, melon, nutmeg and mineral flavors with a night touch of creamy French oak. 389 cases produced. $16. PDF Tech Sheet
2003 Estate Chardonnay
Our 2003 Chardonnay is 100% Estate grown and bottled. The fruit for our Estate Chardonnay is grown on the highest elevations on our Ranch. Our “ White Rock Terraces” are at 1400 feet receive a good amount of marine influence from the near by Pacific Ocean which helps the fruit achieve good acidity at harvest. These limestone-based soils of calcareous rock impart a wonderful mineral character to the wine and are very rare in California. All the juice is fermened in small French oak barrels with 45% new barrels each year. The wine is also allowed to complete malolactic fermentation that adds structure, complexity and a wonderful creamy finish to the wine. It is ripe and creamy with layers of pear, citrus, nutmeg and minerals, finishing with a nice touch of toasty French oak. This wine has great balance between fruit, oak and acidity and will age well for 3-6 years. 450 Cases.
Others
Our Estate Chardonnay is crafted to enjoy upon release, however we find that a year or two in the bottle can add to the complexity of the wine. The 1994 thru 1998 vintages show flavors of ripe pear, apple, minerals and hazelnuts. Touches of new French oak add to the creamy finish. Right now, here's our thoughts as if early 2001.
1994
Chardonnay: Drink
1995
Chardonnay: Drink/Hold 1-2 years
1996
Chardonnay: Drink
1997
Chardonnay: Drink/Hold 2-3 years
1998
Chardonnay: Drink/Hold 2-3
1999
Chardonnay: Has layers of apple and pear flavors along with
citrus, nutmeg and minerals, finishing with a touch of sweet French
oak.
Good aging potential for 2-5 years from bottling.
Merlot
2004
Estate Merlot
The warm spell in September really pushed up the sugar levels with great fruit and balanced acidity. We fermented all the grapes in small lots and the wine is currently in barrel. Early tastings show ripe fruit and great structure. Estimated production 245 cases.
2003
Estate Merlot
For
those of you who remember the 2001 and/or our first vintage in 1994,
this
Merlot has great similarities. Very rich and full bodied,
packed
with blueberries, blackberry and cassis. A very small crop
with intense
favors. Nice touch of new French oak fills in the long lingering
finish.
Drinks well now and will age for up to 6-8 years! Very limited with
only
170 cases produced.
2002 Estate Merlot
Our 2002 Estate Merlot is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20%Cabernet Sauvignon. Tightly integrated fruit and oak flavors characterize this wine, which displays a dark ruby color with a nose of black cherry and a touch of licorice with these flavors continuing into the mouth. Cabernet Sauvignon is blended into the Merlot to add additional structure and complexity to the wine. Nicely balanced between fruit and oak with soft tannins in the finish. Will age well for 4-6 years. 450 Cases.
1994 Merlot
Our 1994 Merlot, which was a Gold Medal winner at the Orange County Fair, is deep purple-red with lots of ripe black cherry and blackberry, currant and spice flavors. Good tannin structure and toasty French oak give this wine great aging potential. Drink/ Hold 2-3 years
1995 Merlot
Our 1995 Merlot (a top ten red value with 87 points from the Wine Spectator) offers deep purple color. The flavors are ripe blackberries with hints of licorice and chocolate. The finish is remarkably fruity and lingers with a touch of new toasty French oak. Drink/Hold 3-6 years.
1996 Merlot
Our 1996 Merlot (Silver Medal Orange County Fair, Silver Grand Harvest Award, Wine Spectator 88 points), is deep purple-red with lots of black fruit character. A spice-blackberry fragrance, with ripe berry flavors along with a soft velvet mouth feel, leads to ripe tannins and well-integrated toasty French oak in the finish. Drink/Hold 3-6 years
1997 Merlot
Our 1997 Merlot (a Silver Medal winner from the Ornage County Fair) offers a very deep purple-red color. Rich flavors of blackberries, black cherries, spice and toasty French oak, integrate well with the soft ripe tannins and provide an elegant finish. Drink/Hold 2-5 years.
1998 Merlot
Our 1998 Merlot has concentrated flavors of blueberry and blackberry, currant and spice. Showing soft ripe tannins and sweet toasty French oak, this wine has elegance and structure and will age well. Aging potential 3-6 years
Syrah
2004 Estate Syrah
With our Syrah, we are looking to bring out the full spectrum of Syrah fruit and our vines are now five years old. We harvested the fruit at 27 brix and the resulting wine is big, dark and very well structured. This will be a Big-style Syrah with that great Westside balance between fruit and acid. We plan on aging this wine a little longer in barrel for 18-22 months and with about 35% new French oak Very limited production of 275 cases.
2003
Estate Syrah
This
Syrah has immense fruit with structure and balance between French oak,
tannins and acidity. This wine will age well up to 10
Years. Only 225 cases produced. PDF
Tech Sheet
Vin de Casa
2004
Estate Vin De Casa
Our
classic red table wine this year featuring a blend of 45% Cabernet
Franc,
35 Zinfandel and 20% Syrah. A great wine that has great
structure
and balance between fruit and oak finishing with great Zin fruit! Enjoy
with Family and Friends! $18. PDF
Tech Sheet
Zinfandel
2004 Estate Zinfandel
The Zinfandel sugar at harvest was 26-29 brix with only a few raisins and the wine is incredibly rich and dark. Flavors of Raspberries, currants and spice are showing through and our 2004 Estate Zinfandel will be a great wine. Very limited production of 350 cases.
2003 Estate Zinfandel
Our “Select Ranches” 2002 Zinfandel is a blend of 90% Zinfandel and 10% Syrah all grown on the Westside of the Paso Robles appellation. The combination of Zinfandel grapes along with Syrah grapes from our Estate Vineyards compliments each other with Zinfandel providing the classic raspberry fruit and Syrah adding richness and concentration creating a wine that achieves great structure and balance. 525 Cases. This wine is SOLD OUT except to Wine Club Members.
2002 “Select Ranches” Zinfandel
Our “Select Ranches” 2002 Zinfandel is a blend of 90% Zinfandel and 10% Syrah all grown on the Westside of the Paso Robles appellation. The combination of Zinfandel grapes along with Syrah grapes from our Estate Vineyards compliments each other with Zinfandel providing the classic raspberry fruit and Syrah adding richness and concentration creating a wine that achieves great structure and balance. 525 Cases.