Acclaim: 90 points, Tasting Panel Magazine

Winemaker Notes: The vast majority of this wine hails from Blocks 42 and 40 up in the Truesdale Vineyard, grown alongside grapes used by other world-class wineries. The Merlot and Malbec come from the famed Santa Margarita Ranch on the southern border of Paso Robles.

Maturation: The wines spent 18 months in almost 40% new French and American oak.

Tasting Notes: Big blast of cedar, cigar box, and blackberry aromas with hints of olive. Jam-packed flavors of plum, black olive, and dark chocolate. Big, dusty tannins support the seamless mouthfeel and a delicate core of acidity stretches out the finish.

Winemaker Notes: 2020 vintage boasted exceptional quality fruit, albeit another year with a smaller harvest owing to the ongoing drought. Summer temperatures came on later in the year, leading to a longer ripening time, and more developed flavors.

Vineyard Sourcing: Sourced from sustainably farmed, SIP certified vineyards in San Luis Obispo County, within the Santa Margarita Ranch AVA.

Maturation: 15 months in 14% New French barrels, the balance in neutral French barrels.

Tasting Notes: Flavors of black cherry cola, Italian plum, vanilla bean & sweet tobacco, with a hint of violet & cedar. The tannins are balanced and supple. It has a well-rounded acidity that keeps the flavors lingering just long enough to enjoy with any dish or on its own.

Acclaim: 93 points, Wine Enthusiast; 93 points, Wine & Spirits; 91 points, James Suckling

Vineyard Details: The majority of Cabernet Sauvignon for this blend came out of  Margarita Vineyard block 49, situated on a gently sloping hillside running east-west, while the Petit Verdot came from block 44A. These grapes are hand-harvested in the dead of night when it’s the coolest and the skins are firm.

The balance of the Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the 40-year-old Grosso Kresser Ranch just south of the Willow Creek/Adelaida sub-appellation border.

Winemaker Notes: Our Margarita Vineyard grapes were all picked the evening of Oct 23rd, 2019. The Grosso Kresser fruit was picked on the evening of Nov 3rd. All fruit was crushed into one-ton bins where they were allowed to macerate for 5 days with one punch down per day prior to inoculation. The grapes were punched down twice a day during fermentation and once a day post-fermentation for another 9 days before pressing.

Maturation: The Margarita Vineyard Cabernet and Petit Verdot, and the Grosso Kresser Vineyard Cabernet were settled and racked into a mix of 36% new French and 64% once/twice used French barrels. All lots held in separate barrels. After another racking and further aging for 26 months, the barrels were blended, and the wine bottled.

Winemaker Notes: By virtue of its isolated location, Santa Margarita Ranch enjoys protection from cooler Pacific influence and the extreme heat seen in the neighboring inland AVAs, making it an ideal appellation for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The small quantity of Malbec we used adds a touch of dark plum that works well with the rich structure of the Cabernet. Once fermented, the lots were taken from the tank and placed in once-used French oak barrels for 13 months before being blended and bottled.

Maturation: 13 months in one-year-old French oak barrels.

Tasting Notes: Compelling aromas of blackberry and dark cherry are framed by hints of cassis, sage, and cedar. At first sip, flavors of blackcurrant and plum shine through, leading to notes of vanilla bean and a subtle hint of leather. The fine-grained tannins are supported by a balanced acidity that carries over through a lingering, flavorful finish.

Acclaim: 90 points and Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast

Winemaker Notes: Our Edna Valley Chardonnay came off the vine in late September as did our Truesdale vineyard component. Both were fermented in tank and transitioned to 30% new French and 8% new American oak post-fermentation. Our Margarita Ranch Chardonnay was picked mid-October being the coolest of the three vineyard sites that year. This wine was fermented in and stayed in stainless steel with no oak the entire time to maintain a crisp acidity and purity of fruit.

Tasting Note: Aromas of fresh lemon, pineapple and a hint of vanilla bean create a rich, enticing nose. On the palate, notes of white peach, apricot and apple are complemented by a silky, smooth texture, along with a vibrant acidity that carries the flavors through a lingering finish.