Cuvée PAU

Every vintage has its own personality; a unique history of climatic experience that shapes the flavor of the wine we taste in the glass. 2012 was preceded by two of the coldest vintages in a decade and was welcomed with open arms in the Paso Robles region asa return to the norm. Preseason rainfall was a bit on the shy side at 60% of normal, with a nice wet storm arriving at budbreak the first week of April. This rain brought welcome moisture for growth and suppressed chances of a spring frost. We now know that 2012 was the first of four years of drought in California and the Paso Robles area. Our typically warm springtime conditions brought rapid shoot growth, and irrigation was stopped in our vineyards in mid-June to promote seed ripening and to prevent the development of undesirable green, herbal characteristics in the fruit. A period of triple-digit temperatures added definition to the vintage in mid-August toward the end of veraison. That heat spike seemed to give the vintage an uptrend of tannin structure for Cabernet Sauvignon. Ideal warm and dry September weather pushed ripeness along, and the harvesting of our Cabernet Sauvignon for the Cuvée PAU occurred at the end of October.

CUVÉE PAU

The inspiration for this blend comes from the Grand Cru winesof the Pauillac district of Bordeaux composed primarily fromCabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with Cabernet Franc, Malbec andPetit Verdot accents. Winemaking is given the freedom to emulate these great wines without the restrictions of varietal percentages, instead keenly focusing on the texture and complexity of the blend that nature delivers with each vintage.