Cuvée PAU

The third in a trio of strong vintages for Paso Robles, the wines of 2014 are showing dense and aromatically expressive, and are reminiscent of 2004. With less than half of the usual winter rainfall in the ground, spring growth rocketed as degree days racked up at a faster pace than we’ve seen in a decade. A somewhat warm veraison period at the end of July pushed tannin levels upward, and led to the earliest picking dates on record for Cuvée PAU. Achieving sugar ripeness was never in question during this warm vintage, but we certainly benefited from the J. Lohr “early water deficit” farming practices that hasten seed ripeness and achieve early phenolic maturity.

CUVÉE PAU

The inspiration for this blend comes from the Grand Cru wines of the Pauillac district of Bordeaux which are composed primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with occassional acccents from Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. 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.