Palate
Three different Syrah clones combine to create layered textures, while a dense and brooding cool-climate character is cultivated by the vineyard’s persistent marine influence.
Growing Conditions
The Hope family’s estate vineyard offers perfect conditions for growing standout Syrah. These include warm days, cool nights and afternoon breezes with maritime influences from the Pacific Ocean, located just 22 miles away. The soils are clay-based but integrated with small, water-worn limestone deposits that help to keep the ground well-drained. High-density vine spacing allows each plant to produce smaller yields with concentrated color and flavors. The estate is planted to several Syrah clones, and this is the first red variety to be picked each season.
The 2021 growing season culminated in a banner vintage across Paso Robles. The tone was set with normal weather patterns into early spring. Periodic heat spells in summer and fall were buffered by prevailing mild weather.
Bottling
February 2023
Winemaking
The 2021 vintage is comprised of three Syrah clones—383 (Hermitage, France); 470 (Garonne, France); and our newest planting, Clone 271. The different blocks were hand-picked and fermented in five-ton, open-top tanks. Daily pumpovers were employed during the first 10 days of fermentation for enhanced color and phenolic extraction. The individual lots were then tasted and tested for their tannin structure to determine the duration of extended maceration, which ranged from 10 to 15 days depending on the lot. After gentle pressing, the separate lots were aged for 10 months in 100 percent once-used French oak barrels. The wine was racked and blended in the summer of 2022, then returned to 100 percent new French oak barrels. Just prior to bottling in February of 2023, the wine was racked for its second and final time.
Aging
16 Months in 100% Once Used French Oak
