Palate

There’s a lot going on, and the wine reflects this with its mixture of red fruits, tobacco, leather, earth, vanilla, lavender, bright acidity and mouthwatering texture weaving in an out of each other. In his youth, you see all his different sides, but with time they will meld into one unique whole.

Growing Conditions

Birthplace: Paderewski and Catapult Vineyards

Stomping Grounds: No more than 10” of topsoil on shale and limestone slopes

Paderewski Vineyard:

Travel just west of Paso Robles, and you will find Paderewski Vineyard: 67 acres of undulating, steep, limestone rich hillsides within 570 rural, spring-fed acres. In the early 1900’s, this vineyard was cherished and farmed by world-renowned pianist, Polish diplomat, and vintner, Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Fast forward a century, and this property stood forgotten and fallow. Lucky for us, in 2004, we became the stewards of this amazing piece of property.

Planted: 2004 Acreage: 95 under vine, 570 total Soils: limestone, calcareous, rocky pH: low to mid 8 AVA: Paso Robles District: Willow Creek Red Varietals: Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Zinfandel White Varietals: Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, and Viognier

Catapult Vineyard:

Directly in the heart of the Paso Robles’ Templeton Gap, near the acclaimed L’Aventure and Booker Vineyards, sits our Catapult Vineyard. In 2008 we came across 45 barren acres of extreme rocky soils packed with silicious shale and little limestone content. Just the type of soils we love; soils that encourage the vines to struggle while finding nourishment deep within the ground. The reward of this hardworking vine are berries packed with wicked complexity and intense flavors.

Though barely three miles from our Paderewski Vineyard, the pH level at Catapult Vineyard is in the high 5’s. A nice complement to the dirt over at “Rewski”. This pH difference, coupled with the cooler mesoclimate at Catapult allows for different flavor profiles from the fruit produced.

Planted: 2008 Acreage: 28 under vine, 45 total Soils: shale, clay, silt, rocky pH: high 5s AVA: Paso Robles District: Willow Creek Red Varietals: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Tempranillo White Varietals: Grenache Blanc,Roussane, and Viognier

Bottling

Major: International Studies | Minor: Public Speaking

Graduation: Bottled March 2015 | Debut: Released Fall 2015

Winemaking

Gender: Male | Eye Color: Charismatic gray eyes | Hair: Black | Body Shape: Who cares?

Languages: Spanish, French, Italian, Swahili | Hobbies: Volunteer for Doctors without Borders |

Rearing: Fermented ~17% whole cluster in concrete and stainless steel tanks, one-ton bins and 1/2 ton French oak puncheons. Many lots were cofermentations.

Epoch’s 2013 Estate Blend has a lot to tell. He is the most politically correct child in the bunch, including almost every red variety grown on Epoch ground (with even a healthy dose of Zinfandel!). In addition, the individual barrel lots that make up his DNA are combinations of almost every vessel type we use at Epoch – concrete, oak puncheon, one-ton t-bins and stainless steel tanks.

Aging

Aged for 15 months in 33% new French oak barrels and puncheons