Nose

This wine exudes lime, lemon, tangerine, crisp white peach, crushed gravel, flint, honeysuckle blossom, fresh cut hay, candle wax, vanilla bean, and powdered sugar.

Palate

Zesty, mineral-laden, and uber bright, the 2021 Epoch White is as refreshing as walking on the beach after the rain. Bursting with aroma and flavor that are equal in intensity and balanced from start to finish, this wine exudes lime, lemon, tangerine, crisp white peach, crushed gravel, flint, honeysuckle blossom, fresh cut hay, candle wax, vanilla bean, and powdered sugar. Dots of texture pick up on the back palate, adding to the wine’s complexity. It is an experience to watch Epoch’s White evolve and develop over time, and this wine should continue to impress and move the needle for the potential of Rhône white blends for 10-plus years.

Growing Conditions

Parentage: 61% Catapult and 39% Paderewski Vineyards

Stomping Grounds: Shale and limestone-studded hillsides of all exposures

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

Graduation: Bottled March 15, 2022 | Debut: Released Spring 2022

Winemaking

Rearing: Fermented cool in concrete tulip, concrete egg, and French oak foudre and barrels

Aging

Aged four months sur lie: 44% in concrete, 30% in foudre, and 26% in French oak barrels and puncheons (10% new)

Food Pairing

Our white is an ace at pairing with some of the most challenging foods (artichokes and Thai or Mexican dishes) and will not disappoint with a few years of cellar age.