Nose

This wine opens with aromas of dark red fruit, blueberry, black cherry, cassis and cola with a dusting of baking spice.

Palate

The wine is velvety and lush presenting delicious flavors of black cherry and blackberry with undertones of coffee, mocha and a hint of vanilla. The flavors are complemented by lively acidity and fine tannins that lifts the wine suggesting a long life. The finish is long, supple and mouthwatering.

Growing Conditions

Born from the grit of Paso Robles, CA, Iron + Sand is a nostalgic nod to the natural draw of the historic hot springs, Iron Spring and Sand Spring, that propelled Paso Robles into a bustling destination known as California’s oldest watering place. Iron and sand are also important elements in the wine’s classic Paso terroir, as the sturdy iron trellising supports the bearing vines and the alluvial, well-drained sandy soils are the perfect match for Cabernet Sauvignon.

Our Cabernet Sauvignon is sustainably sourced from two renowned Paso Robles vineyards located in prime sub-AVAs.

ESTRELLA RIVER RANCH VINEYARD, SAN MIGUEL DISTRICT AVA
The majority of the grapes come from the San Miguel District, the northern most sub-AVA in the greater Paso Robles region. This area was named after the San Miguel Mission, built by Franciscan missionaries in the late 1700s. Fruit from this region is subject to the effects of large diurnal shifts, sometimes experiencing a swing as large as 50 degrees, helping to enhance the beautiful acidity in the fruit. The deep alluvial, sandy soils, combined with being one of the warmer AVAs in the Paso Robles region, makes for ripe fruit with smooth, supple tannins.

STEFFANO II VINEYARD, EL POMAR DISTRICT AVA
About 12% of the grapes come from the family-owned Steffano II Vineyard (formerly known as Parrish Templeton) in the El Pomar District, south of the city of Paso Robles and east of the Templeton Gap, where sea breezes and marine fog help to cool the vineyards at nights. Comprised of clay, granite and calcareous soils, this site creates beautifully balanced fruit with enhanced structure.

The 2021 vintage offered lower than average rainfall throughout the spring and early summer followed by a warm July, August and first part of September.

Harvest

Dry, warm conditions hastened ripening, leading to an earlier harvest than the previous vintage. Although the yields were low with small clusters and berries, this vintage presented exceptional fruit quality, great acidity and complex, balanced flavors that deliver a classic Paso Robles Cabernet.

Winemaking

After careful harvesting, grapes were brought to the winery for processing. Our unique winery set up, with fermenters situated on top of storage tanks, allows for minimal pump usage while sending pomace to our press. The wine underwent three pump overs per day, with each lot receiving custom scheduling to ensure appropriate levels of extraction to fully take advantage of the vineyards’ terroir. A small portion of the wine (less than 6%) was placed into first year French and American oak. This experimental wine came out so complementary to the final blend that several of these barrels were included, building palate weight, a smooth texture and mouthfeel complexity. The rest of the wine was aged in neutral barrels allowing for the extraordinary Paso Robles terroir to shine through in the final blend.

Aging

Majority aged an average of 9 months in neutral French and American oak barrels

Appearance

Dense purple in color.

Food Pairing

This Paso Robles Cabernet is the perfect match for local Santa Maria style BBQ of tri-tip with salsa, pinquito beans, grilled French bread, and a crisp green salad, or slow-braised short ribs with creamy polenta and roasted mushrooms.