Vina Robles

We are excited to introduce the inaugural vintage of Vina Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, Creston Valley Vineyard. The 2018 vintage also marks the first year we received fruit at our new winery, and the first time we were afforded its advanced technological capabilities. The fruit chosen for this wine was selected from two small blocks planted with low yielding clones of exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon character. At an elevation of about 1,300 feet, our Creston Valley Vineyard’s southerly exposed hillsides, limiting gravelly calcareous subsoils and low yielding clones all contributed to this wine’s rich color, flavor and mouthfeel with structured ageworthy tannins. The ripe clusters were picked in the cool, early morning hours, and hand-sorted on our line at the winery. The next step was the optical sorter where all but the most flavorful and richly textured berries were removed. Fermentation took place in fully temperature-controlled small lot tanks fitted with automated equipment that allows us to tailor and perform pumpovers around the clock. Finally, this wine was aged for 20 months in select tight-grained French and Hungarian oak barrels in climate-controlled barrel rooms.

The microclimate and soils in our estate Creston Valley Vineyard, located southeast of Paso Robles, encouraged us to bottle this limited-production Petite Sirah for the seventh consecutive vintage. Rolling hills, picture perfect exposure and limiting, shallow soils with noticeable limestone all contributed to exceptional concentrated Petite Sirah fruit from this vineyard. Selected from a small upper portion of an elevated block with chalky soils, the grapes were handpicked and sorted for quality in the vineyard. The fruit was crushed into small stainless steel tanks where variable pump-over techniques were implemented during progressive stages of fermentation to enhance fruit extraction and balance out the tannin structure. The wine was then lightly pressed and transferred to French and Hungarian oak barrels to complete malolactic fermentation. This exceptional lot, bottled unfined and unfiltered, is representative of the Creston Valley terroir - where the vineyard’s limestone soil is expressed through the wine’s structured, yet velvety tannins.

We have been crafting Petite Sirah from our Jardine Vineyard since 1999. Petite Sirah was one of our first choices to plant in Paso Robles and we quickly realized its potential. Since then, we have increased our focus on this exciting varietal. The name Fore relates to our 20 year old Jardine Vineyard, where golf balls are often found from the nearby golf course. Planted in well-drained soils, the vines are very low yielding, resulting in a wine of high concentration. The grapes for this wine were handpicked in early October and sorted for quality in the vineyard. The fruit was then fermented in small fermenters before undergoing malolactic fermentation and aging in selected tight-grained French oak barrels. This limited lot was then gently racked throughout the aging process for natural clarification until it was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Signature is Winemaker Kevin Willenborg’s hallmark blend of the vintage that is unconstrained by convention–in other words the “signature” wine of the vintage. This year’s blend is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah–three varieties that frequently find an exceptional balance in our region. All are known for their intense color, generous amount of flavor and rich tannins that will continue to develop with proper aging—but each brings unique elements to the final blend. The base component, Cabernet Sauvignon, provides distinctive fruit flavors and rich, juicy mouth-filling tannins to this nicely balanced Paso blend. The Petit Verdot brings age-worthy structure, concentrated color, blue fruits, and violet tones. The “icing on the cake” as Kevin refers to it, is the Petite Sirah—it adds fine layers of rich creamy tannins along with depth of color. The grand result is a distinctive age-worthy wine that rewards those who wait, yet one of perfect balance that allows it to be enjoyed during its journey.

The fruit for this wine is hand selected from our estate Huerhuero Vineyard located in the rolling hills of Paso Robles. Planted as a trial, we soon discovered that this Italian variety responded extremely well to our local terroir and wanted to give it its own showcase. The grapes were harvested at night to preserve the fruit’s fresh flavors. Fermented both in small stainless steel tanks and neutral French oak barrels, the wine was aged sur lie for four months in these vessels to enhance the complexity and its characteristically rich mouthfeel. A balanced, food-friendly white wine.

Suen•de•ro [swen-dé-ro] n. derived from “Sueño Sendero” or the “Dream Path” The name Suendero celebrates the wine’s origins amid the magical terrain of Adelaida Springs Ranch in the rugged coastal mountains west of Paso Robles. Here, at an elevation of 1,700 feet and just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the ranch’s small vineyard is planted in calcareous soils, resulting from uplifted ancient sea beds. These hillside soils, combined with reliable marine breezes, enable us to craft a nuanced Meritage of depth and balance that mirrors the evenness and elegance of a modern-style blend. At harvest, the grapes were picked and delivered to the winery in small lots where they were sorted, destemmed and gently crushed into small lot fermenters. Frequent pump-overs and punch-down techniques were used to extract balanced flavors, color and texture from these tiny, concentrated berries. The wine was then drained and gently pressed from the skins into limited-production, tight-grained French oak barrels. After 8 months of aging and extensive blending trials, the final blend was selected between very small Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec lots. While Cabernet Sauvignon characterizes the overall blend, some Petit Verdot was added to enhance the wine’s structure and Malbec for additional complexity. The final blend was then aged for an additional 12 months in these special barrels to fully integrate before bottling unfined and unfiltered.

Located in the Adelaida District in the rugged westside of Paso Robles, Terra Bella Vineyard boasts optimal conditions for Syrah—high altitude, sloping southwest facing terrain, rocky limestone soils, and a long growing season with a pronounced marine influence from the Pacific Ocean, just 17 miles away. Here the calcareous steep terrain, at an elevation of almost 1,800 feet, creates very limited yields and makes for labor intensive farming conditions. The fruit was hand-picked in the cool early hours and sorted before being crushed into small lots for fermentation, followed by aging in select tight grain French oak barrels. All of these attributes converge to produce an age-worthy Syrah that offers profound concentration without sacrificing balance or structure. This limited selection wine is unfined and unfiltered to preserve its integrity.

We source our Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc fruit from a small, sandy-gravelly block on our Jardine Vineyard. Its naturally limiting soils, along with the warm days and dramatically cool nights typical of its mesoclimate, bring out the expressive fruit tones of the variety as well as its naturally vibrant acidity. To achieve increased flavor, concentration and sugar levels, these grapes were left to ripen six weeks longer on the vine than those picked for our classic Sauvignon Blanc bottling. The clusters were selectively hand harvested in the early morning hours and gently pressed, cold settled, racked, then cold fermented with a slow fermenting yeast. The fermentation was naturally arrested after a little more than a month, and the wine was left sur lie until filtration just prior to bottling. Dessert-level sweetness, rich honeyed fruit flavors, and good natural acidity make this a rare and delicious treat.

Se•gre•do [s 'gredu] Portuguese for Secret Segredo is a limited-production, fortified red dessert wine inspired by traditional ports. Our unique “secret” is the use of Petite Sirah which lends itself to producing ageworthy wines with layers of richness. The fruit was kept on the vine for an extended period at our estate Jardine Vineyard, enabling it to develop rich, concentrated flavors. The fruit was sorted, destemmed and then pumped over up to three times per day. After six days of fermentation, neutral grape spirits were added to halt fermentation and preserve the remaining natural sugar. Aged for 20 months in French and American oak barrels, Segredo is the perfect dessert wine or can be enjoyed together with chocolate, cheese or nuts.

Our Sauvignon Blanc comes from a small sandy-gravelly block on our Jardine Vineyard. Although naturally vigorous on the vine, this variety can be sensitive to degradation during winemaking so steps are taken to preserve its fragile varietal characteristics. The grapes for the 2021 vintage were picked and delivered to the winery in the cool morning hours. The fruit was gently pressed and settled with judicious use of inert gas. The wine was then cold fermented in stainless steel tanks to limit oxidation and preserve the aromatics. Following fermentation, the wine was kept on the lees to further enhance the characteristics and mouthfeel.

We grow our Chardonnay fruit on our Mistral Vineyard in southern Monterey, where its proximity to the bay and Pacific breezes create the perfect environment for this cool climate variety. The grapes were picked early in the morning and immediately delivered to the winery. The fruit was pressed and the juice was then chilled down to 40°F for 48 hours to allow the sediment to settle. Afterwards, the juice was racked to both stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels for fermentation. The wine was then aged on its lees for six months to increase complexity and enrich the mouthfeel.

The grapes for our Albariño hail from our estate Huerhuero Vineyard. This grape variety is grown in Spain (Rías Baixas region, Galicia) under the name Albariño and in Portugal (Vinho Verde region) as Alvarinho. Albariño is a thick-skinned grape, which allows it to flourish in our Mediterranean climate. The grapes for this vintage were handpicked during the cool morning hours and whole cluster pressed. After cold settling for 48 hours, the juice was racked and cold fermented in small stainless steel tanks to retain the wine’s vibrancy. Upon completion of fermentation, the wine was aged on its lees for four months to enhance complexity. The result is a juicy wine that will pair well with your favorite tapas.

Our 2021 Rosé is inspired by the refreshing, dry rosés of southern France. With its sunsoaked slopes and coastal ambiance, Paso Robles boasts an ideal terroir for echoing the flavor and spirit of these popular Mediterranean wines. Select blocks of Syrah, Grenache and Viognier from our estate Huerhuero Vineyard were each harvested for this wine when they reached full-flavor ripeness. At the winery, the grapes were crushed and transferred directly into stainless steel tanks. The Syrah was cold soaked on its skins for two hours to extract color and flavor without excessive astringency. The juice was then drained off and into another tank then cold settled for 48 hours to further remove excess sediment. Upon racking, all three lots were inoculated with a selected yeast strain to express fresh, aromatic fruit aromas and enhance complexity, then blended just prior to bottling.

Most commonly associated with the Rueda region of Spain, this refreshing white variety produces an expressively aromatic wine with lively natural acidity. Our Verdejo grapes are grown in our estate Huerhuero Vineyard where gravelly calcareous subsoils moderate vine yields, contributing to flavor intensity. During the warm summer growing season, cooler temperatures are ushered in each evening via marine-influenced breezes drawn inland through the Templeton Gap. The grapes for this vintage were handpicked during the cool early morning hours to help retain Verdejo's delicate vibrancy. After cold settling for 48 hours, the juice was carefully racked and fermented in small stainless steel tanks to retain purity of fruit characters. Four months sur lie aging followed, enhancing mouthfeel prior to bottling.

Viognier is planted at the highest point in our estate Huerhuero Vineyard and benefits from the cooling Pacific breezes that blow through the Templeton Gap in the afternoon. The fruit was handpicked in mid-September during the cool night-time temperatures. Upon harvest, the fruit was gently pressed and the juice was cold settled, racked, and then cold fermented in stainless steel tanks with a selected yeast strain to complement the expressive varietal fruit. The wine was further cold aged sur lie in small stainless steel tanks until bottling to enhance mouthfeel and preserve freshness. A rich vibrant example of this Rhône variety.

A caretaker of trees, The Arborist pays homage to the iconic Paso Robles oaks. This estate blend is made mainly of varieties grown in our Huerhuero Vineyard, located directly behind our winery in the rolling hills of Paso Robles. Here, warm afternoons and cool evening breezes shepherd the grapes to perfect ripeness. The clusters were picked during the cooler morning temperatures and cold soaked for two days prior to fermentation. Various pump-over techniques were implemented during progressive stages of fermentation to enhance fruit extraction and balance-out the tannin structure. The wine was then aged in both small and large format French, Hungarian and American oak barrels for 18 months in order to add complexity while enhancing a soft, velvety finish. This fruit-forward wine is a natural go-to for just about any meal. Through our partnership with One Tree Planted, we plant trees with a portion of the proceeds from every bottle of The Arborist sold.

The fruit for our 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon was selected from two of our estate vineyards in Paso Robles – Huerhuero and Creston Valley. Huerhuero Vineyard, in the hilly terrain between the El Pomar and Geneseo Districts, benefits from the moderating Pacific breezes that blow through the Templeton Gap in the afternoon as well as its limiting calcareous subsoils. Creston Valley Vineyard has picture perfect high terrain, southern exposure and shallow soils with noticeable granulated limestone. Both of these vineyards produce Cabernet Sauvignon with an overall balance of expressive flavors and structure. All the blocks were handpicked and sorted in the early morning to ensure quality and uniformity of ripeness. The fruit was further sorted at our state of the art winery, gently destemmed, optically berry sorted and crushed into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Pumpovers took place regularly to enhance color and help extract tannins from the skin. After pressing, the wine was racked into barrels to complete malolactic fermentation. While the majority of wine was aged in French oak, we also used some American and Hungarian oak barrels for added nuances and complexity. After 8 months of aging and extensive blending trials, a bit of Petit Verdot was added to enhance structure. The final blend was then aged in barrels for an additional 12 months to fully integrate before bottling.

Petite Sirah is a classic variety grown in California for more than a century, and is well suited to the limiting soils found in our estate vineyards in Paso Robles. The fruit for our 2019 Petite Sirah was handpicked in the early morning and sorted to ensure quality and uniformity of ripeness. The clusters were further sorted at our new state of the art winery, gently destemmed, optically berry sorted and crushed into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks where pumpovers took place regularly to extract color and tannins from the skins. After pressing, the wine was racked into barrels to complete malolactic fermentation and aging. While the majority of this vintage was aged in French oak barrels, a portion went into American and Hungarian oak barrels to add complexity. Upon extensive blending trials after eight months of aging, the final lots were selected and blended for overall synergies - structure and minerality from Creston Valley, along with silkiness and expressive fruit from Jardine. The blend was then aged for an additional 12 months in barrels to fully integrate before bottling. The result is a wine displaying complexity, structure, richness and balance.

The grapes for our Zinfandel were grown on our Hospitality Center, Pleasant Valley and Jardine estate vineyards then handpicked and sorted in the cool morning hours. They were gently crushed and then allowed to ferment in small stainless steel tanks. Various pump-over techniques were utilized during the progressive stages of fermentation to enhance fruit extraction and enrich mouthfeel. The wine was then transferred into barrels to complete malolactic fermentation and spent 20 months aging in French and American oak barrels. A small amount of Petite Sirah was blended in for complexity and added mouthfeel.

The fruit for our Mountain Road Reserve grows on two hillside vineyards at elevations of about 1,700 feet and only 12 miles from the Pacific Coast. Situated in the rugged coastal mountains west of Paso Robles in the Adelaida District, these prime sites feature rocky calcareous soils and southwestern exposures that lend themselves to producing stunning wines. It is here that the grapes for our award-winning Suendero are also grown. This special selection focuses on very small lots of limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon, with a bit of Petit Verdot in the blend to enhance the structure of the finished wine. To achieve a balanced style with a rich character and refined mouthfeel, the wine was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels before bottling unfined and unfiltered.

We are excited to introduce our first stand-alone release of Grenache. This variety has proven to grow so well at our estate Terra Bella Vineyard that we felt compelled to craft this limited showcase from the 2019 vintage. Terra Bella Vineyard is located in the rugged coastal mountains of the Adelaida District. Here, rocky calcareous soils and high elevations combine to create perfect conditions for this classic Rhône varietal. This wine was aged for 20 months in American and Hungarian oak barrels to cultivate added complexity and complementary vanilla notes.