Winery Notes: The fruit for our 2016 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. Then the fruit was destemmed and gently 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.