2018 Suendero

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.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Black raspberry with hints of violet, blueberry, and juniper berry
Taste: Full-bodied with black raspberry flavors, vibrant acidity and ageworthy tannins, all leading to a structured finish