Vina Robles Spring 2015 Newsletter

NEWSLETTER

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SPRING 2015

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

SPRING 2015

3. . . . . . . . . A Note From Hans Nef 4. . . . . . . . . Featured Wine 5. . . . . . . . . New Release 6. . . . . . . . . Behind The Vine 7. . . . . . . . . Bordeaux Goes Big Time in Paso 8. . . . . . . . . Recipe 10. . . . . . . . Happenings

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Dear Friends, In winemaking, there is no “off-season,” and things rarely slow down.

You might get a brief period of relief at the end of the hectic harvest months, but by the time the new year rolls around, the work ramps up quickly in the vineyard and the cellar. Vines need to be pruned, wines need to be bottled and all sorts of other tasks start competing for your time.

As I write, this is where we find ourselves at Vina Robles, happily and heartily engaged in the hard work of winemaking. But every once in a while, it is nice to take a step back, look at the big picture and contemplate how we are doing. And based on some feedback we have received recently, I am happy to report that we seem to be doing just fine.

Indeed, at the 2015 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, our 2012 RED4 earned a rare double gold medal, while our 2013 WHITE4, 2013 Sauvignon Blanc - Estate and 2010 Syrée each racked up gold medals.

Meanwhile, at the 2015 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition, the 2010 Syrée was named Class Champion, while our 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon - Estate was awarded the title of Reserve Class Champion.

Lastly, Wine Enthusiast magazine gave a lofty rating of 92 points to our 2011 Petite Sirah - Estate, followed closely by 91 points for the 2013 WHITE4.

In other words, it appears that all this hard work is paying off!

Best regards,

Hans Nef

Cover: Adelaida Springs Ranch

SPRING 2015

FEATURED WINE 2012 CABERNET SAUVIGNON – Estate The Cabernet Sauvignon - Estate has long been a cornerstone wine at Vina Robles, but the 2012 vintage marks the first such bottling to be crafted from ground to glass by Winemaker Kevin Willenborg, who joined our team earlier that year. Kevin’s expertise with Cabernet Sauvignon—which stretches from Bordeaux to Napa Valley to, now, Paso Robles—is evident in this wine’s deep, integrated flavors and classic varietal expression, all achieved through an artful blend of fruit from our estate Huerhuero, Creston Valley and Jardine vineyards. To this, Kevin incorporated a small lot of Petit Verdot for added structure, as well as a contribution of Tannat for an enhanced mouthfeel. The result is a Cabernet Sauvignon that advances a winery tradition while also bearing a fresh winemaking signature.

Tasting Notes The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon - Estate enchants the nose with lively aromas of blueberry, boysenberry, fine tobacco, sandalwood, and toasty oak. The palate is lushly textured, offering deep, seamless black fruit flavors. Structured, velvety tannins offer immediate approachability.

Pairing Recommendations The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon - Estate is a fine match for flank steak, braised beef, stuffed eggplant, and hearty winter seasonal fare.

Reserve Class Champion, Double-Gold Medal

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NEW RELEASE 2011 MOUNTAIN ROAD RESERVE – Cabernet Sauvignon The 2011 Mountain Road Reserve is a limited-production wine that hails exclusively from our estate Adelaida Springs Ranch vineyard, which is pitched along southwest-facing limestone slopes in the coastal mountains west of Paso Robles. Here, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape achieves a rare balance of ripeness, complexity and structure that we aim to showcase in this reserve selection. To achieve a style with more delicate and elegant traits, the 2011 vintage was aged for 32 months in new French oak. It offers intense, brooding aromas of black currant with hints of earthy tobacco and licorice. Lively acidity and firm tannins exude a vivid sense of place while promising to reward careful cellaring. Only 190 cases were produced.

AGING: 32 MONTHS IN NEW FRENCH OAK BARRELS BOTTLING DATE: 06.05.13 RELEASE DATE: 02.13.15 ALCOHOL: 14.6%

SPRING 2015

BEHIND THE VINE Behind The Vine with Viticulturist Sukhy Sran Every April, the school kids enjoy spring break. Well, here in the vineyard, we get bud break—the opening of the vine buds to reveal the first green growth of the vintage.

Unlike spring break, bud break is not a time to sit back and relax, but rather a time to remain vigilant, as it coincides with the potentially damaging frost season. The last thing you want is for these tender new shoots to get hit with a hard frost that hobbles the vines right out of the gates.

You have probably seen a pruned vineyard, in photos or in person. Every winter, we go through our vineyards and prune the vine branches, called canes. These canes carry small evenly spaced buds from top to bottom.

During pruning, we cut the canes back nearly to the nub, leaving only a few buds behind. These are the buds that, come springtime, break open and push forth the canes of the new growing season. By limiting the amount of buds left on each vine, we are able to control vigor and grape yields, resulting in higher-quality fruit.

Historically, bud break comes to Paso Robles in the last week of March through the first part of April, depending on the weather leading up to spring. Some grape varieties, such as Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot, are inclined to bud out earlier, while others like Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah come later.

The timing of bud break can also be influenced by pruning schedules. If you prune the vines early in the winter, they tend to bud out sooner. At Vina Robles, we like to prune on the later side. This delays bud break a bit, which means that the new growth spends less time in the seasonal frost window.

Jack Frost is not our friend in the wine industry. He tends to come around in April and May. If left unchecked, he can burn the tips of the new shoots and fry the infant clusters.

Thankfully, our estate vineyards are not prone to deep freezes, with the exception of Creston Valley Vineyard in southeast Paso Robles. The land there has several natural

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bowls where the cold air tends to collect. We have temperature gauges in the vineyard, and if it looks like we are in for a damaging frost event, we will hire a helicopter to hover around the low spots to circulate air and elevate the temperatures. We also keep the cover crops mowed low between the vine rows during springtime, which further encourages air flow.

The newly opened buds represent the first official step on the journey to harvest. They are our babies, and so we handle them with great care.

BORDEAUX GOES BIG TIME IN PASO From the Cellar with Winemaker Kevin Willenborg In the wine industry, you often hear that “Cabernet is king,” and there is no arguing that this classic Bordeaux variety sets the pace for red wine in California.

Cabernet Sauvignon’s prestige is rooted not only in its long track record in Bordeaux, but also in Napa Valley, the esteemed wine region that put California on the international wine map. In Napa Valley, Cabernet is definitely king. In fact, it has become virtually synonymous with the region.

At Vina Robles, however, we have long felt that Paso Robles will be the next big thing in the world of Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties, and we are now joined by numerous other wineries in that vision.

In fact, we were one of eight founding wineries behind the Paso Robles CAB Collective in 2012, a trade group that now includes more than 25 local producers dedicated to advancing the excellence of Bordeaux varieties from Paso Robles.

“It has been a long time coming, but Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles is really beginning to gain momentum,” says Winemaker Kevin Willenborg.

Kevin explains that Cabernet Sauvignon played a prominent role in Paso Robles’ burgeoning wine industry in the 1970s and 1980s, and has been the region’s most continued page 9...

SPRING 2015

RECIPE About the Chef – Nemo Bolin At the Cook & Brown Public House in Providence, Rhode Island, Chef Nemo Bolin leads a modern, New England-inspired version of a European Gastropub. Chef Nemo also knows a thing or two about cooking with lamb. Indeed, he not only reached the finals of the national 2014 American Lamb Jam Competition, but eventually won the grand finale that was held as part of the 2014 Sunset SAVOR the Central Coast celebration. In this newsletter, he graciously shares his Lamb Merguez Scotch Egg recipe as a taste of his expertise and as a perfect match for our 2010 Syrée red blend. See cookandbrown.com for more information.

Chef Nemo’s Lamb Merguez Scotch Egg Enjoy with Vina Robles 2010 Syrée Ingredients (Yields 16 Servings) 6 Dried chiles d’arbol 3 Dried guajillo chiles 2 Red bell peppers, charred 2 Preserved lemons 1 cup Garlic confit 1 tbsp. Sweet paprika 1 tbsp. Smoked paprika 1 tbsp. Cayenne pepper ¼ cup Fennel seeds, toasted ¼ cup Coriander seeds, toasted 2 tbsp. Cumin seeds, toasted

4 1 ¼ cup ¼ cup ¼ cup ½ cup ¼ cup 2 lbs.

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Star anise, toasted Cinnamon stick, toasted Black peppercorns, toasted Red wine vinegar Lemon juice Extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt American lamb, ground Large eggs Merguez sausage Panko bread crumbs

Method Rehydrate dried chiles in boiling water until tender. In a blender, add chiles and all ingredients through salt. Puree until a thick paste is formed. Mix in with lamb, by hand or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.

For Scotch eggs: Place 16 large eggs in boiling water for 6 minutes; submerge in an ice bath until cold.

Peel and wrap in a thin layer of Merguez sausage, ¼ inch or less. Coat the sausage-wrapped eggs in flour, then an egg wash, then an even layer of finely ground Panko bread crumbs. Deep fry at 325° (in olive oil, if possible) until golden brown.

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BORDEAUX GOES BIG TIME IN PASO cont. widely planted grape ever since. Nevertheless, it took time for local growers and wineries to fine tune their methods for getting the most out of the variety.

“A turning point came when Justin Winery’s 1997 Isosceles, a Bordeaux-style blend from Paso, claimed the sixth spot in the Wine Spectator’s annual Top 100 list,” Kevin says. “That really got peoples’ attention.”

However, the economic recession in the early 2000s made pursuing high-end Cabernets more challenging for local wineries. At the same time, Paso Robles was gaining a well-deserved reputation for excellence with Rhône varieties.

“I think that our regional prominence with Cabernet was slowed down by these things, but now we’re making up for lost time,” Kevin says. “There’s a lot of buzz right now surrounding Paso Cabernet.

More and more quality focused wineries in the region have a stake in it, and that’s building critical mass.”

Cabernet

Sauvignon

and

other

Bordeaux varieties have been at the heart of the Vina Robles experience since day one. We now grow them at all of our estate vineyards.

“I think that our experience mirrors the region,” Kevin says. “We’ve always believed in these varieties, and now we’re really hitting our stride.”

He notes that diversity is also a signature of the local Cabernet experience. “In our estate Huerhuero and Creston Valley vineyards, we get a more fruit-forward style with velvety tannins that’s perfect for our main Cabernet Estate bottling. At Adelaida Springs Ranch in the coastal mountains, we get the intensity and structure that befits reserve treatment.”

He adds, “These types of site-specific distinctions are now getting recognition around Paso Robles, and it’s only going to help raise the profile of Paso as a premier Cabernet region.”

SPRING 2015

HAPPENINGS Zinfandel Weekend Gets Decadent Join us for Vintage Paso: Zinfandel Weekend on March 20 – 22 as we fuse together some of our favorite delicacies: chocolate, music and, of course, Zinfandel.

All weekend long, guests are invited to enjoy special discounts on wines by the case as well as a sit-down brownie and wine pairing experience at our Tasting Room. These are not just any brownies, but rather five handmade little gems in exotic flavors by local artisan purveyor Heaven Squared Brownie Co. These bites of delight will be paired with five Vina Robles estate wines. How about trying a Zin Berry Brownie paired with the 2012 Zinfandel - Estate? Or a Limoncello Goat Cheese Brownie paired with our 2013 Albariño – Huerhuero? Be sure to stop by and check out the rest! Live music by pop-folk-rock singer-songwriter Mike Annuzzi on Saturday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Tastings are $15/pp; $10/Signature Wine Club members. Pairings are limited and

offered on a first come, first-served basis. No reservations required.

Become A Chocolate Master If you have ever dreamed of becoming an expert chocolatier, you will not want to miss our hands-on workshop taught by Master Chocolatier Tom Neuhaus of Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates in San Luis Obispo. Kicking off Zinfandel Festival Weekend on Friday, March 20 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Tom will enlighten 20 attendees, teaching them the art of working with chocolate and the tricks of the trade. And do not worry, the class includes a wine and chocolate pairing break just to keep you going. By day’s end, each “graduate” will earn a “Vina Robles Master Chocolatier” certificate and will take home a box of his or her personally handmade truffles.

Tickets are $50/pp; $45/Signature Wine Club members. Space is limited and

advance reservations are required.

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Vina Robles Amphitheatre Welcomes Third Season

DARK STAR ORCHESTRA APRIL 10

STEELY DAN APRIL 14

WILLIE NELSON AND ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION JULY 21

Visit the Amphitheatre website for tickets and an up-to-date schedule: vinaroblesamphitheatre.com JACKSON BROWNE AUGUST 8

JOE BONAMASSA AUGUST 24

SIGNATURE WINE CLUB EVENTS Winemaker Seminar & Tasting We invite Signature Wine Club members to join Winemaker Kevin Willenborg for an intimate and informative wine tasting experience on Saturday, March 28, with seatings at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Kevin will present five wines each paired with a gourmet bite, and will share insights into winemaking and wine appreciation along the way. The cost is just $25 per club member. Afterwards, you will have the opportunity to pick up your spring shipment early.

Pick-Up Weekend Signature Wine Club members are encouraged to mark their calendar for the weekend of April 25-26, as we will be offering a special afternoon of live music and wine tasting on both Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Pick up your spring club shipment and enjoy our 2012 Tannat - Huerhuero, a special club release, paired with a delicious bite. This event is complimentary and no RSVP is necessary, just come on by!

3700 MILL ROAD, PASO ROBLES, CA OPEN DAILY 10-6 SUMMER / 10-5 WINTER

ABOUT VINA ROBLES We craft wines that represent a stylistic bridge between the Old and New worlds, capturing the finesse associated with European wines while celebrating the bold natural flavors of our estate vineyards in Paso Robles. Here, proprietor Hans Nef and managing partner Hans—R. Michel bring their Swiss heritage to California’s Central Coast, where they aim to unite the best of both experiences. Our wines are available across the United States and overseas, and can be enjoyed at our hospitality center in the heart of the Paso Robles wine country. Please visit us soon to taste the Vina Robles difference.

P.O. Box 699 Paso Robles, CA 93447 tel: 805-227-4812 fax: 805-227-4816

www.VinaRobles.com