Arbuckle Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2020

When you grow up on a world-renowned vineyard as the child of famed Californian grape growers, paving your own path may seem an unnecessary challenge.  Mature vineyards planted in prized terroir with an established brand are the road of least resistance.  Yet, as humans, we all desire to make an impression on the world that is wholly our own.  And for Scotty Saunders of Arbuckle Ridge Winery, creating a label separate from his family’s Hearst Ranch Winery was less an act of rebellion and more rooted in exploring the region he has long called home in new ways, with the faith and support of his lifelong mentors (a.k.a.  Dad and Mom.)

Scotty maintains a full-time position at Hearst Ranch Winery.  As the son of proprietors Jim and Debi, he has dutifully made his way through almost every position of the family business.  He seemed destined to follow in his parents’ viticulture footsteps from a young age, having grown up in the vineyard and experienced the magic and intrigue of each harvest season.  Scott and his wife, Natalie, dabbled in winemaking in 2011, with small pet projects here and there, but nothing stuck until 2017, and the year marked their first commercial vintage with a small production of 130 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Luckily for Scott, he has a direct pipeline to meticulously and sustainably farmed fruit from Paso Robles’s most notable vineyard.  

Each harvest brings a new challenge for Scott, who seeks to express Paso Robles terroir through balanced yet expressive wines. And as Paso Robles is California’s largest wine region with wide-ranging soil types and climates, Scott changes his blends and techniques depending on that year’s conditions and vineyard sources. While Paso Robles boasts warmer temperatures that traditionally would result in overripened fruit, it has two major factors on its side for producing outstanding wine grapes.  First, many soil types in Paso Robles are clay-based with high levels of lime and magnesium, which lends high acidity and aids in water retention.  With some vintages experiencing desert-like rainfall levels, soil that can hold on to any and all drops is critical for those thirsty vines.  Secondly, vineyards in Paso are planted anywhere from 700 to 2,400 ft. in elevation, which maintains the acid levels in fruit and keeps the grapes on the vine ripening well into October.

Many refer to Paso Robles as the “wild west of California wine” due to its agricultural heritage, old Western-style landscapes, and sheer tenacity of producers/growers who often shirk tradition for innovation.  For his 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Scott embraced outside-the-box thinking with a blend utilizing Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from his family’s vineyard and Tempranillo from the Caelesta Vineyard (located in the western half of Paso Robles.)  76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Tempranillo, and 5% Syrah aged for 19 months in 100% French oak. The six-barrel production rested in two brand-new barrels, two once-used barrels, and two neutral barrels.  Black cherry jam, chocolate-covered espresso beans, and tanned leather aromas on the nose lead into a luscious, mouth-coating palate with a dense tannic structure and hints of brambly dark berries, cocoa powder, and a linear minerality.  So when you’ve selected a beautiful cut at the butcher shop and are seeking a rich red to pair, look no further than the 2020 Arbuckle Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon.