N E W S L E T T E R | W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 / 1 5

WINTER 2014/15

INS

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TH

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UE 3. . . . . . . . . A Note From Hans Nef

4. . . . . . . . . Featured Wine

5. . . . . . . . . New Release

6. . . . . . . . . Behind The Vine

7. . . . . . . . . Petit Verdot Finds The Spotlight

8. . . . . . . . . Recipe

10. . . . . . . . Happenings

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Dear Friends,

Another vintage is now in the barrel, and once again the holidays are upon us.

By all accounts, the 2014 wines will be worth the wait. This

year, the conditions were dry, and the yields were low, resulting

in small, intensely flavored grapes that will translate to equally

flavorful wines.

We also have another reason to celebrate right now, and that is

because 11 new American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) have now been

officially established as sub-appellations of the Paso Robles AVA.

We have always been an estate-driven winery with several

vineyards in varying locations that reflect the diversity of Paso

Robles. The new AVAs now allow us to better communicate the

site-specific conditions that are unique to the different areas of

Paso Robles (our viticulturist, Sukhy Sran, provides further details on this topic

later in this newsletter).

At the same time, we continue to embrace the Paso Robles message. Our labels

will always lead with Paso Robles, and the new AVAs will always be united by the

commonalities of the Paso Robles region.

All of us at Vina Robles would like to wish you a magnificent holiday season,

filled with good wine and food in the company of family and friends. We look

forward to seeing you in the new year.

Best regards,

Hans Nef

WINTER 2014/15

FEATURED WINE

2011 SUENDERO The 2011 Suendero (swen-dé-ro; derived from “Sueño Sendero” or the

“Dream Path”) comes from our estate Adelaida Springs Ranch Vineyard,

which is located in the rugged coastal mountains west of Paso Robles,

just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean at an elevation of 1,700 feet. The

unique growing conditions of this area were recently recognized with the

establishment of the Adelaida District American Viticultural Area (AVA), a

new sub-appellation of the Paso Robles AVA. Here, the pronounced marine

influence and shallow limestone soils combine to yield outstanding

growing conditions for classic Bordeaux varieties, making Adelaida

Springs Ranch the ideal source for the 2011 Suendero, which is a

blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Petit Verdot (30%). The

result is a nuanced wine, traditional in composition, but showing

the sleek elegance of a modern style blend.

Tasting NotesThe 2011 Suendero offers toasty aromas of boysenberry and cedar

with hints of licorice and mocha spice. Smooth, rounded flavors of

cherry, plum and black currant reveal hints of black coffee. The

finish is elegantly weighted and impeccably balanced, concluding

with long, plush tannins.

Pairing RecommendationsThe 2011 Suendero is a perfect match for warming fare on a

cold winter’s evening. Suggested pairings include pan-seared filet

mignon, braised lamb shank, winter beef stew, and mushroom

risotto.

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2011 PETIT VERDOT – Huerhuero We are excited to present the 2011 Petit Verdot as our first stand-alone

release of this classic Bordeaux variety. In keeping with Bordeaux

tradition, we typically blend a small percentage of Petit Verdot into our

Cabernet Sauvignons for added color and structure. Over the years,

however, we have found the Petit Verdot from our estate Huerhuero

Vineyard to be particularly compelling, ultimately inspiring us to

release this rare taste 100-percent Petit Verdot. The 2011 Petit Verdot

presents aromas of cherry rhubarb cobbler with hints of nutmeg and

fine tobacco. The palate is round and supple, offering elegantly poised

flavors of cherry and boysenberry with hints of black olive and cedar.

A bright finish lingers with fine, minerally tannins.

NEW RELEASE

AGING: 18 MONTHS IN FRENCH OAK BARRELS BOTTLING DATE: 06.05.13RELEASE DATE: 12.05.14ALCOHOL: 13.7%

WINTER 2014/15

BEHIND THE VINE

Behind The Vine with Viticulturist Sukhy SranSince I last wrote, we have had some big news here in Paso Robles

wine country with the recent establishment of 11 new American

Viticultural Areas (AVAs) within the larger Paso Robles AVA.

In other words, the distinct growing areas within Paso Robles

have now been officially recognized, much in the way that

Oakville, Rutherford and other sub-appellations have carved out

their own identities within the Napa Valley AVA.

The new AVAs in Paso Robles really just reinforce something that

we have already known, which is that the growing conditions of

Paso Robles are varied and diverse.

We have experienced this firsthand at Vina Robles for many

years now, as we maintain estate vineyards that now occupy five separate AVAs within

Paso Robles: El Pomar District (Huerhuero Vineyard), Geneseo District (Huerhuero

Vineyard), Creston District (Creston Valley Vineyard), Estrella District (Pleasant Valley

and Jardine Vineyards), and Adelaida District (Adelaida Springs Ranch).

Based on my experience with these vineyards, I can assure you that the new AVA

distinctions are legitimate, as the differences in weather and soil from one area to

another can be quite vast.

For example, the Adelaida District is located in the mountains west of Paso Robles,

closer to the ocean where the soil is rich in limestone. You get more of a pronounced

marine influence, which translates to a more moderate climate. We really have to work

to control yields in Adelaida, because it just does not get warm enough to fully ripen

the fruit if you have too much of it on the vine. The fruit tends to have a firm structure

and high flavor intensity.

As you travel to the other side of Paso Robles and out to the Creston District, the

weather gets warmer and the soils become sandier. Then, as you head up to the

Estrella District, you get bigger daily temperature extremes, with hotter days and

colder nights. In these places, we actually need to maintain a heavier crop load to

create a balanced vine, and the fruit tends to have softer, rounder tannins as a result

of the warmer conditions.

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The only downside to the new AVAs is that it may encourage some people to wonder

which is “better” than the other. I do not buy into that discussion. If you want to

produce a wine with a lot of intensity and tannin, you might look toward Adelaida. If

you are looking for something softer and rounder, then El Pomar would fit the bill.

As they say, variety is the spice of life, and it has now been confirmed that we have

plenty of it here in Paso Robles.

From the Cellar with Winemaker Kevin WillenborgIf wine were a movie, Petit Verdot would be a bit player, always ready to star in an

important supporting role, but rarely allowed to stand on center stage.

Indeed, Petit Verdot has historically been known as a mere blending variety, used

in small percentages to enhance Bordeaux-style blends. But at Vina Robles, we are

becoming increasingly bullish on Petit Verdot, to the point of now releasing our first

stand-alone bottling of the variety from the 2011 vintage.

So what inspired us to take this step? “We’ve found that Petit Verdot excels in Paso

Robles, more so than in most regions,” says Winemaker Kevin Willenborg. “It’s always

done really well for us, and we felt that it finally merited its own bottling.”

Kevin explains that in cooler climates, including its native Bordeaux, Petit Verdot is

known for making tight, tannic wines. For that reason, it has earned a reputation as a

perfect blending variety. Used in small quantities, it enhances the color and tannin of

a given blend, but it is rarely ready for prime time on its own.

“Petit Verdot is a late-ripening variety, and if it doesn’t get enough time to ripen

adequately, you get underdeveloped tannins that create astringency,” Kevin says. “In

Bordeaux, the growing season is more compact and you typically don’t get the same

sustained warmth into the fall, so it can be difficult to adequately ripen Petit Verdot

there in many years. Even in Napa Valley, the growing season is somewhat shorter

than ours. In Paso Robles, because we have such a long, warm growing season, the

Petit Verdot fruit consistently develops smoother, rounder tannins.”

Such conditions are found at our estate Huerhuero Vineyard in the heart of Paso

PETIT VERDOT FINDS THE SPOTLIGHT

continued page 9...

WINTER 2014/15

RECIPE

About the Chef – Eric Viedt In his own words, Eric Viedt specializes in “comfortably robust American cuisine with

a southwestern edge.” Fittingly, this chef and co-owner of the Margarita at Pine Creek

restaurant in Colorado Springs has an easygoing manner that makes him an ideal

match for this artful and community-oriented establishment. The restaurant’s large

patio plays host to live music, movie nights and a coffee house as well as the Colorado

Farm and Art Market, which features a variety of artisan goods for sale. Meanwhile,

the ever-changing menu features such dishes as “48-hour ‘Red’ Braised Sous Vide

Pork Belly with Apples, White Cheddar and Mustard” as well as “Parsnip Cake.” The

restaurant even cures its own duck breast and smokes its own salmon. For more

information, visit www.margaritaatpinecreek.com.

Chef Eric’s Wild Mushroom Bolognese with Pappardelle pasta, Ricotta and Butternut Squash Purée Enjoy with Vina Robles 2012 RED4 Bolognese Ingredients (Serves 4)3 tbsp. Butter3 tbsp. Olive oil 1/4 cup Onion, chopped1/4 cup Carrots, chopped1/4 cup Celery, chopped8 Garlic cloves, minced1/2 lb. Portobello mushrooms, chopped1/2 lb. Button mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp. Tomato paste1 tbsp. Marjoram, dried1 tbsp. Oregano, dried1 tbsp. Basil, dried1/2 cup Red wine1/2 cup Vegetable stock 12 oz. Roasted canned tomatoes, chopped Salt and pepper

MethodHeat butter with olive oil in a large sauce pot. Cook and stir the onion, carrot, garlic and celery

until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5

minutes. Add tomato paste and herbs and cook for another 2 minutes.

Deglaze with wine and bring to a simmer, dissolving any browned flavor bits from the bottom of the

pot. Allow the wine to cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in stock and tomatoes and bring to a simmer

over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Purée with a stick blender

or food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.

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Robles, the source for our 2011 Petit Verdot. “The Petit Verdot

fruit from Huerhuero has naturally softer tannins,” Kevin

explains. “Often with Petit Verdot, you really have to limit the

skin contact during fermentation, because it can become

aggressively astringent pretty quickly. But with our Huerhuero

fruit, that just doesn’t happen.”

Not surprisingly, the Petit Verdot fruit from our estate

Adelaida Springs Ranch in the moderately cooler, coastal

mountains west of Paso Robles can yield a more traditional,

tannic expression of Petit Verdot. “We have to often limit the

Adelaida fruit’s skin contact during fermentation to balance the

tannin extraction in the finished wine.”

For this reason, the Petit Verdot from Adelaida Springs

Ranch tends to be used in a traditional blending role at Vina

Robles, while the Petit Verdot from Huerhuero Vineyard is now being bottled on its

own, though still in limited quantities.

“We’re not producing a lot of Petit Verdot yet, because it’s still more of a niche wine

right now,” Kevin says. “But because it does so well in Paso Robles, I think you’ll begin

to see more of it here in the years ahead.”

PETIT VERDOT FINDS THE SPOTLIGHT cont.

Butternut Squash Purée1 Butternut Squash 2 tbsp. Butter Salt and pepper

Split squash and deseed. Wrap each half in foil and roast in oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Scoop out

pulp and purée in food processor with salt, pepper and butter.

For Dish1 lb. Pappadelle pasta, cooked and warm 1/4 cup Ricotta cheese 2 tbsp. Basil chiffonade, fresh

2 tbsp. Parmesan

Toss hot pasta with 3/4 cup of butternut squash purée and ricotta cheese. Plate and ladle mushroom sauce over

the top, finish with parmesan and basil. Enjoy with a glass of Vina Robles RED4.

WINTER 2014/15

HAPPENINGS

Shopping is a Joy at Vina Robles

Here is a chance to make Christmas shopping an enjoyable and easy experience while

delighting everyone on your gift list. Indeed, we invite you to check out our Holiday

Gift Catalogue online at VinaRobles.com. With a few easy clicks you can peruse items

such as our large format bottle specials, including a 3-liter hand-etched bottle of 2005

Signature as well as magnums of our 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon – Estate. Also up for

grabs is a special on our Brut NV sparkling wine that is exclusively sold during the

month of December. Our very limited library vertical collections are another unique

and rare gift that features multiple vintages of our Cabernet Sauvignon – Estate

and Fore – Petite Sirah releases. And, of course, do not forget stocking stuffers like

our Segredo Filled Truffles or a nice beechwood corkscrew. The Vina Robles Gift

Catalogue is a sure way to make everyone’s season bright!

Merry Moments at Saturday Live“Saturday Live” concerts are the perfect prescription for slowing down and soaking up

the spirit of the season. Kick back in our luxurious Tasting Room while savoring award-

winning Vina Robles wines and charcuterie plates that are available for purchase. No

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‘Tis the Season for a Pick-Up Party!Yuletide cheer will be aplenty at our December Signature Club Pick-up parties on

December 12 and December 13 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. We invite members to choose

one of the dates that works best for their busy holiday schedules.

Come and celebrate the season in the Signature Room, Wine Club Lounge and

Jardine Court as you are serenaded by Opera San Luis Obispo’s “OperaSLO-2-Go”

carolers dressed in Dickensian attire. Enjoy the wines in this month’s shipment with

a selection of artisanal cheese. Guests dressed in their most festive holiday garb may

enter to win a Vina Robles gift basket. This event is complimentary for Signature Wine

Club members; $15/pp for guests.

SIGNATURE WINE CLUB EVENTS

reservations are required for these complimentary events. Following is our Saturday

Live December schedule:

Dawn Lambeth on December 13 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Jazz vocalist Dawn Lambeth will carry you away to a classic “supper club” scene

as she shares her stylish renditions of songs ranging from the 1920s to favorites of

the Big Band era.

Eddie Cancel on December 27 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Instrumental rock guitarist and composer Eddie Cancel shares his “soulfully

aggressive” folk sounds and melodies. Trained originally on piano and drums, he

offers a range of emotions through his distinctive style.

Valentine’s at Vina RoblesDo not let Cupid pass you by! Book now for our popular Valentine’s Day Dinner

happening on February 14 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Rich candlelight ambiance and

romantic strains from “The Wind in the Reeds” by the SLO Winds Clarinet Choir are

reasons enough to come. Add to that a decadent multi-course meal and it is a moment

not to be missed! Tickets are $95/pp; $85/Signature Wine Club members. To purchase

tickets and for more information visit VinaRobles.com

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

www.VinaRobles.com

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.

3700 MILL ROAD, PASO ROBLES, CA

OPEN DAILY 10-6 SUMMER /10-5 WINTER