2020 Ancient Peaks Winery Merlot and Cabernet Franc – Two Treats in August!
Background
Last December while in Paso Robles for Cabernet Franc Paso Robles, I met with Mike Sinor, winemaker at Ancient Peaks. I had tried only one of their wines prior but after an extensive tour and tasting, came home with many bottles. This story is about two of their offerings, the 2020 Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
The Winery
Ancient Peaks Winery is LARGE, consisting of 14,000 acres with 1,000 acres under vine. Here the video from the Oyster Ridge event center you get a 360 degree view of the property.
Video by ©Michael Kelly
As it turns out Santa Margarita is the only vineyard in the Santa Margarita Ranch AVA in the most southern portion of the AVA. Some of the more interesting factoids of the vineyard were:
- Five separate soils are intermixed and found on the property, shown on one of their labels.
- The vineyard is only 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean and draws the fog onto the property
- It is the coolest sub-AVA in Paso Robles AVA.
- Being the coolest region, they are often the latest in full maturing of the vineyards. This helps in providing a slowing ripening process (often with challenges) but the reward is flavor, structure and with the varying soil types provides unique character to the grapes.
- They average 29 inches of rain with the surrounding Santa Lucia mountain range.
- Their sustainability practices have earned them SIP Certification (Sustainability in Practice).
- The owners of the winery are Karl Wittstrom, Rob Rossi and Doug Filipponi all local wine growing and ranching families in Santa Margarita.
- Santa Margarita was originally settled by the Franciscan missionaries around 1770. In 1889 the area was part of the Mexican Alta California land grant.
- It is named for Santa Margarita de Cortona Assitencia, an Italian saint.
- A rich and detailed history can be found on Santa Margarita and is fascinating reading. https://santamargaritahistoricalsociety.org/
Today they have the Oyster Ridge event building/site which is an ideal spot for weddings, corporate retreats and private events over-looking the vineyards and ranch. Additionally they provide a host of activities in the agritourism business on the 14,000 acres including vineyard zip lining, wild life tours and horseback trail rides.
The label called Oyster Ridge comes from so many oyster bed fossils found about the property. Here Mike Sinor is holding one fossilized oyster.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wines by Ancient Peaks – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Learned that their wines have three distinct labels/branding going to market which are: Ancient Peaks, Oyster Ridge and Pearl. Many of the varieties are offered with all three labels/branding. Their white wines consist of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. The red wines offered are extensive with Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Zinfandel and of course the wine we sought out their Cabernet Franc. We were offered to taste “all the wines” but practically speaking it would be too much unless we camped overnight in the tasting room! We did taste the following wines and a couple of others. A second or third visit is definitely forthcoming to taste their Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir and Petit Verdot.
The first wine enjoyed in early August was the 2020 Merlot. This Merlot was extraordinary in “mellow-ness” yet provided ample flavor and character. First on the eyes, a beautiful deep red coloring and aromas of black plum and oak. On the palate, intense flavors of black cherry and blackberry. The finish was silky smooth with caressing tannins and a tinge of vanilla and cinnamon. The wine was aged 24 months in French oak barrels providing an almost perfect integration of the wine with the tannins. This wine goes for $68/bottle and definitely a wine to be sought after!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The second wine enjoyed in mid-August was the 2020 Ancient Peaks Cabernet Franc wine which was dark and opulent on the eyes and with medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose, cherry and blackberry wafted into the senses beckoning and drawing one to partake in a sip. On the palate, the aforementioned fruits burst into a parade of flavor profiles, coupled with plum and secondary flavors of coffee and vanilla. The finish was expressive with grippy tannins and an intense structure, not typical of Cabernet Franc from the region. A real surprise and welcomed treat!
The wine consists of 92% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot. Their limited-edition offering was hand selected from their finest vineyard rows and aged for 23 months in 50% new French oak. The price is $50/bottle and belongs in their Pearl Collection. The wine comes in at 14.9% and extremely smooth.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
So glad we picked these wines (and others) from our visit last December. Wine Advocate summed up Ancient Peaks in a quote “keenly priced, high quality wines that deserve to be better known”.
These two wines will make my annual Best Wines tasted for 2024 that comes out in mid-December.
I hope this article provides you an incentive to check out their gorgeous property and quality wines.
Sláinte,
Michael