Iron + Sand Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

91pts James Suckling

"This broad and structured red has a super polished texture and delivers generous fruit. It’s medium- to full-bodied and deep, yet it’s well balanced and smooth, with a long finish and fine, dusty tannins."

The Winemaking Process:

After careful harvesting, grapes were brought to the winery for processing. Our
unique winery set up, with fermenters situated on top of storage tanks, allows for
minimal pump usage while sending pomace to our press. The wine underwent
three pump overs per day, with each lot receiving custom scheduling to ensure
appropriate levels of extraction to fully take advantage of the vineyards’ terroir.
A small portion of the wine (less than 6%) was placed into first year French
and American oak. This experimental wine came out so complementary to the
final blend that several of these barrels were included, building palate weight,
a smooth texture and mouthfeel complexity. The rest of the wine was aged
in neutral barrels allowing for the extraordinary Paso Robles terroir to shine
through in the final blend.

Tasting Notes:

Dense purple in color, this wine opens with aromas of dark red fruit, blueberry,
black cherry, cassis and cola with a dusting of baking spice. The wine is velvety
and lush presenting delicious flavors of black cherry and blackberry with
undertones of coffee, mocha and a hint of vanilla. The flavors are complemented
by lively acidity and fine tannins that lifts the wine suggesting a long life. The
finish is long, supple and mouthwatering. This Paso Robles Cabernet is the
perfect match for local Santa Maria style BBQ of tri-tip with salsa, pinquito
beans, grilled French bread, and a crisp green salad, or slow-braised short ribs
with creamy polenta and roasted mushrooms.