# Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon (2017)

- **Producer:** Castle Rock Winery
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon
- **Region:** California, United States
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €13
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Passed
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackcurrant, blackberry, vanilla, charred wood, smoke, leather, tar, game

## About this wine

Castle Rock Winery, founded in 1994 by Greg Popovich, operates on a highly successful virtual-winery model. By contracting with respected independent grape growers across the West Coast rather than owning expensive estate land, they eliminate heavy real estate overhead. This allows them to focus purely on quality, bringing regional AVA-specific typicity to consumers at competitive everyday prices. The Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the unique terroir of California's Central Coast.

## Interesting facts

- Castle Rock operates on a 'virtual winery' model, owning no vineyards to keep overhead low and quality high.
- The 2017 vintage won a Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
- This wine was designated as a 'Best Buy' by Wine Enthusiast with an 88-point rating.

## Food pairing

This full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon requires rich, protein-heavy dishes to bind with its firm tannins. The wine's moderate acidity and dark fruit profile beautifully complement grilled red meats, game, and rich reduction sauces, while avoiding delicate seafood or highly spicy dishes that would clash with the wine's structure.

## Wine making process

Managed under winemaker Eric Laumann, the grapes are sourced from established regional growers in Paso Robles. The fruit is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to capture the raw, vibrant fruit characteristics. Following fermentation, the wine undergoes moderate aging in oak barrels to integrate structured tannins and impart subtle spice and vanilla complexities before bottling.