Deep ruby color; black cherry, blackberry, plum, raspberry, vanilla, oak, oak spices, chocolate, caramel, tobacco on the nose and palate.
Dry; moderate tannins and acidity. Excellent texture. Smooth, especially for a bold, full body cab at this alcohol level (15% ABV). Ripe fruit, flirts with jammy. Aged for 15 months with two passes over a variety of oaks both new and aged barrels. Austin Hope sourced grapes from eight of the 11 districts in the Paso Robles AVA, so this is a showcase for the AVA rather than celebration of single vineyard or two. The 2021 vintage is considered outstanding in Paso Robles, and this effort reflects what the AVA can deliver.
Hope Family Wines began making this using the owner-founder’s name in 2017. It is intended to be a flagship effort and has met very impressive success. The Hope Family has farmed in Paso Robles for more than 30 years, coming to California from Texas. They began with apples and grapes, but Austin Hope’s father and uncle eventually saw the future in grapes and winemaking. At first, it was simple wines—white zinfandel—then they moved on. Today, they grow cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, syrah, merlot, mourvèdre, and grenache, and they experiment with other varieties, such as pinotage. The winery has five brands: Liberty (the original brand), School, Treana, Quest, Austin Hope, and Troublemaker.
As one of the pioneers of Paso Robles quality wine making, the winery celebrates the ascendancy of the region in recent years. The website notes: “Hope Family Wines has long-standing relationships with over 50 growers to ensure only those grapes with the truest varietal characteristics go into our wines. We will accept nothing but the best and are willing to work hard to find it. One hallmark of vineyards we work with is careful limitation of crop yields to ensure concentrated flavors. We view the Central Coast as our spice rack and we carefully and purposefully source from vineyards that present true varietal characteristics to produce reliable and delicious wines.”
Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 2021—plush, smooth, powerful cab. Luxurious instead of smack-your-face power. Cavalcade of ripe dark fruit with well-behaved tannin and deft integration of oak through complex, two-pass barrel regimen. Good value for price play in the plus $50 world. Pair with beef—big and juicy, ribeye, braised short ribs; gourmet burgers with cheese and bacon. Lamb, roasted or grilled. Wild game—venison, boar, wild turkey, duck. Mushroom pizza with tomato sauce; grilled portobello mushrooms. Cheese—aged cheddar, aged gouda, gorgonzola, gruyère. $56-75
