2021 Ancient Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles

2021 Ancient Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles

Producer Background
Ancient Peaks is an estate wine project based in the Margarita Vineyard at the southern tip of Paso Robles, California. The vineyard lies on the Santa Margarita Ranch, just 14 miles from the Pacific, with steep hills and a patchwork of soils. The team farms sustainably—SIP Certified—and aims to balance ripeness with freshness, leveraging the cool coastal influences and varied soils to make complex, well‑structured wines.

Grape Blend & Winemaking
This is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon (about 85%), with small additions of Merlot, Malbec, and Petite Sirah. The grapes are harvested from multiple vineyard blocks, each picked when it achieves optimal ripeness, typically in late October to early November. Winemaking begins with cold soaking of the destemmed fruit to help extract color and aroma gently. The wine is aged for about 19 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels (some portion new oak), which contributes to texture and nuance without overwhelming the fruit.

Tasting Notes
The 2021 vintage opens with bold, expressive aromas of black raspberry, cherry, plum, and boysenberry, along with secondary notes of sage, black olive, vanilla bean, toasted oak, and dark chocolate/cocoa. On the palate it offers rich, broad texture: layers of dark fruit like blueberry and cassis, with violet and herbaceous / spicy undertones. The tannins are fine yet chewy, supported by good acidity that lifts the fruit and lengthens the finish. There’s also a mineral or graphite edge that adds dimension, along with subtle hints of eucalyptus or sage to balance the richness.

Score & Drinkability
This wine has been well received by critics, earning scores in the low 90s. It is enjoyable now for those who appreciate structured, fruit‑forward Cabernet, but it also has the backbone to age further, gaining complexity over the next several years.