A majority of the fruit for this wine comes from various estate vineyards on the Central Coast. Our Red Hills Vineyard in southern Paso Robles produces outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon bursting with juicy fruit and layers of spice. Providing much of the Merlot and Malbec, our Paris Valley Ranch vineyard in Paso Robles gives ripe berry character, round tannins and hints of sage and spice. The Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot come from Sage Vineyard near our winery at Paicines, and are joined by fruit from our estate vineyard in San Benito, which gives balance and richness to the blend.
Food pairing
All-around enjoyable, this wine can be paired with a variety of dishes, from Spanish tapas to American barbecue.
Producer
Sterling Vineyards was born in the 1960s, a time when creativity and entrepreneurial spirit abounded, especially in California. In 1964, Peter Newton, once a paper broker in England, purchased 70 acres of land in Calistoga and became a Napa Valley winemaker. He planted grapes others did not, bottled varietals others did not, and built a dramatic winery with an aerial tramway. His innovations put Sterling Vineyards into the public eye and helped establish the Napa Valley as a premier travel destination. When Newton began planting his estate, Cabernet Sauvignon was the preferred variety. He planted the esteemed Cabernet, but his decision to also plant Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot was a bold move. His Merlot vines were the first significant planting of that variety in the Napa Valley. Newton saw potential in the soft, velvety Merlot fruit, and in 1969 he took a chance by releasing California’s first vintage-dated Merlot. This decision flew in the face of traditional standards, which held that Merlot was merely a blending grape, and forever changed the perception of red wine. People started to enter a restaurant and ask for a glass of Merlot!
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