The 2015 Babicora Malbec is bright scarlet in color.  Lively candied cranberry aromatics are clearly perceptible in the nose, while sweet vanilla can also be distinguished and remains in the palate.  Luscious fruit flavors and rich spice balance this wine’s bright acidity. Soft tannins take over from a lush midpalate and linger in the finish, making this wine a versatile pairing, equally matched with tomato-based sauces or pork loin. 

90 Points Wine Enthusiast

While this obscure varietal has been relegated to being predominately a blending grape in its native France, here at Hearst Ranch Winery, we are ready to expose its potential to command a dominant role in our new blend: Pancho. Named after William Randolph’s favored cowboy and right-hand man, this wine commands a strong presence, just like its namesake.  Deep rich garnet color announces the ripe stone fruit layered with toasted oak spice on the nose.  Blackberry liquor and spice follow on the palate, supported by recognizable but well integrated tannins.  Enjoy this wine as Pancho would with a Hearst Ranch Rib-eye. 

91 Robert Parker Wine Advocate
92 Points- Josh Reynolds, Vinous- 2017

The pressed juice was fermented in barrel for 30 days, and was bottled after aging nine months in 50% new French oak. Malolactic fermentation was stopped to maintain freshness and purity on the palate, and balance was achieved through the contrast between the perky acidity and the creamy weight produced by lees stirring.   This wine offers a beautiful bouquet of lemon zest, apricot and a slight hint of pineapple, followed through on the palate by bright minerality and a long finish. Drink now through the next ten years.

Immediately upon opening, the nose offers up aromas of crisp pineapple, lemon grass and hints of sweet oak. Pause to admire the pale straw color of the wine and give the glass a few swirls. With a bit of air, the nose opens up and yields notes of honeysuckle, dried straw and medium toasted oak.

Extensive stirring of the lees in the early stages has helped create a beautiful balance between the resolute acidity and silky weight on the mid-palate. In addition to the firm backbone created by acidity, there are clean mineral notes framing in the lush flavors. With a finish that is elegant and refreshing, this is gorgeously layered wine that will age gracefully over the next decade. 

Our Tempranillo is a 100% varietal wine that was 100% estate grown. This 2016 vintage is showing the power that beckons flavors from Spain (Tempranillo’s country of origin). The aromatics are dark and rich, the flavors lush and decadent. True to our past vintages, you will find notes of dried cherry and wet clay, but the 2016 has a beautiful purity to it that sets it apart. This wine was aged in predominantly neutral barrels, along with approximately 20% once used French oak barrels to highlight our effort on the vine

Our 2016 Muscat of Alexandria reveals enticing and exuberant aromas of mandarin blossoms, peach and honey. On the palate the flavors of ripe tropical fruits are layered harmoniously with zesty citrus undertones. Clean finishing and refreshing, this wine is a balance between the noticeable honey-like residual sugar and natural bracing acidity. The Muscat of Alexandria is a perfect pairing to complement dessert or even as an aperitif. 

This 2018 predominantly estate-grown Rose is a charming, well-rounded wine. It presents itself with a beautiful, pale salmon color in the glass. The bountiful nose offers juicy fruit notes intertwined with hints of freshly cut grass and limestone-inspired minerality. There is a resolute vein of acidity framing everything in from nose to finish. Fermented and aged in 100% stainless steel, this wine is refreshing and pure.

Our 2016 Lone Tree Cabernet Franc shows a beautiful, dense garnet in the glass.  Aromatically, this wine offers a bouquet of creamy black currant and clean clay soil with a hint of cinnamon spice. Very finely grained with chalky tannin, it is framed in by lovely acidity. Flinty mineral notes accompany those of chocolate and black cherry. The supple richness of the mid-palate carries on for some time in a well composed, graceful manner. 

Our estate Petite Sirah continues to amaze us with its well-mannered nature. This 2016 vintage is beautifully soft and approachable. The color is dense and brilliant, and the nose offers notes of blueberries and lilac. On the palate, you will find this wine supple and rich with support from a subtle, yet regal tannin structure. Hints of medium plus toasted oak add depth and the firm acidity frames everything in for a well-composed delivery. 

93 Points Josh Reynolds, Vinous 
92 Points Matt Kettmann, Wine Enthusiast

Blackberry and cassis, layered with hints of toasted oak and leather make for a dense bouquet. Supple and medium-bodied on the palate, the 2015 Point opens with a Cabernet Sauvignon dominate bouquet while the finely textured mid-palate shows the strength in blending Bordeaux varietals. This wine shows regal texture with age-worthy tannic structure. In its youth, this structure is striking, yet the abundantly lush fruit still dominates. The 2015 Point will continue to evolve over the next 10+ years.

The limestone-laden soils gifted mouthwatering acidity to this vintage of the Three Sisters Cuvee, while the warm Paso Robles sunshine delivered beautifully developed flavors. The nose leads with aromas of honeysuckle, dried straw and minerality. We fermented then aged in predominantly neutral oak barrels to build richness and balance the firm acid profile. Along with hints of medium toasted oak, flavors of lychee, gooseberry and apricot delight on the palate. This is a white wine of exceptional depth and will age gracefully over the next 5 years should you choose to lay a few bottles down.

Our 2016 Randolph is a delightful wine. Possessing vibrant fruit notes on the nose and juicy flavors. This easy-going wine pairs well with a wide range of cuisine. Admittedly an “atypical” blend, each varietal lends its strengths to this vintage.  Malbec brings bright fruit character and stout acidity. Zinfandel adds darker fruit character to the mix. The Tempranillo is responsible for the underlying soft tannin structure that plays a supportive role. The Petite Sirah adds weight to the mid-palate, making the wine a bit more contemplative.  A “touch” of Cabernet Sauvignon helps bring in a lovely smooth finish. The spirit of this wine is without pretense, good-natured and easy to enjoy.

90 Points Wine Enthusiast
90 Points Josh Reynolds, Vinous

This wine’s components seamlessly blend together, making for a delightful and exuberant experience. In the glass, the wine displays a deep and rich garnet, proclaiming its freshness and spritely acidity. Plum and star anise yield to black licorice and leather as the wine blossoms on the nose. The bright fruit aromatics are buoyed by a full and enveloping mouth feel. On the palate, this wine exhibits ripe pomegranate and hints of clove. Pleasingly fine tannins offer length and a delicate finish and to this well-balanced wine.

91 Points Wine Enthusiast
90 Points Wine & Spirits 
90 Points- Josh Reynolds, Vinous- 2018
Double Gold Sakura Wine Awards

A vibrant and dense ruby color in the glass. The nose shows pure Cabernet Sauvignon varietal notes of iron shavings and graphite with blackcurrant. There is a touch of medium toasted oak present when first opened that graciously recedes to the background after a bit of air. The 2016 exhibits a beautiful level of ripeness, a judicious balance of hangtime and restraint. The wine is plush and finely textured on the palate. The limestone laden soil yields wonderfully chalky tannins that carry the wine from the mid-palate, graciously through the lingering finish. There is sufficient acidity to provide balance throughout. It has the confidence to accompany traditional red wine food pairings yet the social graces to be enjoyed by itself.

While not losing sight of its rambunctious roots, our 2016 Carpoforo Zinfandel maintains its regal composure. Expressing classic aromatics of brambly berry fruits and holiday spice, Carpoforo invites you into the glass, while the rich dark stone fruit flavors and a subtle touch of pepper fulfill all expectations.  The fine tannins play a supportive role in the midpalate where the focus is on this wine’s decadent mouth feel, but come through to carry the long finish.

92 points Wine & Spirits (Year's Best US Syrah & Rhône Red Blends)

Lively crimson in color the weight of this wine is apparent from the first pour.  The aromatics are un-mistakenly Rhone; Candied Blackberry, cassis and bramble perfume the glass.  Dark ripe cherry and baker’s chocolate can be found on the palate and are carried to the finish by elegant tannins that create the framework on which to base this opulent and richly textured wine.  This wine is very limited in quantity and may not be available in future vintages.

Gold Medal- Sakura Wine Awards
92 pts Gold Medal- Toast of the Coast

While the 2017 vintage of Glacier Ridge was aging, we kept circling back to the delightful balance in this wine. Aromatics show limestone-inspired minerality that harmonizes with the hints of medium-toasted oak and fresh straw that are provided through the restrained oak regiment. The cool climate acidity is evident throughout the palate, framing in the varietally correct flavors of crisp apple and lemon zest. As this wine opens a bit, the finish lengthens and creates a beautiful finish. 

Our 2015 Pico Creek Merlot is an exquisite rebuttal to those who might forget the noble lineage of this regal grape variety. This vintage shows its potential starting with its dark garnet color. Aromatics of plum and ripe raspberry are immediately apparent as this wine is poured into the glass and undertones of vanilla and clove underpin the fruit and add complexity. Lush, ripe plum leads the attack through the weighty midpalate and finishes with silky, well-composed tannins. This merlot is a worthy partner for a range of dishes, but will show itself best when paired with foods featuring cream-based sauces. In its youth, you may choose to decant this wine an hour before service.

94+ Robert Parker Wine Advocate

This inaugural vintage of the Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet is a reflection of the highest quality fruit yielded from the rocky limestone terroir of westside Paso Robles. Vinification began in tank with a five-day cold soak, followed by a slow 35 day fermentation. We meticulously selected barrels from four French coopers for the smooth tannins that they imparted during the 22 month cellaring. This wine offers notes of black cherry, lush blackberry, and roasted coffee bean. The berry and roasted notes continue in the palate where they are supported by fine, tight tannins which linger in the long-lasting finish. We recommend decanting this wine if you plan on drinking it in the next five years. It will age gracefully for the next two decades.

Our 2015 Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine of impressive structure and balance. Aromatically this wine exhibits notes of blackberry preserve, layered with spicy medium-toasted oak. As the bouquet opens up in the glass, the oak influence recedes, allowing traditional Cabernet Sauvignon aromas of black currant to shine through. There is an alluring density to the aromatics that foretells a great potential for cellaring this vintage. The limestone rich soils of Paso Robles make their presence known in the chalky tannins that build on the mid-palate and shoulder a regal weight. The acid profile is prominent enough to frame in all the youthful exuberance this wine has to offer and carry through to a graceful and composed finish.