Niner Paso Robles Fog Catcher Estate Red Blend 2017 750ML

The 2017 vintage of Fog Catcher is a harmonious blend of intriguing spice, dark fruits and expansive tannins that linger on your palate for minutes after drinking. Enjoying this wine in its youth is rewarding, and the high potential it has for aging 5-10+ years is apparent.

Blend: 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Malbec, 20% Petit Verdot, 10% Cabernet Franc 

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Niner Wine Estates is a family company dedicated to the concept that truly great wine results from talented people controlling the entire winemaking process from the vineyard to the glass. Founder Richard Niner's attachment to farming started early as he grew up farming a small plot of land with his father in rural West Virginia. Niner then followed a somewhat unusual path from farm to vineyard: after putting himself through college and graduate school, he spent over 30 years investing in small businesses. In 1996, one of these business deals brought him to San Luis Obispo County, where he found a renewed passion for farming and saw a bright future in the local wine industry.

At Niner Wine Estates they only make wine from grapes we grow ourselves. From vineyard to glass our entire team is working together with a singular goal in mind: to provide you with wines that combine within them a true expression of our vineyards and the creativity of our people. They farm three separate estate vineyards: Bootjack Ranch resting on the Eastern side of the Paso AVA, Heart Hill Vineyard settled on the Western side, and Jespersen Vineyard nestled in the Edna Valley AVA to the south. Each vineyard has very different soil profiles and climates resulting in three very unique representations of terroir.

Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.

Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.

This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.