2009 Austin Hope Grenache

Austin Hope is one of the brands under the Hope Family Wines umbrella. Based in Paso Robles, Hope Family Wines was founded in 1978 by Chuck Hope, who moved his young family from Bakersfield to Paso Robles to plant their first vineyard. Over the decades the family started or acquired several wine brands, starting with Liberty School and later including Treana, Candor, Troublemaker and, most recently Austin Hope, which is named for Chuck’s son Austin, now winemaker and president. The family has an estate vineyard at Templeton Gap and sources grapes from more than fifty Central Coast growers. Jason Diefenderfer is also a winemaker at Hope Family Wines. Under the Austin Hope label, the company makes Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhone-style reds and white.

Paso Robles AVA is midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and it is considered one of the West Coast’s most exciting winemaking regions. With its hot, sometimes searingly dry and sunny weather, it is especially good country for growing warm climate grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. Because many Paso Robles wineries have been successful with blending these grapes into Rhone Valley-style wines, it is known as the Rhone zone of California. The AVA was created in 1983 and there are 32,000 vineyard acres. In late 2014 the AVA was divided into 11 smaller sub-appellations, so starting with 2015 vintages labeling will become more specific on Paso Robles wines, which will now also list sub-appellations. Located in San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles, the town and its surrounding area, was traditionally a farming and ranching region. But from a few dozen wineries in the early 1990s to more than 200 today, the area is quickly becoming known for wine and risk-taking winemakers.

One of the most popular red varieties planted, it ripens late and prefers hot dry climates. It probably originated in Spain, where it is still widely grown. Grenache is best known for its use in Southern Rhone wines, including those of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.