4JAN04 Hearst Ranch “Three Sisters White Cuvée” WHITE BLEND, Paso Robles, California 2022 (F, O)
4 and 6 bottle levels $24 (member price $21)
34% Viognier, 33% Marsanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 13% Roussanne 14.1% ABV
Hearst Ranch was established in 1865, and remains one of the U.S.A.’s best sources for top quality free range beef. Steve Hearst and Jim Saunders founded Hearst Ranch Winery in 2010; it’s located in San Simeon. I remember visting Hearst Castle as a kid. Hearst Castle is between the vineyards and the waterfront tasting room. While the winery is young, they have the wherewithal to build and maintain first class facilities. Their “Three Sisters Cuvée“ is a full-bodied, broad-shouldered wine, as befitting a cattle ranch, but the limestone soils explain the acidity and balance. One year French oak (10% new). Apricot, lychee, lemon, honeysuckle, minerality.
Food Pairing Suggestions:
Savor this graceful Rhône-style blend with friends on the front porch or alongside Spring favorites such as garden-fresh heirloom tomato, basil and Burrata bruschetta; garlic-rubbed crostini with caramelized onions and smoky bacon; mixed greens topped with creamy avocado slices, lemony grilled chicken and citrus dressing; crispy crab cakes with smoked paprika rémoulade; pan-seared scallops tossed with garlic and white wine; and lobster drizzled with butter sauce. This white blend is also a refreshing companion to a variety of cheeses from the soft and rich, like Camembert and Explorateur, to the stinkiest of washed rind cheeses, such as Epoisses.