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October 24, 2024

Epoch’s Gratitude

For those who are new to our Gratitude project, we are releasing our third vintage of this wine.  Gratitude was created during the depths of the Covid Pandemic of 2020 when we all needed some joy.  We wanted to express our appreciation to those who were on the front lines during that tough year, so we named a new wine “Gratitude” and donated its proceeds to charity.  Our first Gratitude bottling was a 2018 Barossa Valley Grenache that we made in collaboration with Michael Twelftree of Two Hands Winery in Australia.  2021 Gratitude is our third bottling of this special edition wine and is similar in pedigree to our 2020 Gratitude: a blend of mostly Grenache with a hint of Clairette Blanche from our Paderewski Vineyard crafted by the talented hands of good friends, Jordan Fiorentini and Anne Charlotte Melia of Château de la Font du Loup in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. 

Anne Charlotte and Jordan decided to work together to plant a small vineyard block on some raw land at our Paderewski Vineyard.  Together they selected the clone of Grenache, the vine spacing, as well as the training style to mix some old-world sensibilities into our new-world soil.  The Grenache is a heritage CdP Grenache clone, own-rooted, and planted head-trained with a bit wider spacing than our normal blocks.  They also co-planted a bit of Clairette Blanche, a white Rhône variety, in with the Grenache to bring some freshness to the wine and mimic some of the field blends of old vine vineyards in the south of France.  We cannot wait for you to taste this expression of their shared love for winemaking and, specifically, Grenache.

2021 Gratitude

Varietals: 92% Grenache, 8% Clariette Blanche
Birthplace: Paderewski Vineyard
Hometown: Paso Robles, AVA Willow Creek District
Price: $75

94 points | Based on 92% Grenache and 8% Clairette that was brought up in neutral oak, the 2021 Gratitude has a light ruby hue as well as a beautiful perfume of wild strawberries and ripe cherries, spring flowers, and chalky minerality, with a kiss of pepper. Medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and structured, it’s another terrific wine that will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age.— Jeb Dunnuck

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Giving Back

We are proud to share that in only two vintages, Gratitude has generated $30,740 for charity!  Thank you for helping us give back via this fun and delicious collaborative wine that makes an amazing gift for anyone you want to thank this holiday season.  Gratitude is the perfect gifting wine, and it is NOW available on our Online Store!  Proceeds from the sale of this wine will once again be donated to our local Salvation Army to help those in need. 

September 4, 2024

The Statesman | Epoch’s First Cabernet Blend

After two decades of producing ultra-premium, estate-grown Rhône varietals in Paso Robles, we decided to apply our knowledge of winegrowing on our beloved Paderewski Vineyard to a new endeavor.  On land once owned by Ignacy Paderewski, the revered Statesman of Poland, we decided to honor another Statesman, the “king” of all grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Our approach was patient and intentional; we knew we would only make a Bordeaux blend if it felt right.  It wasn’t until 2016, when a new addition to our Paderewski Vineyard was ready for planting, that we felt ready to embark on the journey of creating a Bordeaux blend.  We planted 12 acres of Bordeaux varietals: primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, along with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. 

2021 The Statesman | 97 points, Wine Advocate

The 2021 Bordeaux Blend (which hasn’t officially been named) is a new bottling from Epoch and comes from a new planting of about 10 acres in the Paderewski Vineyard. It’s a pure, expressive and effortlessly balanced blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc matured for 18 months in 68% new French oak. It has alluring scents of maraschino cherries, salami, tobacco leaves, sagebrush and violet. It floods the mouth with layer after layer of nuanced fruit. Concentrated yet weightless, it has a seamless frame of velvety tannins, bright balancing acidity and a wonderfully long finish. 238 cases were made, which will be released in the fall of 2024. —  Erin Brooks

Our goal in making this new wine was to produce Cabernet Sauvignon, the world’s most well-regarded red grape, in a way that would speak uniquely of our place.  After many years observing vines on our soil, we decided to honor the site first by choosing our own farming style rather than looking to what everyone has always done.  Instead of planting Cabernet on the typical vertical shoot positioning (VSP) common in Bordeaux and Napa, we opted for the head-trained format, allowing the vine to grow more naturally in a circle around its head.

This training style is reminiscent of some of the oldest living vineyards in the world; it does not force a vine to extend laterally in only one direction and allows for 360-degree natural protection from the intensity of the sun.  With Paderewski Vineyard’s devigorating, rocky, high pH soils and intense weather, we didn’t want to overly stress our vines by forcing them into a training style that was not conducive to their environment.  We felt this head-trained method was the best way to ensure our special place would leave a unique mark on our Cabernet Blend, which we fittingly named The Statesman.  We cannot wait for you to try it! 

2021 The Statesman | 96+ points, Jeb Dunnuck

Formerly known as BDX, the 2021 The Statesman checks in as 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petite Verdot, 8% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that’s all from the Paderewski Vineyard, and it spent 18 months in French oak barrels, 68% new. It has a brilliant nose of cassis and ripe blue fruits that give way to nuanced notes of new leather, freshly sharpened pencils, sappy tobacco, and spicy oak. It’s concentrated, medium to full-bodied, has beautiful yet building tannins, and outstanding length. – Jeb Dunnuck

The Legacies of Epoch: Ignacy Paderewski

A huge part of our story at Epoch is about preserving two integral pieces of Paso Robles history. When we purchased our Paderewski Vineyard in 2004, not only did we hit the jackpot as far as soils and views were concerned, we were also buying a property that was once owned, planted, and cherished by Polish pianist and Prime Minister, Ignacy Jan Paderewski. In 2010, we were fortunate enough to purchase the old York Mountain property, which was the site of the first bonded winery on the Central Coast. To own two properties that boast such rich history is a dream come true, and we make it a priority to preserve and share both the Paderewski and York Mountain legacies through our wines and the Epoch experience…

 
 
 
Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Ignacy Jan Paderewski

They don’t come much greater than Ignacy Jan Paderewski, and we are honored to bring back to life the vineyard he loved so much in his American home away from home, Paso Robles, California. Paderewski was an unparalleled pianist, an American and Polish patriot, a poet, a generous philanthropist, a Polish citizen, a politician and of course, a Paso Roblan!

Born in Poland in 1860, Ignacy Jan Paderewski was renowned as the most famous and popular pianist of his day – the Elvis of his time! He traveled by private train throughout the United States in the early 1900s performing concerts in sold-out town squares and halls. Paderewski was the first pianist to perform solo at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He spoke seven languages, and in 1919 became Prime Minister of newly independent Poland.

In 1913, Paderewski visited Paso Robles seeking the healing effects of its hot sulfur-rich mineral baths for his rheumatism. He fell in love with the town of Paso Robles (who wouldn’t), as well as with the surrounding land with its rolling, rocky hills that reminded him of his Polish homeland. This love for the area drove Paderewski to purchase over 2,000 acres on the west side of town where he established Rancho San Ignacio and planted Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. Once harvest time, Paderewski would take his grapes to the York Mountain Winery where they were crafted into award-winning wines. Paderewski’s Paso Robles wines would receive numerous accolades, including praise from the Los Angeles Times noting his wines were “more coveted than his music.”

As things do, this story has come full circle. Sitting fallow for many years, we are proud stewards of 577 acres of Paderewski’s original rancho, now appropriately named Paderewski Vineyard. Drawn to this land for many of the same reasons as Paderewski, we planted 65-acres of wine grapes in 2004, including Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, along with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Tempranillo, Cinsault, Counoise, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc. We now have 94 acres under vine and a few more varieties in the mix.  

To continue this full-circle story, the 2014 harvest, fruit from this sought-after land, once again made its way to the historic York Mountain where our winemaker, Jordan Fiorentini, crafts highly-acclaimed wines for Epoch. We are so blessed to be the steward who brought this vineyard back to life and now have the opportunity to crush our fruit in our very own winery atop the historic York Mountain as Paderewski once did. Today, you can visit us at our Tasting Room to take in a bit of the past as you taste through our wines that pay homage to Ignacy Jan Paderewski.

To learn more about Epoch’s legacy of York Mountain and Paderewski, click below!

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April 2, 2024

Epoch Wines Video Launch: Where Wine Takes You

We love partnering with the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance every year.  This organization does an amazing job of educating wine lovers near and far on what makes Paso Robles wine country so special.  Their latest efforts to raise awareness about our beloved region is a video series called, “Where Wine Takes You,” and we are honored to be a featured winery  in one of these episodes.  Click play for this short (but sweet) video about Epoch as the PRWCA “invites you to get to know the people, the place, and of course, the wines of this unique region.”

Discover Where WIne Takes You
Paso Robles wine country alliance

“With over 200 Paso Robles wineries, we have many stories to tell. The maverick spirit, the beauty of the rolling hills, the warmth of hospitality, and the diversity of wines and personalities… there are so many elements that make Paso Robles so special. In this video series, we invite you to get to know the people, the place, and of course the wines, of this unique region. So grab a glass, and let the wine take you to Paso Robles Wine Country.”