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
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!
