November 14th – Paso Robles, CA: AUSTIN, a newer brand by Hope Family Wines, has introduced AUSTIN Chardonnay—a wine that proudly embraces Chardonnay grown in Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast. AUSTIN Chardonnay ($20) is now available nationwide.
“We feel that Chardonnay is a bit of a sleeping giant in Paso Robles,” said Austin Hope, owner and winemaker at Hope Family Wines. “We would like to bring it more to the forefront and celebrate the unique qualities of Chardonnay grown in our region. That’s what inspired us to create this wine.”
Hope noted that while Paso Robles is renowned predominantly for Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Zinfandel and other reds, Chardonnay is by far the most widely planted white grape in the AVA. However, a lot of the fruit is sold off and bottlings of Paso Robles appellation Chardonnay remain relatively scarce in the broad market.
“Chardonnay is grown globally in a wide variety of conditions and soils, including other relatively warm climates such as Napa Valley and Sicily,” he said. “We believe that Paso Robles has a bright future with Chardonnay. We get beautifully ripe flavors from the abundant sunshine, balanced by nice acidity from the cooling marine influence and well-drained soils.”
AUSTIN Chardonnay is the latest example of Hope’s ambassadorship for his home region. His parents, Chuck and Marlyn Hope, began planting vineyards in Paso Robles in 1978 and later became one of the region’s largest growers of wine grapes. In 1983, the Hopes helped spearhead the creation of the Paso Robles AVA, and 10 years later helped establish the Paso Robles Vintners & Growers Association (today known as the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance).
In 1986 the family made the leap into winemaking and never looked back. At the forefront of their efforts was an ironclad belief that Paso Robles wines could rival the best in the world.
Pure Paso Chardonnay
The inaugural non-vintage AUSTIN Chardonnay Paso Robles comes from three select vineyards in the Templeton Gap, Creston and San Juan Creek districts, all chosen for producing exceptional Chardonnay fruit.
The wine was whole-cluster pressed into stainless steel tanks for settling at 30 degrees, then racked off the heavy lees into stainless steel tanks (20%) and French oak barrels (80%) for fermentation and aging. The barrel lot underwent sur lie aging with monthly lees stirring.
AUSTIN Chardonnay shows riper qualities that are harmoniously balanced with the brisk acidity and lemon zest notes of the cooler-climate fruit. The entry is clean and fresh, gaining midpalate weight with layered tropical and honeydew flavors, all finishing with a crisp flourish.
Hope Family Wines is one of the pioneering heritage wineries that helped spark the modern winemaking era in Paso Robles. Owner & Winemaker Austin Hope grew up in Paso Robles as the son of winegrowers Chuck and Marlyn Hope, from whom he inherited his love and respect for the region. Hope Family Wines today spans six brands that exemplify the world-class quality and diversity of Paso Robles: Austin Hope, Treana, Quest, AUSTIN, Liberty School and Troublemaker. In the fall of 2022, Hope Family Wines was named “American Winery of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast’s annual Wine Star Awards. Most important, Hope Family Wines works with 50 partner growers and a dedicated family of employees who make it all possible. More at HopeFamilyWines.com.
