Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/776532
90 / the tasting panel / january/february 2017 For the new brand's flagship wine, a bold 23-year-old Austin Hope, Chuck Hope's son, charged ahead with producing a high-end Paso Robles red blend made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah (with some Merlot too, originally). Twenty-three might sound young, but Austin's uncle, Paul Hope, who had helped quarterback the Liberty School purchase and the creation of Treana, passed away, leaving nobody to run the family business. Despite this heartbreak, Austin and family moved forward. Initially, the blend raised a few eyebrows, as most consumers weren't accustomed to paying $30 for an atypical red blend from Paso, but eventually the wine garnered critical acclaim and hoisted Hope Family Wines' Treana into the spotlight just after the turn of the century. Although it was Treana's meticulous farming techniques and innovative, philosophical approach to blending that put their wines on the map, almost two decades later, they're changing things up. In addition to the red and white blends, in 2013, Treana released its first varietal wine, Treana Chardonnay. Most recently, Treana has released a 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon. Says Austin Hope, "I would look at this [producing a varietal Cabernet] as a natural progression for us. It's funny because when I say natural progres- sion, I mean a natural progression backwards. Most people will try and master single varietal wines before they start putting blends together, but not us. We do things a little differently from everybody else, but I do believe that's one of the things that sets us apart. Back then, we knew Paso was Chuck Hope and Austin Hope in Paso Robles in the early '90s. "The sub-AVAs that I've found the most compelling for growing Cab are the Creston District, the Estrella District and the Geneseo District, and these are where the majority of our Cab is being grown."