Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/833814
90 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } JUNE/JULY 2017 sis and Bordeaux-esque characteristics." Madsen spoke of his Cardinal Vineyard and how the old vines and remarkably low yields deliver a concentrated and structured wine. Acidity a fluid topic, Weintraub suggested, "These wines have so much vivacity in the mouth— that's the bright acid." "Malbec has a future here in Paso Robles, not only as a varietal wine but, more importantly, as a blender," remarked Christian Tietje from Rotta Winery, as he delivered the takeaway message from the Malbec discussion. He, along with Sterling Kragten of Cass Vineyard & Winery, Patrick Muran of Niner Wine Estates, Roger Nicolas of RN Estate Vineyard & Wines and Don Brady of Robert Hall Winery all agreed that Malbec ripens well in the region and can stand alone but also adds fantastic color, plush fruit and a tannic characteristic to their blends. Our final seminar provided us with a wine from each of the Bordeaux variet - ies. Mike Sinor from Ancient Peaks Winery championed his 2015 Merlot; Anthony Riboli presented the Opaque 2011 Malbec; Chris Rougeot talked about the Opolo Vineyards 2012 Petit Verdot; Chateau Margene showed its 2013 Signature Series Cabernet Franc; and Daniel Daou repre - sented his DAOU Vineyards & Winery 2014 Soul of the Lion Cabernet Sauvignon. "We're looking for a food-friendly wine; we want a wine that can be drunk now but can improve for the next five to eight years," explained Rougeot. Riboli expounded, "These wines have bright fruit, ready to drink, but still have structure." The dialogue also confirmed that part of the reason that Paso Robles is so special is that the region is able to achieve ripeness every year. "The whole philosophy here is still developing, but we're not at the mercy of nature like Bordeaux," quipped Dame. Now well-versed in the wines and their attributes, the sommeliers took on the challenge of blending the five wines in front of us. They each created their own blend, created a quick label with a name for the wine and submitted it to the panel for judging—a little good-natured rivalry always goes a long way amid sommeliers. David Toste Ruivo, General Manager of Arroyo Chop House in Pasadena, created the judges' favorite blend in our competition and won the $250 prize awarded by The Somm Journal. He responded, "Thank you for such a generous gift. This was such a wonderful experience. I created the blend from the amazing wineries showcased today based on my favorite varietals. I love Cabernet Franc, and Chateau Margene's Cab Franc (50%) was my favorite of the five, hence it being my leading grape in The Technique, Saucier Blend. I finished the blend off with DAOU's Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), to help balance the Cab Franc, Ancient Peaks' Merlot (18%), because it's such an unappreciated grape, yet so good, and Opolo's Petit Verdot (2%) for the wonderful nose! I came to this camp with intention to expand my wine list with Paso Robles wines. I'm excited to see what's in store for us in the future as Paso Robles evolves!" Dining in downtown Paso Robles: A memorable evening at Thomas Hill Organics, hosted by many of Paso Robles elite wineries including Daniel Daou of DAOU Vineyards & Winery, Cynthia Lohr from J.Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Nancy and Craig Stoller of Sextant Wines, Don Brady from Robert Hall Winery, Anthony Riboli from San Antonio Winery and Matt Merrill of Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery. A deliberating judge, Fred Dame, MS. "Cabernet Sauvignon—it is the king of grapes," declared Daniel Daou, proprietor and winemaker for DAOU Vineyards & Winery. J. Lohr 2014 Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon, part of the winery's Vineyard Series of wines.