Best cabernet sauvignon in Paso Robles for the holidays

Posted: 7:50 am, November 26, 2019 by Publisher Scott Brennan

Cabernet sauvignon wines are the big, bold, tannic wines that pair perfectly with holiday meals centered around meats like prime rib, roast beef, pork tenderloin, lamb and venison. Lucky for us, Paso Robles is producing some outstanding cabernets and cab blends. Here is a selection of Paso Robles wines we recommend for your upcoming holiday meals. We received so many tasty red wines that we created separate lists for recommendations. See more lists below.

Top local cabernet sauvignon wine recommendations

Bianchi 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon – $35
This Bianchi Estate wine is made with their flagship fruit. It’s a wine with many layers, coffee-berry floral plum, vanilla, and earth. It was aged 24 months in French oak barrels.

Broken Earth 2016 CV Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – $80
This is a plush example of Paso Robles ripeness, says Wine Enthusiast magazine, which gave the 93 points. Plump aromas of black cherry, vanilla and caramel are cut by pepper and herbs. The palate is soft and lush, but offers penetrating acidity that keeps the baking spice and blackberry flavors in balance. The term CV refers to the original vineyard holdings at the Broken Earth estate, Continental Vineyards, and this very limited wine is only produced in exceptional vintage years.

Circle B Vineyard and Cellars 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon – $36
This is a handcrafted, small-batch wine and you can taste its uniqueness. Upfront notes taste of tart raspberry and clean slate gives way to blackberry and spice with mild tannins and a clean finish. The perfect wine to pair with red meats, smoked salmon, sharp cheeses, or olives. This classic Paso cab is versatile enough to be served at any holiday gathering.

Opolo 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon – $36
This wine has rich aromas of hickory smoke and garden herbaceousness. It offers flavors of raisin, cherry compote, and cranberry. It finishes with long velvety tannins with a plush mouthfeel and hints of chocolate and cinnamon.

Penman Springs Vineyard 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon – $34

The grapes for this wine were grown in the rolling hills of eastside Paso Robles. Rich on the nose with hints of cedar and raspberry. Dark plum, currant, and berry spice lead to a bright palate. Intense fruit flavors with a finish of loamy earth and fine oak. This wine will age well for 10 years. This wine pairs perfectly with steak, beef short ribs, and cheeses.

Hoyt Family Vineyards NV Cabernet Sauvignon – $45
This five medal-winning wine greets the nose with well-bodied fruit followed by a velvety mouthfeel. This wine is full-bodied with an intriguing structure that encourages savoring and exploring the flavors of dark berries, hints of spices and mocha latte. It earned a gold medal at the 2019 Sunset International Wine Competition and four silver medals in 2019, including the 2019 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Only 96 cases were produced.

Lusso Della Terra 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon – $38
A vibrant wine with aromas of fresh blackberry, plum, black currant and violet aromas. It is complemented by flavors of ripe, complex, dark fruit, blackberry, pomegranate, savory spice, hints of chocolate with a beautiful integration of oak. It finishes with a truly powerful full-bodied mouthwatering mouthfeel.

Mystic Hills 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon – $28

Dark, jammy fruit opens on the nose, followed by cherry, white pepper and a hint of mushroom on the back of the nose. A touch of bay leaf and slate help bring a delightful vibrancy, while vanilla and caramel round it off. That touch of bay leaf makes an appearance on the palate, along with the white pepper and hint of vanilla. The rich, dark berries burst on the tongue, all leaving a savory bite to the wine. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon envelops your taste buds with a satiny finish and generous tannins to allow for aging.

Sculpterra Winery 2016 Bentley Ironworks Cabernet Sauvignon – $68
This is a blend of 90-percent cabernet sauvignon and 10-percent petite sirah that tempts the nose with an oaky bouquet layered with complex herb and spice aromas. Bursts of clove, red currant, plums and a hint of pepper follow a full-bodied mouthfeel. A lengthy finish carries through to a lingering and intriguing spicy finish. An enjoyable wine now, this wine will also age for decades. Only 295 cases were produced and the wine aged 18 months in the bottle before being released.

Sea Shell Cellars 2017 Low Tide Cabernet Sauvignon – $35
From the first pour, this wine exudes an aroma of fruit. It has upfront notes taste of raspberry, cassis, and cherry that gradually give way to richer undertones of vanilla bean, coffee, and baking spices. This is a slightly sweet wine that lingers on the palate. Enjoy with steak, duck, or even chocolate. With its medium tannins and warm flavors, this wine is perfect for pairing with holiday meals.

Treana 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon – $30
This wine is an excellent display of Paso Robles cabernets. At first glance, this dark crimson wine sets the stage for the beautiful aromas of warm chocolate, roasted coffee & toasty cedar. On the palate, intense dark fruit, sweet vanilla combine with a smoky-oak to give a long rich mouth feel that finishes with balanced acidity and moderate, velvety tannins.

Vina Robles 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon – $26
The fruit for this vintage is from two of the winery’s estate vineyards in Paso Robles – Huerhuero and Creston Valley. After eight months of aging and blending trials, a bit of petit verdot was added to enhance the structure. The final blend was then aged in barrels for an additional 12 months to fully integrate before bottling. The final product is full-bodied with aromas and flavors of cassis and dark cherry, with chewy textured tannins.

Look for more wine recommendations

• Best local sparkling wines for the holidays
• Best local rosé wines for the holidays
• Best local white wines for the holidays
• Best local pinot noir wines for the holidays
• Best local zinfandel and Italian-style wines for the holidays
• Best local cabernet sauvignon wines for the holidays
• Best local Rhone-style red wines for the holidays
• Best local dessert wines for the holidays

Publisher’s note: For the sixth year in a row we thought it would be a great idea to recommend local wines for upcoming holiday parties and dinners. Once again, we received an amazing amount of participation from our local wineries. Over the last few weeks, we received more than 100 entries. After tasting and tasting and tasting, there were many solid, well-made wines to recommend. We have created several lists of top local wines into categories. The recommended wines above are in alphabetical order.