Wine Tasting Notes
Rio Seco Vineyards
Rio Seco Vineyards was acquired in 1996 by San Luis Obispo locals Tom and Carol Hinkle. They tend to harvest their grapes at slightly lower sugar levels and utilize natural fermentation (letting the native yeasts on the grapes ferment the juice rather than adding cultured yeasts) and give the wine 9-12 months in bottle before release. The wines from their nine year old winery have been producing measured, well balanced wines since the 2001 vintage. With time, they have gained experience and wine making skill reflected in the improving quality of the most recent vintages.
31 acres of the 63 acre estate are planted to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Roussanne, Viognier and Zinfandel. The property is located east of Highway 101 and Paso Robles proper and just south of Highway 46, in the warmer portion of the huge Paso Robles AVA. This location receives some of the cooling marine effect that makes it through the Templeton Gap of the Santa Lucia Mountains. As a result, the vines experience a longer (by several weeks) growing season. Although there are 45 different soil types identified in Paso Robles, they all share the general traits of being moderately deep, slightly alkaline and calcareous with shale underlying sandy loam, limestone, clay, gravel and chalky elements. The moderately deep soils of the Rio Seco Vineyards are a mixture of sandy marine sediment and the calcareous Huerhuero soils (named after the nearby and east of Huerhuero Creek) on gently rolling hills.
2003 Rio Seco Vineyards Zinfandel
2002 Rio Seco Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points
2002 Rio Seco Cabernet Franc 89 Points
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