Deep ruby color; cherry, blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, chocolate, mint, leather, vanilla, oak on the nose and palate.
Dry; soft tannins and delicate acidity. Very fruit-forward, almost jammy. Proprietary blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, and this may tilt to cab franc, but as a proprietary wine, Hope Family does not reveal its formula. Medium-plus body. Long, smooth finish. 14.5% ABV
The Hope Family has farmed in Paso Robles for more than 30 years, coming to California from Texas. They began with apples and grapes, but Austin Hope’s father and uncle eventually saw the future in grapes and winemaking. At first, it was simple wines—white zinfandel—then they moved on. Today, they grow cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, syrah, merlot, mourvedre, and grenache, and they experiment with other varieties, such as pinotage. The winery has five brands: Liberty (the original brand), School, Treana, Quest, Austin Hope, and Troublemaker.
As one of the pioneers of Paso Robles quality wine making, the winery celebrates the ascendancy of the region in recent years. The website notes: “Hope Family Wines has long-standing relationships with over 50 growers to ensure only those grapes with the truest varietal characteristics go into our wines. We will accept nothing but the best and are willing to work hard to find it. One hallmark of vineyards we work with is careful limitation of crop yields to ensure concentrated flavors. We view the Central Coast as our spice rack and we carefully and purposefully source from vineyards that present true varietal characteristics to produce reliable and delicious wines.”
Hope Family Wines Quest Proprietary Red Wine, Paso Robles 2021 full-fruity red, likely led by cabernet franc—the winery will not disclose—blended with cab franc’s offspring, cabernet sauvignon. Almost jammy. Certainly tasty-delicious, very approachable. The fruitiness comes across as sweet, although not through residual sugar. The acidity ambles along in the palate, not bashful, but certainly not brash. This is wine set up to pleasure many a red wine lover’s palate. Even those demure drinkers unsettled by reds may enjoy a sip of this elixir.
Pair with lamb; beef; wild game—venison; poultry; comfort food—meatloaf, pizza, pasta dishes with meat and tomato sauces; burgers and sliders; mac and cheese. Cheese—mature and hard cheeses; cheddar, aged gouda, gorgonzola; aged cow’s milk cheese with some age; semi-hard sheep’s milk cheese with some age; slightly firm, soft-ripened cheese with earthy notes like triple-crème brie. $25-27
