J. Lohr Estates Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon - Paso Robles

VINTAGE
Overall, rainfall for the 2020 season in Paso Robles was on par with its 25-year historical average. Spring enjoyed mild daytime temperatures that allowed the vines to have good flowering and canopy growth. Fruit set was modest, following two previous years with above average crop loads. The healthy canopies allowed the vines to withstand the late summer heat waves with little to no desiccation.As in previous vintages, our 2020 Hilltop CabernetSauvignon was blended with a portion of Petit Verdot and Malbec. Petit Verdot adds luxurious blue fruit aromas and refines the mid-palate structure, while the Malbec amplifies the red currant aromas and flavour. We have also included a 2% of
Cabernet Franc in this blend to refresh the fruit aromas and infuse the finish with a lively spicy character.
VINEYARDS
Most of the fruit for the 2020 Hilltop vintage was grown in the J. Lohr Shotwell Vineyard, located in the cool El Pomar district of Paso Robles, influenced by Templeton Gap. The 12% came from our Beck Vineyard, located at a unique altitude of 1,700 feet in the Creston district.The remainder of the blend came from.
Our Paso Robles vineyards are blessed with long days of intense summer sunshine; daytime temperatures near 38°C in summer are followed by cool, ocean-cooled nights. Cabernet vines are subjected to natural stress in dry, often gravelly and sometimes calcareous soil. Water is scarce in these vineyards, which allows the winegrower to fine-tune pruning and irrigation.
VINIFICATION
Yeast: Pinnacle Fructo Select was
the selected yeast for fermenting
Fermentation Primary fermentation Primary fermentation in open and conventional stainless steel tanks
Temperature: Peak of fermentation at 90°F
Maceration: Seven days on the skins for most of the batches.
Malolactic fermentation: 100% Full malolactic fermentation