There are certain places that grab you and won't let go. That's Chelle Mountain Vineyard. From the first time Russell strolled through it, he knew it was special. Old, cantankerous vines planted 1,650 feet above Paso Robles. A range of well-draining soils. Battering winds and flat-out ridiculous diurnal temperature swings. He had to have it.
So he took over farming operations in 2013 and purchased it three years later. Since then, it's been his passion project. He's dug in with his own two hands, handling every part of the farming and winemaking. The reward for all that elbow grease: His only estate-grown wine—and it's a bona fide knockout.
Chelle Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: Measured in Drops, Not Barrels.
This is blood-of-the-earth, no-expenses-spared, savor-every-drop type stuff. A badass wine made from badass fruit, only in the best vintages.
2019 Vintage: 96+ points - Vinous
Located in the York Mountain AVA
In the 1870s, the intrepid Andrew York did what plenty of young Midwesterners do—moved to California. He bought 120 acres west of Templeton and planted vineyards. Even back when the world was still in black and white, these rugged hillsides were destined for wine.
110 years and a whole lot of York children later, the area became one of California's earliest AVAs. If we could pull you through the screen and send you there, you'd see why. But we're still working on the technology, so here you go: On these hillsides, the wind could take you off your feet. Sunlight blankets the land. Deep soils drive roots in search of water. And old, battle-hardened vines produce some of the tiniest, most concentrated berries you'll find.