Hilltop

2010 was the coolest vintage Paso Robles has seen in a decade. With winter rainfall nearly 50% above normal, and growing degree days lagging, we had concerns this vintage may not completely ripen. This cool seasonal trend provided an ideal challenge for our progressive approach to vineyard irrigation that imposes ceasing irrigation in mid-June, just after fruitset. We monitored vine water status weekly in each block to precisely determine when soil profiles had dried out, and vines were in need of watering. Initially, we expected that a 3 to 5 week “dry-down” would be possible, but in 2010, most of our resourceful vines did not reach significant water stress until a full 2 months had passed without irrigation. This dramatic approach in our vineyards induced the vines to stop vegetative growth early in the season, and drove rapid seed maturity and tannin maturation in this cool vintage. This allowed Hilltop Cabernet to continue to live up to its reputation for being dense, soft and never green.