…Every piece of land on the California Central Coast has a story, and this is the story of Halter Ranch.
Halter Ranch is a vineyard and winery rested on the western region of Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast. The ranch has a rich history, dating back to the 1880s when it was used to raise livestock. Parcels of the property were eventually sold off in the mid-1990s, but Hansjörg Wyss had a vision in 2000 when he purchased 900 acres of the ranch. Wyss, an inspiring Swiss born businessman, established Halter Ranch Winery in order to fulfill his lifelong dream of owning a vineyard. He quickly got to work renovating the historical farmhouse and expanding the original 40 acres of vines, which were first planted in 1996, to its present 206-acres of sustainably produced wine grapes, 15-acres of walnuts, and 10-acres of organically certified olives.
There are eighteen grape varietals at Halter Ranch, which are planted on the steepest, most south-facing slopes on the ranch, which reach an elevation of 1,950 feet and provide exceptional sun exposure. Halter Ranch is committed to environmentally responsible farming practices, sustainability, and conservation, which is directly demonstrated in their quality wines. They continually preserve a diverse environment by planting on a small portion of the property’s acreage, which lessens the effects of a monoculture. Halter Ranch has 2,700 beautiful acres of land, however, only 206 acres are used for farming. They’ve intentionally left the rest of the acreage as natural landscape, including their famous Ancestor Oak, which is the largest Coast Live Oak tree in the world!
Halter Ranch has two tasting menus to choose from: their classic Ranch Flight, which allows you to taste their current releases, and their Silver Label Reserve Flight. Why choose just one of their tasting options? I wanted to experience both menus, so I requested the Ranch Flight, along with the Silver Label Reserve Flight.
Ranch Flight
100% Viognier
Aroma: White flowers (gardenia and jasmine), orange blossoms and a hint of lychee
Flavor: Clean and fresh, with flavors of white peach, lavender honey, and nectarine
65% Grenache, 19% Mourvèdre, 16% Picpoul Blanc
Aroma: Guava, ripe kiwi and watermelon rind
Flavor: Tropical fruits, feijoa and pink grapefruit, with a bright and crisp minerality
Notes: Aged two months in stainless steel tanks; no oak barrel aging, no malolactic fermentation
2018 Syrah – Highest rate on the Ranch Flight!
100% Syrah
Aroma: Blueberries, blackberries, and baking spices
Flavor: Layers of currant, boysenberry, and a hint of caramel
Notes: Aged 16 months in French oak barrels, 30% of which were new oak. The palate is soft and rich, creating the mouth-coating texture that makes Syrah from the west side of Paso Robles so popular. Soft, light tannins make this wine ready to drink now but complex enough to cellar for the next 15 years.
75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot
Aroma: Dark cherry, raspberry, cassis, and a hint of toasted Oak
Flavor: Blueberry, blackberry, and a touch of caramel
Notes: Aged 16 months in French Oak barrels, 30% of which were new Oak. The mid-palate segues into a clean, rich finish with gentle, integrated tannins.
2018 Ancestor – Homage to the Ancestor Tree!
71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec, 9% Petit Verdot
Aroma: Olallieberry, Bing Cherry, and a hint of cassis
Flavor: Entry is soft and juicy, with flavors of blueberry and ripe plum. The mid-palate is rich with texture and flows into a clean, long finish with hints of toasted oak.
Notes: Bordeaux style blend, aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which were new oak.
Silver Label Flight
2016 Libelle – First sparkling Picpoul in the world!
100% Picpoul Blanc
Aroma: Key lime and dried mango
Flavor: Brioche and crushed pineapple
Notes: Very unique offering as it is a sparkling wine made from 100% Picpoul Blanc grapes and vinified in the Methode Champenoise, where the secondary fermentation occurs in bottle to create natural carbonation.
2018 Cuvée Alice – Honors matriarch, Alice Halter!
52% Grenache, 29% Syrah, 18% Mourvèdre, 1% Tannat
Aroma: Cranberry, boysenberry and a hint of spice
Flavor: Dried fruit, pomegranate, and ripe plum
Notes: Hansjörg Wyss named the property in honor of his mother, Alice Halter, when he purchased it. With this reserve blend, they are honoring her once again with the name Cuvée Alice. Aged 18 months in two neutral 600L French Oak puncheons, a concrete hippo, and the balance in neutral and once used French Oak barrels.
2018 Block 22 Syrah – All comes from a single block of vines on their vineyard!
100% Syrah from a single block
Aroma: Blueberry, ripe plum, and toasted caramel
Flavor: Silky texture, ripe dark fruits, and soft velvety tannins
Notes: An icon within Halter Ranch’s Silver Label program. The unique process of barrel fermentation creates a velvety and rich mouthfeel that beautifully combines the tannins and flavors of the Alban clone Syrah from Block 22, and the French Oak barrels that it is fermented in.
2018 Tannat – Full of antioxidants!
100% Tannat
Aroma: Red currant, pomegranate seed, clove, and cinnamon
Flavor: Rich upon entry, bursting with raspberry, cherry, and black tea
Notes: Newer to California, Tannat is traditionally associated with the Madiran region of France at the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains, and it has also become the national grape of Uruguay. Although typically used as a blending component at Halter Ranch, they produce a limited quantity of a single varietal Tannat for their Silver Label Club. Aged 16 months in French oak barrels, 40% of which were new oak.
2018 Ancestor – Homage to the Ancestor Tree!
71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec, 9% Petit Verdot
Aroma: Olallieberry, Bing Cherry, and a hint of cassis
Flavor: Entry is soft and juicy, with flavors of blueberry and ripe plum. The mid-palate is rich with texture and flows into a clean, long finish with hints of toasted oak.
Notes: Bordeaux style blend, aged 18 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which were new oak.
You can’t go wrong with either flight – Both are wonderful.
We also enjoyed Halter Ranch’s lunch menu, which had so many tempting options. They are committed to only sourcing from their local farmers, ranchers, fishermen and artisans, and strive to serve seasonal, wild and organic ingredients whenever possible. I love enjoying cheese and charcuterie while drinking wine, so we ordered the full charcuterie board, which also included some of their specialty fruit preserves, mustards, and walnuts from their estate. We also ordered the Wild Alaskan Halibut Tacos, made of yeasted batter, celery root, kohlrabi, fennel, cilantro-lime crema, chilis, onion, and homemade tortillas, along with the Halter Ranch Burger. The food tasted exceptionally delicious!
Halter Ranch is the perfect destination for a nice weekend outing or Sunday drive. The property and tasting room have a relaxing and soothing vibe, which is exponentiated by their award winning wines. A visit to Halter Ranch Winery should be on the top of your list of wineries to visit on the California Central Coast. I can’t wait to visit again!
Click here to make your tasting appointment! You can also enjoy one of Halter Ranch’s tasting kits at home if you’re unable to make the drive to Paso Robles. One of Halter Ranch’s Tasting Room Team Member will hop on Zoom to guide you through their current releases. Email visit@halterranch.com to order.
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Cheers,
