Liberty School Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2018 (750ml)

 

Once a well-loved, one room school house in California, today an iconic Paso Robles wine.  Liberty School has a long history of crafting quality wines inspired by tradition, honest work and dedication.

 

Jason Diefenderfer, Winemaker

 

Austin Hope Collection

 

Liberty School Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Paso Robles 2018

 

Passion and grit is what lead generations that came before us to farm grapes in the once unknown region of Paso Robles.  Liberty School represents our version of the American Dream itself; it awakens the spirit that exists in all of us to be and do better not because we have to but because we want to.

 

Vintage:  2018

 

Varietal:  Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Appellation:  Paso Robles

 

Alcohol:  14.5%

 

Tasting Notes
 

Known for its dependability as a varietaly correct wine, our Liberty School Reserve elevates the standard of Paso Robles Cabernet.  The wine possesses a saturated garnet color that reflects the richness of the wine overall.  On the nose, fresh vanilla bean, black currants and a dash of smoke welcome you before each sip.  Flavors of dark fruit, ripe cherry are subtly met by herbaceous notes and white pepper.  Beautiful layered tannins add weight and finesse to the finish.

 

Winemaking Notes

Our Cabernet Sauvignon is harvested and fermented individually by vineyard lots and then barreled into a combination of French and American oak barrels, 10% of which are new.  The wine is racked twice during barrel-aging, blended in winter of 2020 and aged for an additional 3 months in 75% new French Oak.  Just prior to bottling in early Summer of 2020, the wine was gently filtered.

 

 

Hope Family Wines

 

The Hope family has been farming in Paso Robles for more than 30 years.  When they arrived in this barely-discovered region, they planted apples and grapes.  Little did they know that the rolling, oak-studded terrain of Paso Robles would one day become a viticultural terroir of significance and one of the top winegrowing regions for quality red wine within the Central Coast.

 

Gone are the apple orchards.  Today, the Hopes cultivate mature vineyards of the varieties best suited to their area including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Mourvedre and Grenache.  Vine density has increased and each vine is asked to produce very little fruit.  The terroir of this domain expresses itself in its unique regional character.  Regardless of the varieties planted, the expression of Paso Robles is displayed in the glass with spice, licorice and berry in the nose, soft textures and silky tannins on the palate.

 

Hope Family Wines consists of five individual brands: Liberty School, Treana, Quest, Austin Hope, Troublemaker.

 

Live Your Roots

 

Made by and for those who carve their own path, Liberty School represents our version of the American Dream.  It awakens the spirit in all of us to be and do better, not because we have to, but because we want to.  It is this spirit of independence and innovation that led generations that came before us to farm grapes in the once-unknown region of Paso Robles, laying the groundwork for what would become a world-class wine region.

 

Liberty School honors our family’s roots with an undying dedication to making quality wines.  Wines that are made to be shared and enjoyed with the family we are born with and the family we choose.  We make wines for those who stay true to their roots and embrace the journey in life.

 

While our techniques have evolved and refined over the years, some things have remained very much the same: Austin Hope’s commitment to success, aversion to failure, and stewardship of the land are the same principles that his grandfather instilled into the family business four decades and three generations ago.

 

Liberty School Wines

 

Paso Robles, CA

 

In 1978, the Hope Family took a chance on planting a vineyard in Paso Robles, California, the region that ultimately became Liberty School’s home.  Through dedication and commitment of crafting wines with integrity, we have become a brand that is synonymous with the Paso Robles region.

 

Story

 

There are many elements of history that go into Liberty School wines.  From the one-room schoolhouse that serves as it’s namesake to the childhood friends now collaborating as the winemaking team, Liberty School is truly something special.  The long tradition behind Liberty School has made it a favorite of the Hope Family Wines labels.  A reflection of America’s roots in hard work, Liberty School wines are meant to reward and elevate the everyday.  Reliable and accessible, it’s a wine that compliments any occasion, a wine to be savored, enjoyed, and shared.  Our passion is making wines that make your life better.

 

Winemakers

 

JC Diefenderfer and Austin Hope, the winemakers behind Liberty School wines, have turned a lifelong friendship into a working partnership.  They met in grade school and by high school were bonding over outrageous adventures.  Though very different personalities, JC and Austin have a symbiotic relationship.  Austin is the idea man, the one to suggest something so crazy, it just might work; JC is the action man and it is up to him to make Austin’s extravagant ideas reality.  This was true in their teens when Austin convinced JC to drive across country to enter a motocross race in Tennessee and it was true a decade later when they started their journey at the helm of what would become Hope Family Wines.

 

It’s quite rare that an enduring friendship can coincide with a successful working relationship, but Austin and JC have accomplished just that.  These days their friendship may not involve half-baked adventures and drop-of-the-hat road trips, but they maintain their dynamic as the idea man and action man.  The two continue to innovate and challenge the status quo of the wine industry and in doing so have developed noteworthy wines of exceptional quality and value.

 

When they’re not perfecting the Liberty School collection, they’re hunting, hanging out, or watching their kids grow up amongst the same grapevines and wine barrels of their youth.  The shared passion and complimentary personalities of the Liberty School winemakers is apparent in this celebrated label.  It’s a remarkable label, one that reveres hard work, family, and tradition.  We’re especially proud of Liberty School wines; they capture the magic at the heart of Hope Family Wines, a modern business with a traditional focus on family, fun, and quality.

 

Hope Family Wines

 

Best Paso Robles Winery

 

When Chuck Hope first laid eyes on the oak-studded hills of Paso Robles, he saw a land of beauty and opportunity.  Struck by the possibilities hidden in the many microclimates of the Central Coast, Chuck and his wife Marlyn moved the family to Paso Robles in 1978 to start what would become Hope Family Wines.  They raised their children, Austin and Chelsea, amongst the grapevines and oak barrels and were on the forefront of the Central Coast becoming a world-class viticultural region.

 

Hope Family Wines is still proudly family-owned and operated with Austin Hope now presiding over five unique labels: Liberty School, Austin Hope, Treana, Troublemaker, and Quest.  A true family business, Austin’s wife Celeste, a professional photographer, spearheads all winery-related photography; together they are raising the third generation of Hopes, Ainsley and Avery, amongst the grapevines and oak barrels.  Austin maintains the Hope family’s legacy of sustainable farming practices and long-standing tradition of making delicious, reliable, and accessible wines, all while infusing a vibrancy that resonates from the vine to the glass.