Paso Robles Appellation Cabernet Sauvignon
LAKE BLUFF, IL (June 19, 2023) – Established in 1938, fourth generation family-owned and operated Terlato Wine Group (TWG) has announced the launch of their newest wine project, Paso-D’Oro.
After being involved in the wine industry for decades, in 1996 the Terlato family realized their dream of becoming vintners with the purchase of Rutherford Hill winery in Napa Valley and was the first of several significant Terlato owned winemaking ventures. TWG now includes investments in vineyards, wine production joint ventures and wineries in esteemed wine regions around the world. In addition to Rutherford Hill, TWG fully owns Chimney Rock Winery (Stags’ Leap, Napa Valley), EPISODE (Napa Valley), Terlato Vineyards (Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy) and Sanford Winery (Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara). Each of these properties represent the Terlato family’s vision of crafting the highest quality wines that are classic representations of a place — and Paso-D’Oro is no different.
Bill Terlato, President and CEO of Terlato Wine Group invited Laura Orozco to lead all winemaking functions for this important new endeavor. Orozco grew up in the heart of Napa Valley and is also the Assistant Winemaker at Chimney Rock Winery. Entering her ninth harvest there, Orozco has developed a great love and passion for Cabernet Sauvignon, and she brings the same enthusiasm and commitment to excellence to Paso-D’Oro. Upon announcing her appointment, Terlato said, “Laura is an exceptionally talented winemaker who, along with Elizabeth Vianna, has a history of crafting world-class wines at Chimney Rock. We are so pleased to be able to extend the opportunity to be the head Winemaker for Paso-D’Oro and make her imprint on this new project.”Paso-D’Oro is the Spanish phrase for “way of gold”. It is meant to evoke the California sunshine that paints the hills and valleys of the Paso Robles landscape and represents the people who are drawn to the golden state, and specifically to Paso Robles. The evocative cobalt and gold packaging pays homage to these bucolic hills and includes an artistic topographical treatment of the AVA. Paso-D’Oro’s inaugural vintage is bold, approachable, and balanced, with pure layers of red fruit and hints of warm spice. Together, these elements capture the true essence of the region.
This is personal for Orozco. “My family is originally from Mexico. My father came to the US in the early 70’s to work in the vineyards and literally broke his back doing the job. That inconvenience didn’t impede him because coming to California was his “way of gold” and his way of providing his family with a better future. The hills and valleys depicted on the Paso-D’Oro label remind me of the ups and downs we all face in life. The key is to take those learnings and create something beautiful out of them. That is what my father did and that is what I hope to do here.”
Terlato has secured fruit from some of the best certified sustainable vineyards in Paso Robles including Comino, River Grove, Sunnyslope, and Truesdale, each of which offer a unique point of differentiation. Hailing from the Estrella, San Juan Creek & Paso Robles Highlands districts, these vineyards sit on the rolling hills of Paso Robles with altitudes ranging from 1,100 to 1,600 feet and each location consistently produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon.
The reasons Terlato picked the Paso Robles AVA were many. “When we launch any new brand, we first ask ourselves if we can make exceptional wines that represent the vineyards and the place. We also look at the category, competitive landscape and production viability. If we believe the proposition is on strategy, the category is in demand, we can do excel in terms of quality and control every aspect of production, we pursue the opportunity. That was certainly the case with Paso-D’Oro,” said Terlato.
