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Dear Friends, We have never been afraid to take chances at Vina Robles, which is one reason why we have become renowned for our blended wines, several of which are unconventional in nature. This year, you will find us pushing the envelope on the


varietal front, too, as we will soon release our inaugural bottlings of Vermentino and Albariño from the 2011 vintage. Vermentino is a white Italian grape, while Albariño originates from Spain. Our winery’s European heritage may explain our openness to these varietals, but most importantly they have proven to excel in Paso Robles. We have been growing Vermentino at our estate Huerhuero


Vineyard for several years. It has been a mainstay component of our popular WHITE4


blend; and we have now decided that it


merits its own stand-alone bottling. Meanwhile, Albariño went straight to the head of the class, as the 2011 vintage


marks our inaugural Albariño crop and our first experience with making this varietal. As Winemaker Nick de Luca explains later in this newsletter, 2011 was a banner year for white wines in Paso Robles. Hence, it is no surprise that our Albariño got off to a strong start and immediately earned its own showcase. As you know, these varietals are not common in California, and there is always


a degree of uncertainty when it comes to offering wines that are unfamiliar to many consumers. But our heart is in these varietals, and we believe that paving the way will pay off in the long run. I hope that you can visit us this spring for a taste of these exciting new releases.


Best regards,


Hans Nef


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