The history of the Halter estate extends back to 1881, when Edwin Smith purchased a 3600 acre estate, though there would not be vineyards on the property until over a hundred years passed. Edwin was born in New Jersey but eventually moved to San Francisco to become a wholesale butcher. In 1874, he then moved to an area west of Paso Robles. Once he purchased the Halter estate, Edwin became a dealer in produce and livestock, as well as investing in silver mines and owning thoroughbreds. He constructed a large Victorian farmhouse on the estate, which remains a landmark even today.
Eventually, after a number of years of success, his businesses began to fail, and in the early 1900s the estate was broken up and sold. In 1943, the MacGillivray family bought 1200 acres of the estate and they owned it for over fifty years. But it was not until 1996 that they decided to plant some grape vines on the property. It would not be until June 2000 that wine would become much more important to the estate when Hansjörg Wyss, a Swiss businessman, bought 900 acres of the ranch, enlarging the size of the vineyards.
The ranch is located in the west side of Paso Robles, about 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean. There are now about 281 acres of vineyards, with 15 acres of walnuts and 10 acres of olive trees. The grape vineyards occupy very steep, south-facing slopes and are planted with about 16 grapes, separated into 57 separate blocks, delineated primarily by soil type. About 60% of the grapes are Bordeaux varieties and 40% are Rhône grapes, with a smattering of Zinfandel, Tannat and Tempranillo. Their new production facility, which uses gravity flow in all aspects of production, was recently completed in 2011 and they continue to use many Old World wine making techniques.
Halter Ranch received Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Vineyard Certification in 2008, indicating its commitment to "environmental stewardship, equitable treatment of employees, and economic viability." This commitment goes beyond organic agriculture, extending to many other areas of winery management. Sustainability is very important to Halter Ranch but their concerns extend beyond the vineyard and should be commended for their commitment to the SIP principles.
SIP Certified launched its pilot program in 2008 and currently certifies about 43,600 vineyard acres in California and Michigan. As their website states, "While you’ll find SIP Certified wines that are also organic and biodynamic, the SIP Certified process addresses additional farming methods, looking at sustainable practices on every level, from farm labor to agriculture – from energy conservation to water quality." If you truly are concerned about sustainability, then you should also want far more than just organic grapes. Seeking SIP certified wines is a great way to support sustainability in the wine industry.
The 2016 Halter Ranch Ancestor Estate Reserve ($80) is a Bordeaux style blend, composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petite Verdot, and 11% Malbec, from the Adelaida District in Paso Robles. Please note that the specific blend varies from vintage to vintage. The wine is named after a an oak tree on their property, the Ancestor Tree, which is the oldest Coast Live Oak on record, from 500-700 years old. This wine matured for about 18 months in French oak, 50% which were new barrels. Only 3300 bottles of this wine, which has a 14.6% ABV, were produced.
The aromas of this wine were compelling, alluring notes of black fruits and dark spices, which meshed so well together, almost like the smell of a freshly baked fruit pie. On the palate, the wine was powerful yet elegant, with well-integrated tannins and a silky mouthfeel. It possessed a complex melange of flavors, with rich blackberry, black cherry and blueberry, mixed with dark spices, vanilla, and some mineral notes. It was rich and delicious, a hedonistic wine which is sure to please. You don't want its lingering finish to ever end. Paired with a juicy steak, this is a fantastic pairing, and it certainly would do well with many hearty dishes. You can drink this wine now, or set it aside for a few years to see how it develops.
This is the time of year when many people splurge on wine, and I'd highly recommend the 2016 Halter Ranch Ancestor. With its SIP certification, the winery has shown its commitment to sustainability. Plus, the wine is complex and delicious, and worth its price. Plus, if you're looking for something a bit different from the usual Napa or Sonoma wines, choose Paso Robles.
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