This week it’s all about one of my favorite wine producers in California! My guest is Austin Hope, proprietor of 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 vinicultural terroir of significance and one of the top winegrowing regions for quality red wine within the Central Coast. www.hopefamilywines.com
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 on Facebook & X
Austin Hope arrived in Paso Robles in 1978, when his family moved to the small farming town in search of new opportunity. His parents bought land and planted both vineyards and apple orchards. He was just eight years old when the grapes came on line in the 1980s and began learning in the vineyards alongside his father, Chuck Hope.
In 1995 he graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in fruit science. Beginning in the 1980s, the Hope family sold Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to Caymus for its Liberty School label, and Austin followed his father’s advice to seek out an opportunity to work with Caymus founder Chuck Wagner.
Austin worked with Wagner in Napa, both inside the winery and the administrative offices, learning the nuts and bolts of the wine business from one of California’s most respected producers. “That was probably my a-ha moment,” says Austin. “I realized that I not only wanted to grow grapes, but to manage our own label to bring our fruit directly to the market,” he says.
The Hope family began producing Liberty School wines and founded Treana in 1996. After beginning as the assistant winemaker, Austin became winemaker for the Hope portfolio in 1998. Hope Family Wines now makes Treana, Liberty School, Candor, Troublemaker and Austin Hope wines. In 2009, Austin Hope was named “Winemaker of the Year” at the California Mid-State Fair.
When he’s not in the lab tasting or on the road promoting his wines, Austin enjoys duck hunting with Spartacus, his Labrador retriever, and staying ahead of the curve on the indie music scene by attending as many rock-n-roll concerts as possible. He’s also a dedicated dad who enjoys spending time with his two young daughters
Good Life Guy’s Wine(s) of the week:
A Few of Austin’s primo wines! 🙂
Grab some at Jacob Liquor Exchange on North Rock Road or your local wine merchant and join us!
