PrintDon't throw adobe in a clay house
Back in the 1890s, the Middleton family started out in Washington State as cedar farmers, making crates for grapes. But after the family waited 50 years for a crop of trees to be ready, the federal government stepped in and stopped the harvest. With the money the government paid the family to save the trees, the Middletons started planting table grapes and eventually branched out into the winemaking business, establishing the Clayhouse Wines brand in 2003.
The actual clay house that serves as the winery’s namesake is a 150-year-old adobe structure set amid the Clayhouse vines in the estate’s Red Cedar vineyard east of Paso Robles, California. “This is the inspiration for our vineyards. Not unlike adobe, these wines are created from the true earth, by hand, along with true family traditions,” says winemaker David Frick.
The family now makes a wide range of wines, including their Hillside Cuvée. Cuvée is a French term for a precise mixture of different grapes; in the case of Clayhouse’s Hillside Cuvée, the mix relies on a classic blend of Bordeaux varietals, including cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot vines, which grow on a steep sloping terrace of well-drained soil on the vineyard property. “This red is Bordeaux-styled and the oak is European,” explains Frick. A rustic wine, it achieves what the French call terroir: a sense of the unique origin of the wine’s ingredients.
With a hint of earthiness, this full-bodied wine exudes complex aromas of cassis, raspberry, and anise, along with touches of fresh floral. Enjoy with a simple flame-grilled steak or hamburger, but avoid gamier meats like roasted leg of lamb, which may overwhelm this bold but velvety red.
• Info: 805.238.7055, www.clayhousewines.com
