Le Vigne Winery
Le Vigne Winery Introduces Il Fiore
In the early 1960s, Sylvia Filippini’s family purchased property in the Estrella District of Paso Robles and used it for Hayfields and cattle. At the time, few vineyards existed here, but in the ‘70s, a handful of wineries sprang up. By The ‘80s, big wineries began buying up land and planting vineyards, and Walter and Sylvia Filippini decided to plant Vines on the family property. They began making their own wine, and when they built Le Vigne Winery in 1995, it was one of only about 25 wineries in Paso Robles.
Central to their story is the love that Walter and Sylvia share for fine wine and gourmet foods. While growing up in Como, Italy, Walter spent summers working at his grandparents’ vineyard in Valtellina. At age 15, he entered the Culinary Institute in San Pellegrino and, in 1981, he won Italy’s National Chef’s competition for Gastronomia. Now, Chef Walter serves up his favorite dishes at winery lunches and dinners.
Estate Quality in Bloom
The Filippini’s newest brand honors Walter’s Italian heritage (“Il Fiore” translates as “The Flower”) and the abundant beauty of their Estrella District setting. Here, the otherwise flat basin of the Salinas valley is crossed by meandering dry riverbeds with clay loam soil deposited by the course of the Estrella River. The cool, damp air off the Pacific Ocean that rushes through the Templeton Gap dissipates just as it approaches the broadly rolling plains at the Western border, resulting in rainfall at the low end of the range for Paso Robles. The open exposure as the sun tracks wide over the valley creates a vast diurnal swing in temperature — up to 50 degrees during the growing season.
Fruit for both of our featured wines came from the North Domenico Estate Vineyard. The sustainably farmed estate vineyard is comprised of nearly 88 acres planted in five blocks, situated around the winery to the north, west, and south.
Our featured Cabernet comes from an unusual block of own-rooted vines. “This section of fruit in Domenico estate consistently has very well integrated tannins,” says Assistant Winemaker Anthony Gallegos. “The 2018 vintage saw a little bit more hang time, which allowed the fruit to fully ripen. Extended aging added to the complexity of the wine and the voluptuous, velvety mouthfeel. Bold, yet graceful, this Cabernet sings with black cherry and currant. The wines in the 2018 vintage show promise with rich flavor profiles, leading me to expect these wines to age very well.”
Our featured Chardonnay comes from vines planted directly behind the winery. “This lively yet balanced wine is a great representation of what a true Paso Robles Chardonnay can be,” says Anthony. “The bright acidity lifts the nose and emphasizes the stone fruit while the French oak adds to the mouthfeel and elongates the soft, elegant finish.”
Enjoy warm hospitality in their Italian-themed tasting room, along with an amazing selection of pastas, sauces, olive oils, cookies, nuts, and salamis alongside artisan cheeses from all over the world. “Our patio is a perfect place to enjoy Paso Robles wine country’s fresh air and sunshine,” says Sylvia. “Our tasting room is both kid and dog friendly, and we have lots of comfortable, shaded outdoor seating. We hope you’ll visit!”
The fabulous wines we featured:
Il Fiore 2018 Estate Grown Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon
- Pair with: Bacon-wrapped, chorizo-stuffed dates.
- Enjoy now or hold up to 3 years.
Tasting Notes: Enjoy this distinctly Californian expression of focused dark berry aromas layered over a sunbaked rustic structure, dappled with spices from relaxing in oak. Delectably dry and pleasantly pairable.
2018 di Domenico Vineyard Paso Robles Tannat
- Double Gold, Best of Class, Central Coast Wine Competition
- Pair with: Crispy pork belly with creamy parmesan polenta.
- Enjoy now or hold up to 5 years.
Tasting Notes: The captivating, deep ruby color indicates the full-bodied characteristics of this bottling. On the nose, orange peel, Biscoff cookie, smashed raspberry, blanched almond, and cracked black pepper protrude. Dried plum aromas transform on the palate to grilled plum flavors, which are joined by dusty leather, dark cherry, and cardamom. The lively tannins soften on the finish with balanced acidity.
Winemaker's Notes
Il Fiore 2018 Estate Grown Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon: North Domenico Estate Vineyard in Paso Robles provided all the fruit. The 2018 vintage saw hotterthan-average Paso Robles weather patterns and a later harvest with few challenges. The vineyard is uniquely comprised of own-rooted Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was aged for 18 months in French oak (20% new) for bright and spicy flavors and smooth tannins, then bottle-aged for an additional six months before release.
2018 di Domenico Vineyard Paso Robles Tannat: All fruit for this wine came from the Domenico Estate Vineyard in Paso Robles. The vineyard surrounds the winery on three sides. The 4.4 acres of Tannat is grown on the south side. Soils are clay loam. The wine aged for 21 months in American oak (14% new).
Paso Robles
Walter & Sylvia Filippini
Michael Barreto