The Mark Wine Group
This project is so exciting. We would love to hear where the idea for Maverick Ranches came from?
Dave Guffy
This wine pays homage to the legacy of mavericks in the Hess family: from Donald Hess going against conventional wisdom in planting hillside vineyards on Mount Veeder, to Tim Persson expanding into Northeastern Napa with the 2019 purchase of Iron Corral.
Maverick Ranches and our move into Paso Robles furthers the explorer mindset that we do our best to embody.
The Mark Wine Group
We are really loving the forward thinking and forward moving that you are doing from the physical renovations at the winery in recent years to the layers of wines offered.
What distinguishes Maverick Ranches from other Hess Persson brands?
Dave Guffy
We’re using Maverick Ranches to expand upon the success Hess has had in putting out high quality, acclaimed Cabernets: from Mt. Veeder to our Allomi Vineyard, we’re proud of the critical and consumer recognition our wines have enjoyed.
However, as the costs of farming and procuring fruit from Napa continues to spiral upwards, we wanted to produce a high-quality Cabernet that could be the entry point into our Napa wines.
Dave Guffy
Of course. With Maverick Ranches we are targeting a $15 by-the-glass price point which attempts to bring younger consumers into our portfolio.
We’re aging this wine using 40% new French Oak, which gives us elegance and that rich and dense flavor we were going for.
The Mark Wine Group
I totally tasted that rich and dense flavor. I was lucky to be part of the group in Aspen that were the first to taste it and it got quite a few great reviews, especially given it was a barrel sample. We totally missed your presence there but we heard your fan club (okay, wine club members) on a cruise loved you teaching them all about the Hess Persson wines on board.
Dave Guffy
Yes, I was sorry I missed you and Mark in Aspen this year but I was finishing up a wine club cruise in the Mediterranean.
The Mark Wine Group
Stephanie Pope did a great job introducing the wine and I remember being very intrigued about the AVA within Paso Robles she talked about.
Dave Guffy
We’re sourcing this wine from the Estrella District, a nested AVA within Paso Robles, from some contacts I have in Paso Robles.
This area in Northeastern Paso is known for colder evenings, caused by ocean breezes flowing through the gaps in the Santa Lucia Mountain range, cooling off the grapes during the growing season and allowing for complexity in the finished wine.
The Mark Wine Group
The Santa Lucia Mountain range is so stunning and such a phenomenal place for growing Cabernet. We especially love that Maverick Ranches is all about the On-Premise.
Dave Guffy
Donald Hess built his winery by producing wines meant to be enjoyed with food in restaurants. We hope this product delights diners and provides a reprieve from the spiraling cost of Napa Cabernet for our restaurant and hotel partners.
The Mark Wine Group
We also love how you embrace sustainable farming and winemaking for all your products.
Dave Guffy
100% of our estate owned vineyards and winemaking facilities are certified sustainable by the CSWA (California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance).
Beyond 3rd party certifications, our vineyards and winemaking crews adopt a continuous improvement mindset when it comes to reducing our carbon footprint and sustainability—something Donald Hess was doing back in the 1980s before people were talking about this more broadly.
The Mark Wine Group
Definitely a maverick in his own right. We love how Maverick Ranches embodies his pioneering spirit.
Thank you so much Dave!