Niner Estate Super Paso Robles Heart Hill Vineyards

Niner Wine Estates Super Paso Heart Hill Vineyard is a powerful, estate-grown Paso Robles red blend from Niner’s Heart Hill Vineyard in the Willow Creek District. The current 2022 vintage combines 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, bringing together Syrah’s lush blue-fruit character and earthy depth with Cabernet Sauvignon’s firm tannins and age-worthy structure. Aged for 22 months in French oak, 55% new, and bottled at 15.2% ABV, it is a concentrated, richly textured expression of one of Niner’s most important Paso Robles vineyard sites.

Process & Profile

Super Paso is produced entirely from Heart Hill Vineyard, Niner Wine Estates’ estate vineyard in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles. The vineyard is named for its distinctive heart-shaped grove of oak trees, a landmark that has retained its recognizable shape since it was formed by the Booker Brothers in 1956.

Heart Hill sits on the western side of Paso Robles, where steep rolling hillsides and proximity to the Pacific create a cooler environment than many inland portions of the region. Coastal breezes move through the Templeton Gap in the Santa Lucia Mountains, moderating afternoon temperatures and producing the combination of warm days and cool evenings that helps grapes retain freshness while reaching full maturity.

The soils are particularly important to Heart Hill’s character. The vineyard is dominated by steep slopes containing siliceous and calcareous shale, with layers of highly fractured shale beneath the topsoil. Vines must develop deep root systems in search of water, naturally restricting vigor and helping produce wines with concentration, dark color, structure, and complexity.

The 2022 Super Paso was assembled from five of the vineyard’s strongest blocks. The vintage itself was unusually challenging, following a third consecutive drought year and culminating in an intense August heatwave that accelerated ripening. Niner harvested the fruit for Super Paso between September 3 and September 13, 2022, during one of the estate’s earliest harvests on record.

Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon were handled separately during fermentation so each variety could develop its individual personality. The Syrah was fermented in stainless steel with 20% whole clusters, adding aromatic complexity and structure, while the Cabernet Sauvignon was fully destemmed and fermented in stainless steel to emphasize purity, fruit concentration, and depth.

The final blend is 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. After fermentation, the wines were matured for 22 months in French oak barrels, 55% new, allowing the fruit, tannins, and oak to integrate while building additional richness and refinement. The wine was crafted by winemaker Patrick Muran from five vineyard blocks and multiple Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah clones.

In the glass, Super Paso shows the richness expected from a Syrah-dominant Paso Robles blend, with ripe blue and dark fruits at the center of the aromatic profile. The Syrah contributes plush fruit, savory earthiness, and density, while Cabernet Sauvignon adds darker fruit character, structure, and a firmer tannic backbone.

The palate is full-bodied, concentrated, and richly textured, balancing lush blue fruit with the structured character of Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark berries, cassis-like fruit, savory earth, black pepper, and oak spice develop across the palate, while the wine’s substantial tannins provide definition and aging potential.

The finish is long and powerful, carrying dark fruit, earthy spice, toasted oak, and firm tannins. Despite its considerable richness and 15.2% ABV, the vineyard’s cooler Willow Creek setting helps provide enough freshness and structure to keep the wine balanced.

What makes Niner Super Paso Heart Hill Vineyard particularly compelling is the combination of 100% estate-grown Heart Hill fruit, a 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon blend, rocky shale soils, coastal influence, block-by-block selection, and extended French-oak maturation. Rather than following a conventional Bordeaux or Rhône formula, Super Paso brings together two varieties that Niner believes perform exceptionally well both at Heart Hill and throughout Paso Robles.

The 2022 vintage was produced from fruit averaging just 2.2 tons per acre, emphasizing concentration, and spent 22 months in 55% new French oak before release. Niner currently features the 2022 Reserve Super Paso as part of its winery tasting flight, making it the active release in the estate’s Reserve lineup.

Serve at approximately 60–65°F / 16–18°C. Young bottles will benefit from 45–60 minutes of decanting. Pair with grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, lamb chops, smoked brisket, roasted beef, venison, wild mushrooms, aged cheddar, or other richly flavored dishes capable of matching the wine’s concentrated fruit and structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Niner Super Paso Heart Hill Vineyard?
It is an estate-grown Paso Robles red blend produced entirely from Niner Wine Estates’ Heart Hill Vineyard in the Willow Creek District. The current 2022 vintage combines Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

What are the key specs of Niner Super Paso 2022?
The 2022 vintage is a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, bottled at 15.2% ABV. It was aged for 22 months in French oak, 55% new, and the vineyard yielded approximately 2.2 tons per acre.

What flavors characterize Niner Super Paso?
Expect a full-bodied profile centered on lush blue and dark fruit, cassis-like richness, savory earth, black pepper, oak spice, and firm tannins. Syrah contributes plush fruit and earthiness, while Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure and aging potential.

How is Niner Super Paso made?
The Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon are vinified separately. For the 2022 vintage, the Syrah was fermented with 20% whole clusters, while the Cabernet Sauvignon was completely destemmed. After blending, the wine matured for 22 months in French oak barrels.

What makes Niner Super Paso Heart Hill Vineyard special?
Its distinction comes from the combination of estate-grown Heart Hill Vineyard fruit, rocky shale soils, cooling Templeton Gap breezes, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, low vineyard yields, careful block selection, and substantial French-oak aging. The result is a concentrated, structured Paso Robles red that combines Syrah’s richness with Cabernet Sauvignon’s tannic backbone and cellar potential.