2009 The Maven Paso Robles

Scott Hawley's 2009 releases continue the theme of dense, full-throttle wines, which he told me "is what the grapes here give." But I also sensed a more refined character in the new wines this fall. And that's from a low-yielding vintage, most of whose wines show more concentration than normal. As his own vines mature, said Hawley, "they're giving more complexity, so we're seeing more than just brute force in the wines." He described the '09 vintage at his vineyard as "plenty ripe, even by Paso standards, but cool nights kept things from getting out of control." He told me that he has never had to add acid to his wines and that while his '09s "show a lot of the sexiness of 2008, they have more structure and really good freshness, which will enable them to age well."