Treana Winery: winery information
Winemaker: Austin Hope
It’s no surprise that Austin Hope ended up in the wine business; that’s where he started. He grew up surrounded by his family’s pioneering Paso Robles vineyards, worked summers on the family properties during high school and college, and saw first hand the ins and outs of their small-scale winemaking operation. He majored in Fruit Science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, knowing all along there would be a place for him in the family’s business. But it took much more than family ties to turn Austin into the accomplished winemaker he is today. Late in his college years, he got his first inspiration from tasting memorable Syrahs from the northern Rhone, stellar Cabernets from the Napa Valley, and a broad range of the great wines of the world. In the early 1990s, he started working under Chuck Wagner, founder of Caymus Vineyards. Austin took over as Treana’s winemaker in 1998. His own philosophy has evolved at the intersection of the Old World and the New, a respect for balance and elegance layered onto the vibrant fruit of the Central Coast. He sees his role as more artist and craftsman than wine mechanic: “I try to leave the nuts and bolts of wine analysis and testing to other people,” he says, “and concentrate on how the wine tastes.” The Treana wines he crafts taste very good indeed, and carry the personal signature of an exceptional winemaker.
Grape Varieties Planted