Kiler Canyon Vineyard
Get the Dirt from Director of Hospitality Jenny Freck
“Outside of limestone rich soils, cool nights, and ample daytime warmth for ripening, the people of the Paso Robles region are what make it special. It’s a very collaborative and supportive community of winemakers and vintners. ”
What was your first vintage year? Kiler’s first vintage was 2020
How many cases do you make per vintage? Roughly 600-700 cases
Do you have a Tasting Room? Yes, we are open Friday-Sunday, 11 AM – 5 PM. Please see our website for location details.
If not you, who is your winemaker? Drew Nenow
What wine/grape was the inspiration for the winery?
Syrah and the red cuvees of the Southern Rhone Valley.
What varietals does the winery / vineyard produce?
We work with Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Roussanne for now, but have plans to add Grenache to the list to expand even more on the complexity and diversity of our wines.
What vineyards do you source from?
We are 100% estate sourced from the Kiler Canyon Vineyard in the Willow Creek District. The property consists of 24 planted acres on 62 total acres and is an amazing place to grow grapes because it has the elevation and soil profiles of the Willow Creek District, but with ample southern exposures towards the Templeton Gap, which provides just enough reprieve from the Paso heat in the form of afternoon winds.
What type of oak treatment do you use?
We use new French oak barriques, mostly on the Syrah and small amounts on the Mourvèdre and Roussanne. In the right amounts, the new oak provides added structure and complex aromas.
What do you love about your winemaking region? What makes it different special?
Outside of limestone rich soils, cool nights, and ample daytime warmth for ripening, the people of the Paso Robles region are what make it special. It’s a very collaborative and supportive community of winemakers and vintners.
What’s the story behind your winery name / label?
The Kiler Canyon Vineyard was originally planted in the late 20th century by vintner Don Hofer who grew high quality grapes for a number of local boutique wineries. When we purchased the land in 2017 we wanted to use the eponymous name of the area to honor Don’s legacy and the special place the grapes are sourced from.
What’s so great about being small? What can you do as a small winemaker that wouldn’t be possible for larger wineries?
Our focus for Kiler Canyon has always been an intimate focus on the fine details of growing grapes and winemaking. Being small allows us to fine tune the smallest of details in our grape growing and winemaking. We focus on low yields, selective harvesting, and intensive sorting in the winery.
How do you view the future of the wine industry for small-lot winemakers?
We have the benefit of trying new things like varietals and winemaking practices in the boutique wine sectors, which in turn helps push the wine industry in new directions.
Do you ever get tired of drinking your own wine?
Not necessarily, but we do try to drink wine from other producers as much as possible to avoid cellar palate and keep ourselves up to date on what other’s are doing.
If you could choose another wine region to work in what would it be?
Cote Rotie Syrah’s have always been a seminal wine for me and it would be a dream to work there.
For more information about Rockbound Cellars, please visit their website or follow them on Instagram.