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Part II
After building the highly successful Realm Cellars in Napa Valley, vintner Juan Mercado set his sights on Paso Robles with the vision of cultivating a globally respected wine brand. Mercado founded RIISE in 2019 to produce world-class Rhone varietal and Tempranillo-based wines that are powerful, textural, and light on their feet. The fruit comes from three estate properties and several of the area’s other most acclaimed vineyard sites, the majority of which are overseen by top vineyard managers Kevin Wilkinson and Lucas Pope. The wines are brought to life by winemaker Anthony Yount.
We have purchased three vineyard properties so far, all on the west side of Paso Robles. The first purchase was the renowned Shadow Canyon vineyard on York Mountain. At 1800 feet elevation it is the highest and also the closest to the ocean of any RIISE-owned or sourced vineyard. 1200 Arbor is nestled in the Willow Creek AVA and will serve as our home base with a winery, tasting room, and caves to be added. The Heaton vineyard brings sloping hillsides and a uniquely generous mix of soils ranging from limestone and calcareous to alluvial, across its 85 acres of land. RIISE also sources fruit from some of the region’s other most sought-after vineyards, many of which we consider to be true grand cru quality.
The RIISE winemaking philosophy is one of minimalism, with the vineyards and varietals given the chance to shine through in their purest expressions. Texture forms the backbone of these wines, which are an exercise in balance and grace. We have four offerings: Doyen Red Wine is a blend of primarily Grenache with the addition of Mourvèdre and Syrah; Peace Red Wine is a Syrah-based blend; Jovian Red Wine is Tempranillo-based with Rhone varietals blended for softness; and Fermin Reserve Red Wine is currently composed predominantly of Syrah, though this wine will be ever-changing from vintage to vintage, driven by each year’s most stunning lots.