Winter 2026 Newsletter

April 13th, 2026

As winter softens into spring, we find ourselves reflecting with gratitude on the season behind us - from the behind-the-scenes work in the cellar to the moments we’ve shared with you along the way, and everything in between.

In the vineyard, we completed our first pruning of the estate, a meaningful step that sets the stage for our inaugural harvest later this year. In the cellar, new wines found their way into bottle, while the second half of the 2023 vintage made its debut for our wine club members. We were fortunate to spend time with many of you through tastings and events, and to travel beyond Paso Robles to visit with members and new friends around the country. We look forward to building on this momentum and sharing more of what’s to come with you in the months ahead.

Updates from the Winery

Each winter, we begin the season with a familiar rhythm of bottling our white and rosé. L’Essor is always the first wine we bring to bottle - fittingly so. In French, L’Essor means “the rise,” or the moment when momentum begins, and for us, it has come to signal the start of a new season. We bottled L’Essor and Contrast in February, capturing their freshness and vibrancy just in time for our Spring Release.

At the same time, preparation for our 2024 reds has been steadily unfolding. In December, Arnaud and Guillaume tasted through every barrel, carefully composing the blends lot by lot. From there, the wines continued to rest in barrel, allowing those decisions to evolve naturally. In January, we completed racking - gently moving each lot off its lees and into tanks where the final blends were brought together on a larger scale. This step is both precise and expressive, clarifying the wines while allowing them to fully integrate. Now, they rest in tanks as they prepare for bottling later this spring. We look forward to sharing the first glimpse of these wines in our Fall release later this year.

Our First Estate Pruning

Pruning a vineyard is an act of intention - each cut made with the future in mind. This winter marked the first time we pruned our estate vineyard, a meaningful shift from where we stood just a year ago, preparing to graft each vine.

In these early years, the focus is not solely on the fruit, but on building a strong foundation: shaping the vine’s structure, guiding its growth, and establishing the balance that will carry it forward for decades to come. Working vine by vine, we carefully selected and positioned canes to create a framework unique to each varietal.

While an established vineyard allows for a more nuanced, refined approach, this first pruning represents the beginning of that evolution - bringing us one step closer to our first estate harvest and the wines to follow.

BENOM Estate Map

With grafting completed in the spring of 2025, our estate has truly begun to take shape. A total of 14 varieties across 21 acres will make up the foundation of our wines in the years to come.

Click on the image to download the map.

New Releases and a New Flight

To mark the transition from winter to spring, we released our spring wines to our club members this February, including the 2023 Hoc, Muze, and Reflet alongside the 2025 Contrast and L’Essor.

This release marked the second half of the 2023 vintage - a continuation of a collection we first began sharing in the fall. Considered one of Paso’s standout years, the wines showed beautifully upon release and were met with genuine excitement. In only its second vintage, Reflet sold out quickly upon release, and Hoc and Muze became fast favorites.

For a short time, Muze is featured on our tasting flight, offering a rare opportunity to experience one of our more limited-production spring reds. We hope to see you for a visit soon!

A Journey Through France and Spain

Our Les Crus Dinner transports you to the French and Spanish countryside through special imports and thoughtfully paired dishes.

The evening begins with a cocktail hour of champagne and passed appetizers, before settling in for a five-course dinner by Chef Justin Monson of Oak and Vine, each course paired with two wines. Arnaud will guide you through his personal selection of ten French and Spanish imports, sharing the stories and nuances behind each wine as the evening unfolds.

This event is one of the highlights of our year. We hope you’ll join us and share in the celebration!

TICKETS