Austin Hope is an avid cook, traveler, artist, wetlands conservationist, and live music proponent. Most notably, he is a second-generation winegrower, winemaker, and owner of Hope Family Wines in Paso Robles, California. Austin grew up in Paso Robles as the son of winegrowers Chuck and Marlyn Hope, from whom he inherited his love and respect for the region. Today, Austin’s portfolio of brands has expanded to include Austin Hope, Treana, Liberty School, Troublemaker, Quest, and the newest release AUSTIN. Hope Family Wines was named American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2022.
Media Inquiries: cj@hfwines.com | https://hopefamilywines.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
Simply put, we are born, grown and made in Paso Robles. We’ve been avid champions of Paso Robles for more than 40 years. This goes way back to when I was a kid, when my parents moved the family from California’s Central Valley over here to Paso Robles, where they became winegrowers. They were instrumental in the formation of the Paso Robles AVA and the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. I grew up here, and I’ve made it our mission to create wines that we call “Paso Robles Defined.” This means creating wines that reflect both the overarching character of the region as well as its incredible diversity of terroirs and wine styles. This sentiment extends to our family of employees, many of whom who have been with us for decades. We are so proud to call Paso Robles our home, and to have been a part of raising the region’s profile on the global stage.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
If you are asking me to expand space, time, bandwidth and budget, then I would make wine in more wine regions around the globe. We have started doing this on a small scale with our Austin Hope Appellation Series (such as wines from Sta. Rita Hills and Suisun Valley) and we recently made a Washington Red Blend under the AUSTIN brand. Right now we’re still 99% Paso Robles, but in this scenario maybe we’d become 90% Paso Robles and 10% global. This is because I have an insatiable curiosity about regional expression in wine, and the different terroirs and cultures that feed into it. Our Washington Red blend is made from the same grape varieties we grow here in Paso Robles, but the result is so wildly different, and it’s just fun and fascinating. My wife Celeste and I love to travel, so I can imagine going from the Old World to the Southern Hemisphere to wherever, to explore these different expressions and find hidden gem regions. But for now, I have enough on my plate. Maybe in another life?
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
Ask me tomorrow and you might get a different answer, but today I’ll say Quest—our new Cabernet Franc offering from Paso Robles. We launched this brand as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, but starting with the 2022 vintage we’ve transitioned to 100% Cabernet Franc. I call it the “goldilocks” of wine grapes—to make a great one, the temperatures and soils have to be just right. We have a few perfect spots like this in Paso Robles, so I thought why not go all in and show what is possible from Paso Robles Cabernet Franc? It’s a sleeper variety and a conversation starter, most importantly, a great wine: lively, elegant, layered, and delicious. Read the “Quest” Cab Franc Wine Review.
Bonus Question: What’s the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
I’m a conservationist at heart, and I own a private 328-acre wetlands property in the Central Valley, it’s my home away from home. I work with conservancy organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, the Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy, as well as state and federal agencies, and I’ve placed the land under permanent easement to protect it in perpetuity. You should see the waterfowl out there, it’s just incredible! The Central Valley used to be full of wetlands like these, and they’re instrumental in protecting native flyways and other wildlife. It brings me a lot of satisfaction.