Wine Grape Varieties and Flavor Profiles of AJA Vineyards Wines
In the vast and interesting world of wine, there is a great variety of grapes used for wine production. At AJA Vineyards, we choose grape types and blends that capture the best attributes of the soil from the Malibu Coast, and from that make a range of wine styles.
Wine connoisseurs often find it easy to tell the flavors and scents of one wine from another, but for beginners, distinguishing between different wines can be a challenge. So, to help you find the best wines for your palate, here is a walk through the varieties we grow and how we make them at AJA. We’re proud to have eight different wines in our portfolio, each with its own special character.
Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara Sauvignon Blanc
This wine is a fan favorite: light and refreshing, with flavors of fresh green apple, lemon, lime, and grapefruit, plus a few hints of guava. Sauvignon Blancs are mainly fruit-driven, and their aromatics come from compounds called pyrazines, which often taste like bell pepper or jalapeño. Alongside the fruit, our Sauvignon Blanc has hints of green bell pepper, jalapeño, and a touch of salinity that helps balance the wine into an easy, refreshing sip.
Malibu Coast Sauvignon Blanc
A dry wine with notes of gooseberry, grapefruit, and pineapple. While subtle, you’ll also taste hints of white flowers and green pepper. On the palate it’s light-bodied with racy acidity, yet still smooth, with a vibrant, citrusy zest. Our Sauvignon Blanc pairs perfectly with many dishes, but you can never go wrong with a cheese plate of feta or chèvre, or an Asian-driven flavor profile.
Paso Robles Rosé of Grenache Gris
A beautiful lilac, thin-skinned variety that comes from Grenache Noir crossing with Grenache Blanc in nature, creating the Grenache Gris variation. Our Paso Robles Rosé has notes of peach, lychee, and strawberry: mouthwatering and easy to sip, perfect for a sunny day.
Malibu Coast Rosé
Scents of peach, nectarine, yellow cherry, and strawberry fill the glass from the very first taste. Aromas of salinity and wet stone accompany the primary flavors, making it a very refreshing wine. Though bright, crisp, and dry, it still carries those beautiful flavors through the mid-palate, the kind that make you want to finish the entire bottle in one sitting.
Malibu Coast Syrah
A rich, powerful, and sometimes meaty red wine. When this wine hits the glass, you’re greeted with a beautiful aromatic bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, and vanilla, with subtle hints of black pepper. Pleasant mid-palate tannins round out the experience with a nice mocha finish.
Malibu Coast Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular wine in America and is loved by wine enthusiasts around the world, a variety created by a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. This bright and rich Cabernet Sauvignon is packed with red and black berries, cherries, and a hint of licorice. Notes of salinity, damp earth, and terracotta pair beautifully with the succulent fruit and violet flavors, and a lovely tannin coats your palate, an underripe tartness that readies your mouth for the next bite of food or sip of wine.
Malibu Coast FIVE Red Wine
A delicious blend of Malibu Coast Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc estate fruit. Swirl this glass and you’ll notice bright red cherry, red currant, rhubarb, and raspberry, with hints of beef jerky, strawberry balsamic vinegar, and white and black cracked pepper. On the palate it’s rich and tannic, silky and warm, drying your mouth just enough to ask for another sip.
Central Coast Chardonnay
Our newest addition to the portfolio. This Chardonnay is picked from a single vineyard in sunny Central California, then crushed and brought to our facility to begin fermentation. To bring balance to the wine, we blend tank-fermented and aged Chardonnay with neutral oak-fermented and aged Chardonnay. The result carries hints of apple, pear, and persimmon alongside citrusy notes of lime peel, lemon wedge, and tangerine, seamlessly blended with brioche and a slight hint of butterscotch.
Every one of these wines has a special character, and each is made with love, from our vineyards to your cellar. To read more about our individual wine varieties and find tasting notes, visit our Wines page.
Cheers!