Seven Oxen
Paso Robles AVA
By keeping their yields low, farming organically, and taking a minimalist winemaking approach, the Neal family ensures the highest quality fruit possible.
Located in the rolling hills of Westside Paso Robles, Seven Oxen Estate Wines is an organically-farmed vineyard and winery founded by the Neal family in 2012. The winery focuses on small production Rhône and Zinfandel wines, all crafted from the 26-acre estate vineyard located off of Kiler Canyon Road in the esteemed Templeton Gap region of Paso Robles. By purposefully keeping their yields low, farming organically, and taking a minimalist winemaking approach in the cellar, the Neal family ensures the highest quality fruit possible and a collection of wines that reflect the unique character of the Seven Oxen Estate property.
The Neal family’s interest in the wine business was initially sparked after meeting French winemaker Bastien Leduc, who brings incredible winemaking experience to Seven Oxen Estate Wines. Bastien grew up on his father’s organic vineyard in Southern France and it was here that he became an advocate of agroecology and developed a lifelong love for winemaking. He holds a degree in viticulture and oenology as well as in organic agricultural consulting, and his wanderlust has led him to work in a wide range of viticultural regions - including Gaillac, the Loire Valley, Bandol, Cognac, and Bordeaux in France and Upper Hunter Valley, the Clare Valley, and the Mornington Peninsula in Australia. After moving to California in 2010 and briefly working for Domaine de la Terre Rouge in the Sierra Foothills, Bastien found his home in Paso Robles, where he enjoys blending his French winemaking techniques with the personality of Paso Robles’ magnificent terroir.
After Bastien married the daughter of an old friend of the Neal family, they all decided to come together and create Seven Oxen Estate Wines. The name of the winery, Seven Oxen, is a translation of an ancient Mediterranean term for the seven stars of the Big Dipper, which circle the North Star through the year like a team of oxen rounding a threshing floor. Perched high up in the hills of the Templeton Gap, Seven Oxen Vineyard is the ideal place to witness the cycle of the stars through the seasons. The position of the North Star always remains constant, as does the family’s principles of stewardship and responsibility as they share their land, fruit and wine.
Planted to Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, Grenache and Tannat, the Seven Oxen Vineyard produces premium quality fruit and wines that are as complex as the natural environment from which they are from. Bastien Leduc and the Neal family work together to craft a small collection of wines that have become highly-allocated and celebrated for their distinctive style. We hope our Garagiste Wine Club members enjoy one of their latest achievements. Cheers!
