Kuhlken-Österberg
Kuhlken-Österberg wines represent the pinnacle of winemaking at Pedernales Cellars. Carefully selected barrels are blended to produce ageworthy wines of distinction. Each vintage offers a new palate of potential components, and each wine is distinct to its vintage.
Kuhlken-Österberg wines are available as a six or twelve bottle futures allocation. Our current offering is from the 2024 vintage, and the wines will be released in October 2026 at our annual K-Ö dinner.
As our most limited release wines, only 100 allocations are released each year. Please contact us at Wineclub@PedernalesCellars.com to inquire about openings in the Kuhlken-Österberg club.
2017
Kuhlken-Österberg
Blend: 37% Touriga Nacional, 25% Alicante Bouschet, 25% Tinta Amarela, 13% Tinta Cão
Notes: The 2017 KO is deeply flavored and rich. You’ll find gnarly notes of earth, tar, kirsch, blackberry cobbler, black currants and bramble on the nose. The mouth feel is full with the tannins becoming softer and more integrated. Notes of cherry cola, black cherry, and dried herbs.
2018
Kuhlken-Österberg
Blend: 25% Touriga Nacional, 25% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre, 25% Petit Sirah
Notes: The estate Grenache is beautiful with strawberry notes and hints of earth while the Touriga is dark and rich with firm, age-worthy tannins. This vintage also taught us that Mourvedre, although lighter bodied in Texas, does amazingly well in new oak, and here it was aged in European. Aromas of plum, blackberries, currants, sweet cinnamon and clove. This medium bodied wine has firm tannins that will soften with time and notes of leather and juicy dark fruit.
2019
Kuhlken-Österberg
Blend: 25% Touriga Nacional, 25% Tinta Cao, 25% Mourvedre, 25% Petit Sirah
Notes: The 2019 KO showcases the last of the 2007 plantings of Touriga and Tinta Cao before we began replanting the vineyard. This wine spent 21 months in 100% new oak barrels, imparting a firm tannic structure which is just beginning to integrate. Medium bodied with layers of dark red fruit, spice, and earthy complexity.
2020
Kuhlken-Österberg
Blend: 57% Graciano, 43% Touriga Nacional
Notes: A memorable vintage for a lot of reasons, the 2020 growing season was hot and dry, resulting in small berries and concentrated fruit. To preserve aromatics, this wine was cold soaked and fermented in stainless. As this wine has aged, it has become more complex and some of the wild gamey notes of its youth have begun to subside, leaving a complex palate of dark berries, bramble, toasted marshmallow, and dark chocolate.
2021
Kuhlken-Österberg
Blend: 66% Petit Verdot, 34% Petit Sirah
Notes: As we wait for the new plantings at Kuhlken Vineyard to mature, this is our first KO wine that does not contain estate fruit. The 2021 KO is medium bodied wine filled with black fruit notes. Black currant, blackberry, plum, cherry, cigar box, chocolate, and vanilla are all plentiful both on the nose and the palate. This balanced wine has fine tannins and a smooth finish making it perfect with or without food.
2022
Kuhlken-Österberg
Blend: 66% Graciano, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: A unique blend that highlights the power and bright acid of Graciano with the structure and elegance of Cabernet. Farmed by Lahey Vineyards (Graciano) and Nogalero Vineyard (Cabernet), the fruit for this wine was exceptionally aromatic and expressive during fermentation. After 20 months in a combination of American and French oak, the true harmony of this collaboration was revealed. Layers of bright red fruit give way to darker notes of plum and bramble. Truly exceptional. Drink now through 2035.
