Malibu makes wine?...Who knew?

Who would of thought that Malibu would be the new hot spot for great wine?  It turns out that those beautiful rolling hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean are now prime real estate for planting vineyards.  With tasting rooms popping up all over and amazing scenic tours of the sand and surf; it has become quite the tourist destination.

Nestled in the canyons off Kanan Rd is Sip Malibu, Cielo Wine Bar.  It is the tasting room for Cielo Malibu Estate Vineyards owned by Richard Hirsh.  They produce two labels, the Cielo Estate collection and the Woodstock collection.  The Cielo wines are made from the estate vineyard in Malibu and the Woodstock wines are produced using grapes sourced from the Napa Valley, Mendocino, and the Central Coast.  There is an obvious love for music, as each wine in the Woodstock collection is named after a famous rock song. ex: "White Rabbit Sauvignon Blanc"  The tasting room exuded a rustic charm with a modern edge.  There were vintage music posters on the walls, plush seating and rock music blasting.  Their tasting menu consisted of 4 different flight options to taste or you can buy wine by the glass and enjoy outside. I have included notes from the three reds I tasted:

2008 Cielo Estate Malibu Rouge $95
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
You are instantly hit with powerful dark fruit including blueberry and black cherry with undertones of earth and mushroom.  On the palate the wine is full bodied, exuding lots of fruit flavors and finishes with soft tannins.

2008 Cielo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon $85
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot
Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and prune with hints of mint and vanilla.  On the palate it's powerful, showing lots of dark fruit, vanilla, spice and a hint of tobacco.

2008 Cielo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $175
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
A beautifully crafted wine showing aromas of blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, clove and herbal notes.  On the palate it's full bodied yet refined with an extremely long finish.