Former wrestler, dishwasher, and rock climber Ryan Stirm grows grapes in especially rugged, singular vineyards along the Central Coast. He’s especially known for his single-vineyard rieslings, but cabernet pfeffer is another of his specialties. It’s a thick-skinned but low-color variety that originally came from Bordeaux and now is almost entirely limited to 17 acres growing in San Benito County’s Cienega Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area). 'El Gabilan' is the old name of Gimelli Vineyards, 10 miles south of Hollister in Cienega Valley. The cabernet pfeffer there was planted 120 years ago. It fermented in old redwood vats and aged for a little less than a year in old oak barrels. The wine is light ruby-red in color, peppery, and herbal. It’s light-bodied but has some tannic structure. Drink it with peppery dishes, merguez sausages, or red-sauced pasta.