Robin and I have made a visit to California wine country her December birthday’s annual tradition. It has been several years since we explored Paso Robles’ wineries. A lot has changed. The main change is that the premium wineries schedule almost exclusively by reservation and the bespoke wineries offer top-shelf wine and food pairings as part of the experience.
Another amazing part of the experience is the small-town charm of Paso Robles. The town square is a modern version of a traditional Norman Rockwell painting. It was all lit up for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The Americana pageantry also included a massive bonfire on New Year’s Eve that was celebrated by what looked like the entire population of Paso. What fun!
With the invaluable help of Chris Taranto, communications director of Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, we were able to schedule wine and food pairings at several of the “best of the best” wineries. The wine and food pairings were complete gourmet small-bite meals, tastings of the best of their current releases plus some Library wines from their cellars. All three were extraordinary experiences, reflecting the personality of each winery. What was consistent was the warm and welcoming hospitality. The visits not timed for food were just as special with tastings and tours that made each memorable. California wine touring like this should be the norm for anyone who wants to appreciate what makes a wine region special.
Paso Robles is home to many of the best Rhone varietal wines in California, or better yet, from any wine region. Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre shine here. They also produce rich, deep and fruity Cabernet and Zinfandel. Creative wine makers are also blending varietals into wine that is sublime, perhaps better than the sum of its parts.
I am not going to tell you which wine had hints of blueberries or blackberries or which Syrah had hints of tobacco or licorice. I’ll leave that to the wine wonks. I will say the wineries we visited created wines that are equal or better than those in Napa or France. The hospitality is even better. Maybe they still have something to prove.
The following wineries are all outstanding. If I was scoring for a wine magazine, the combined average score would be a 94.
Le Couvier Winery Their wine is dry farmed, natural and barrel aged for three years. Their L’Enfant Du Pape GSM blend, a complex California version of a Chateauneuf-du-Pape,is my favorite. All visits are extraordinary wine and food pairings. The extended barrel aging was immediately apparent in the depth and quality of their new releases. We were greeted by three young and very knowledgeable hosts. The presentation and quality of the small bites and the wine got our Paso wine country trip off to a resounding start! LCWine.com
Hawks Hill Ranch Winery Their tasting room is at the top of a mountain with very special views and yummy wine. We enjoyed great hospitality and an interesting tour that included an other-worldly Manzanita grove. Because they have high elevation and western-facing slopes, the wine ranges from Chardonnay to Cabernet and really wonderful Rhone varietals. HHRWinery.com
Daou Vineyards Located atop Daou Mountain, it is a destination winery and deservedly popular for its highly rated and rich Bordeau varietals and blends. We were served a Michelin Star-worthy lunch and a selection of their ultra-premium Patrimony label. All in all, a cherished memory. DaouVineyards.com
Booker Wines They are a Rhone varietal house with Roussanne, Viognier and Marsanne blends on the white side to premium very hearty and sophisticated Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. A unique feature is an underground space where you can taste and view the layers of the terroir in which the grapes are grown. BookerWines.com
Linne Calodo Winery Rhône-inspired reds to innovative white blends are their hallmark. The estate is the vision of Matt Trevisan, a pioneer in blending Rhône varietals with bold, expressive character. Their selection reinforces my recent conversion from a Bordeau first wine person to preferring Rhone. I found that I could easily enjoy Rhone varietals with any meal. Perfect food-friendly wine. LinneCalodo.com
Epoch Estate Wines There is a lot of history at the winery on York Mountain. The award-winning tasting room design is so beautiful it almost overwhelms the quality of the wine. However, the Bordeau, Rhine and Spanish varietals are excellent. I especially enjoyed their Tempranillo and Zinfandel. The Zin was a tribute to Paso’s famous West Side Zin tradition. EpochWines.com
Barton Family Wines & Grey Wolf Cellars For me, this modest winery, restaurant and tasting room set in a basic farmhouse is the ultimate “West Side” Paso winery. Modest and really darn good! You can find just about any varietal or blend that can do well in Paso. They were all 90+ and reasonably priced. Their Chenin Blanc cured me of not really liking Chenin Blanc. It was served along with a rich and earthy mushroom soup. BartonFamilyWines.com
We dined at Il Cortile and it was as delicious as ever; our favorite Paso restaurant. To sum it up, Paso Robles has become our favorite wine country destination. It’s an easy 3-hour drive from Thousand Oaks and it is a whole lot less expensive to visit and explore than Napa or Sonoma.