11/5/23 Update:
It's been nearly 5 years since I lived in Paso Robles. and much has changed. Three of my go-to recommendations have been acquired by megacorps: Gallo bought Denner Vineyards, Constellation bought Booker Winery, and most recently Australian behemoth Treasury Wine Estates bought Daou Vineywards for an eye-popping billion dollars. My latest experience with Daou wines was a huge disappointment, even before the sale. The most recent wines I've had from Denner and Booker have still been great...but, time will tell. I hold out the most hope for Denner--as long as they can keep Anthony Yount on board as winemaker, I'll probably continue to be a fan.
Living in wine country and getting to know the people, the vineyards, and the wines was an amazing experience. That I knew enough to feel qualified to offer up recommendations was really fun. I feel miles away from that now, in every sense. I last updated the list in 2019, and won't update it again.
It's been nearly 5 years since I lived in Paso Robles. and much has changed. Three of my go-to recommendations have been acquired by megacorps: Gallo bought Denner Vineyards, Constellation bought Booker Winery, and most recently Australian behemoth Treasury Wine Estates bought Daou Vineywards for an eye-popping billion dollars. My latest experience with Daou wines was a huge disappointment, even before the sale. The most recent wines I've had from Denner and Booker have still been great...but, time will tell. I hold out the most hope for Denner--as long as they can keep Anthony Yount on board as winemaker, I'll probably continue to be a fan.
Living in wine country and getting to know the people, the vineyards, and the wines was an amazing experience. That I knew enough to feel qualified to offer up recommendations was really fun. I feel miles away from that now, in every sense. I last updated the list in 2019, and won't update it again.
---------
I come up with a different list every time someone asks, but here's my most recent "top-ten" rendition. But first...
Pro Tips for Tasting Paso
Keep in mind that the Paso Robles AVA spans a
large area. Pick a "must visit" winery for each day, and
then choose some others in the same district (or at least along the way there or back). I know it's hard to narrow down the list, but don't try to visit too many wineries in a day. 3 is a good number. 6 is too many.
Plan ahead. Days and hours vary and a number of the more interesting spots are by appointment only. If there's a place you really want to visit, call ahead to confirm that they will be open when you want to stop by. You can also often arrange winery and vineyard tours if you call ahead. If you're going tasting with a large group, making arrangements in advance is even more important.
Prep yourself. Skip the perfumes, colognes, and other strong scents. Your fellow tasters will thank you and you'll be able to better appreciate the aromas of the wines you taste. Drink extra water throughout the day--always a good idea when you're consuming alcohol, but even more important in Paso's hot, dry climate.
Prep yourself. Skip the perfumes, colognes, and other strong scents. Your fellow tasters will thank you and you'll be able to better appreciate the aromas of the wines you taste. Drink extra water throughout the day--always a good idea when you're consuming alcohol, but even more important in Paso's hot, dry climate.
Share tastings with your partner. Pour out what you don't like. Spit. Seriously. It's not rude, getting drunk and treating a tasting room like an open bar is rude. Besides, if you overdo it, you won't be able to enjoy the area's great restaurants. Build a nice lunch into your day, and pace yourself so you can enjoy a nice wine with your dinner.
Spend money. Most wineries now charge for tastings unless you purchase wine. Why? Turns out, paying tasting room staff and giving away wine is expensive! The majority of Paso wineries are still small businesses. It might seem glamorous, but it's really not a high-margin business. There's nothing wrong with opting to pay the tasting fee instead of buying a bottle or three. But please do consider buying wines that you enjoy. (And that goes double if there is no tasting fee.)
Stay safe. There are lots of narrow country roads to navigate and some tricky intersections getting on & off Hwy 46. Designate a driver, make arrangements with one of the local tour companies, or use Lyft or Uber.
Current Top Ten Wineries
Clos Solene -- Guillaume is arguably the best winemaker in Paso. If you like classically structured, elegant wines, Clos
Solene is a mandatory stop. Bear in mind, though, this is a high-end,
boutique winery. His wines haven't reached cult status (yet), but they
are at the upper end of the Paso price point. They purchased the old Pipestone Vineyards property on the west side and have moved out of their Tin City tasting room. Tin City, meanwhile, has continued to grow. It's a hot spot for small producers and even features a craft distillery or two. (There are over half a dozen local craft distillers now!)
Daou --
Putting them in the #2 spot because their Soul of a Lion is outstanding. The price is rather daunting, but it's the best
Bordeaux-style wine Paso has to offer. It's a
well-funded, more commercial operation, but they have a spectacular
location and their wines just seem to keep getting better and better.
Epoch --
Jordan is another of the area's rockstar winemakers. Her winemaking
style and Epoch's vineyards are both maturing. Technically, the winery isn't in the Paso AVA--they bought the old York Mountain winery and a neighboring
property and built a new state-of-the-art facility. Most of their fruit
comes from the replanted Paderewski vineyard and the Catapult vineyard,
which are both in the Willow Creek district of the Paso
AVA. The tasting room has recently moved into the restored York Mountain Winery and it's pretty amazing.
Rangeland -- They produce both Rhone &
Bordeaux varieties but it's their Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab-based
blends that stand out. (I'm partial to their "Mistletoe" blend.) Currently pouring at Denner by appointment. Hoping they can resume their onsite tastings & ranch tours soon. Their vineyards are on a 1500 acre working cattle & sheep ranch. It's an amazing location & they're doing great things.
Denner --
Anthony is also in the top-tier of local winemakers. I particularly
like what he's doing with Grenache. Primarily known for Rhone varieties
plus Zin, but their Cabernet is quite nice. (Ron Denner is a big fan of
Napa cab & their Mother of Exiles is a worthy effort.) Another
impressive modern winemaking facility and a beautiful patio with
gorgeous views.
Vista del Rey -- Old-school
Zinfandel and Barbera. Dave's got a funky little tasting room behind
his house--complete and utter contrast to places like Epoch, Denner,
and Daou. His wines are very acid-driven and food-friendly--these are not the sticky
fruit-bombs that Tobin James and others popularized in the early 90s.
Booker --
To be honest, the first time I tasted Booker wines, I wasn't a fan.
Then, I felt like they were pretty good on release, but totally fell
apart over time. Now, it seems like Eric's dialed in a style that works
right out of the gate, yet still holds up to a few years in the cellar.
Primarily Rhone varieties, with some Cab & Tempranillo thrown in for
good measure.
L'Aventure -- The early L'Aventure vintages were a bit challenging, as well. They were super tight-and absolutely *needed* time in the cellar. Now that their vineyards are more mature, their offerings include both wines that are ready to drink on release, and those that benefit from additional aging. Like Tablas Creek, they now publish a handy vintage chart to help you decide when to open a bottle.
Tablas Creek -- While John Alban was the first to double-down on Rhone varieties on the Central Coast, Tablas Creek is largely responsible for making them so ubiquitous. In partnership with the Perrin family of Beaucastel fame, they jumped through the hoops to (legally) import and propagate vine cuttings and sold cuttings to vineyards throughout the region, state, and country. They make some great wine & are a keystone of the region. While they've worked diligently to grow their brand, they understand the importance of being good stewards of the land and are constantly evaluating their viticultural practices to tread lightly and grow the best grapes they can. I highly recommend checking out Jason Haas' blog posts on the Tablas Creek blog.
Bodegas Paso -- If you have a favorite variety or style of wine, someone in San Luis Obispo County is producing it. Bodegas Paso is all about Spanish varieties. Not all of the fruit is sourced from the Paso AVA--Dorothy also gets fruit from San Benito and as far North as Napa. The tasting room is located downtown. Other downtown spots worth checking out include Diablo Paso, LXV, and the Paso Underground.
This list really only scratches the surface. If you're into biodynamic wines, Ambyth is a must-visit.
* Winery tasting rooms aren't the only place to taste & buy local wine. Taste in the Alley features a lot of Central Coast wines from a bit further South: Edna Valley, Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara. Somm's Kitchen has an eclectic selection of world wines and premium local wines that they pair with small plates and offer for retail sale. (SK is probably your best bet for acquiring a bottle of Saxum, if that's on your list.) If you find yourself in Atascadero, check out Grape Encounters Empourium. And if you're just passing through & want a quick one-stop-shop for local wine, Albertson's on Niblick has a remarkably good selection.
Last updated: 11/16/2019
Comments
Post a Comment