Pickups and Porsches
Our introduction to Paso Robles came three years ago at the Boston Wine Expo, when we sampled an outstanding Zin from the then-unknown (at least to us) Peachy Canyon. We learned that Paso was an up-and-coming wine region located near San Luis Obispo, about halfway between San Francisco and L.A.  Smitten with Peachy Canyon and always up for discovering a new region, we put Paso Robles on our "must visit" list. Following a three-day stay in San Francisco in early July, we drove south to Paso Robles.

The drive on Route 101 (inland route—too anxious to start sampling to take the coastal road!) is stark and stunning.  Nothing but farms and ranches for the first two hours then slowly acres and acres of vineyards overtook the tomato, lettuce, and almond tree fields. Our first clue that we were approaching an upscale wine region came with a screamingly large billboard advertising  "Espresso and Cappuccino" at a cafe in Paso. The next billboard promoted the newest Ford pickup.

We would see similar examples of "yuppies vs farmers" throughout our stay in Paso. For every Porsche, Lexus, and Hummer we saw at the wineries and restaurants we passed 10 battered pickups on the main drag, but the ratio will probably change with each passing harvest. Kristin Reyes, the owner of the new Sugar Me bakery (the best muffins Lisa ever ate)  said old-timers were not pleased with the influx of chi-chi tourists and wished we would all go back to LA or wherever we came from.

Where We Stayed
Adelaide Inn
Far from chi-chi, the Adelaide Inn is spitting distance from the highway, next to a Wendy's and a bbq joint. But this 35-year-old family-run motel was far from dowdy. Beautiful landscaping, free muffins and cookies throughout the day, a putting green, and a very helpful staff all contributed to a pleasant stay.

Where We Ate
Downtown Paso Robles has attracted some excellent restaurants in recent years. Locals tend not to eat there, but the wine tourists keep them hopping.  By far the best food we had was at Villa Creek. We were seated in the outdoor patio, which was bathed in twinkly Tivoli lights. The restaurant says it serves "fresh, local cuisine of early California." The accent was on Mexican/southwest flavors. Tortillas with tomatillo salsa stood in for the bread basket. Lisa devoured the Brick Roasted Chicken with Fiddlehead Ferns and Morrel Mushrooms with Ramp Pesto Mashed Potatoes ($23) and Gary loved the Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Vegetable Succotash and Refried Black Beans ($19.) 

The other dining highlight was Ristorante da Gaetano, a new Italian restaurant located just outside the downtown. Italy had won the World Cup a few days earlier and the place was still bedecked with tri-color flags. Owner Gaetano Marsano is quite the showman, effusively kissing guests on both cheeks and boasting about his restaurant's quality.  Fortunately, his bragging rights are well earned.  The food was outstanding and the wine list, appropriately, was filled with good local wines as well as more typical Italian vintages. See more about Gaetano's wine under the AJB listing, below.

Where We Tasted (the best are starred)
Almost without exception we limited our tastings to the "West side" of Paso Robles. There's quite a family feud going on between East and West wineries, with the smaller, family-owned vineyards congregating closer to the coast (West) and the "factory," large-production wineries dominating the East.  On our way out of Paso, however, we stumbled upon Chumeia Vineyards, a small, family-owned East Side winery that blew every other producer away.

Paso Robles is in a red state; Pinot and Zin are the strong suits.  Whites were, almost to a tasting, weak... we got the feeling white wines are more of an afterthought.

• Adelaida Cellars
• AJB*
• Arroyo Robles Winery
• Christian Lazo Wines*
• Chumeia Vineyards*
• Doce Robles
• Four Vines
• Halter Ranch Vineyard
• Hunt Cellars
• Opolo Vineyards
• Peachy Canyon
• Summerwood
• Tablas Creek Vineyards*
• Wild Coyote*
• Zenaida Cellars

Adelaida Cellars
Adelaida produces from its own Estate vineyards and a select group of contracted vineyards. Nothing special to look at— small tasting room, pedestrian decor. Most of the wines were thin and immature, with the Reserves all superior to the basic offerings.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:            5
People/attitude:        8, then 10; started out nasty but warmed up once it was clear we weren't "looky-loos"
People/knowledge:    8
Palate cleansers:       5    Bread sticks
Any free goodies?:    No

What We tasted

• SLO Rhone White 2003
• Zinfandel Paso Robles - Westside 2002
• Rhone style Red 2003
• Syrah -Westside 2003
• Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
• Pinot Noir HMR Estate 2004
• Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve 2002
• Cabernet Sauvignon Viking Estate Reserve 2003
• Syrah Glenrose Vineyard Reserve 2003
  

What We Bought

• 1 bottle of Syrah Glenrose Vineyard Reserve 2003 ($55)
  

AJB Vineyards
We'd love to describe the tasting room, vineyards, and personnel at this small estate winery, but we didn't actually make it to AJB Vineyards. In fact, it wasn't even on our list. Impossible to find on the map, not open mid-week. We stumbled on AJB at Gaetano's, the Italian restaurant we ate at on our last night in town. Gary ordered a glass of a 2003 Super Tuscan Blend, not realizing it was a local vineyard. One taste and his eyes lit up.  When we learned the wine was local, we set out the next day to find the winery. No luck. We checked two local liquor stores. Not a chance. We even called the owner on his cell phone (the number courtesy of our new best friend Kristin Reys of Sugar Me). No answer. Time was running out, we had to be in LA that afternoon for dinner with family.

Industrious Gary decided to go back to Gaetano's and beg for a bottle.  Fortunately, a chef was there prepping for lunch and graciously sold us a bottle of the AJB 2003 Super Tuscan Blend. Sated, we headed to LA and enjoyed the bottle the next day.

Arroyo Robles Winery
A winery without a country, Arroyo Robles is a family-owned business without its own facilities. The Shore family has moved its press three times, sharing space with other winemakers, and hopes to complete its 64-acre estate winery by fall 2007. In the mean time, they manage to produce fine, though not exceptional, wine, which is sold through a lovely tasting room in Paso Robles center.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:            8
People/attitude:        10 Daughter Brianna staffs the room and is a knowledgable and effusive ambassador
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:       No
Any free goodies?:    No

What We tasted

• 2005 Chardonnay — Had a strange terroir taste
  
• Adobe Red — An explosion of too many flavors (5 varietals)
  
• 2004 Zinfandel — Thin
  
• 2003 Syrah — Too Rhone-like for our taste
  
• 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon — Thin, disappointing
  
• 2005 Mourvedre Rosé
  
• Almond Sparkling Wine — The winner
  

What We Bought

• 2 bottles of Almond Sparkling Wine ($12 per bottle)
  

Christian Lazo Wines
The tasting room for this new, family-run winery is not exactly a room—it's a booth set up in the Wines on Pine Tasting Room in downtown Paso Robles. One of seven boutique wineries featured at this well-located room (including the cleverly named Midlife Crisis Winery,) Christian Lazo produced its first wines in 2003. We learned alot about Christian Lazo—the man and the winery—from his wife Lupe, who teaches school when she's not staffing the tasting booth.

What We Tasted

• 2004 Paso Robles Zinfandel
• 2004 Paso Robles Barbera
• 2005 Paso Robles Rosé of Zinfandel

What We Bought

• Two bottles of 2004 Zin ($19)
  
• One bottle of 2004 Barbera ($25)
  

Chumeia Vineyards
We walked into Chumeia with no expectations and walked out with a wine club membership and four bottles of incredible Zin and Cab Franc. This was by far our best tasting room experience all-around—friendly and knowledgable staff, pleasant but not snooty environment, great wine, and free olive oil tastings to boot!  Chumeia is Greek for Alchemy, and the winemaker and his team certainly do work magic on Paso Robles' East Side.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:            10
People/attitude:        10
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:       Bread sticks
Any free goodies?:    Yes, olive oil with great bread for dipping

What We tasted

• 2005 Chardonnay
• 2005 Viognier
  
• 2004 Merlot
• 2002 Cabernet Franc
• 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2004 Dante Dusi Zinfandel
  

What We Bought

• 2 bottles of 2002 Cab Franc
• 2 bottles of 2004 Zin (and a wineclub membership—that year is only available now to members)
• 1 Bottle of 2003 Barbera ($25)
  

Four Vines
An oh-so-hip winery with attitude, from its web site to the tasting room, to the names of its wines. Normally we'd be put off by such calculated coolness, but wouldn't you know we got sucked in. Zin is the name of the game here; we  even took home the "Zin Bitch" glass as a lovely parting gift.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:              8     Beautiful walnut tasting bar and spare, stark design
People/attitude:         6    Calculatedly nonchalent in in your face; cool
People/knowledge:    10  But he really knew his stuff
Palate cleansers:       No
Any free goodies?:    No

What We Tasted

• 2005 Naked Chardonnay
• 2004 The Maverick Zinfandel
• 2004 The Biker Zinfandel
• 2004 Heretic Petite Syrah
• 2003 Zin/Syrah Port

What We Bought

• 1 bottle of Zin/Syrah Port ($25)
• 1 bottle of Maverick Zinfandel ($20)

Halter Ranch Vineyard
Driving up to Halter Ranch Vineyard is like entering someone's beautiful estate. The main farmhouse dates to the 1880's, surrounded by large shady oak trees and lush plantings. The property was bought in 2000 by a wealthy Swiss businessman who set about creating a vineyard with 17 different grape varietals. 

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:            6    The tasting room doesn't do justice to the exterior
People/attitude:        10
People/knowledge:    9
Palate cleansers:       No
Any free goodies?:    No

What We tasted

• 2004 Ranch White — Served a little too warm, but excellent for a Paso white; very balanced
  
• 2004 Ranch Red — Delicious start, harsh finish
• 2004 Ranch Cab — Gary was a big fan; Lisa not so much
• 2003 Estate Cab — The winner; we both found it intense yet friendly
• 2003 Estate Reserve Cab — Will be a winner, but the fruit hasn't come outfully yet
  

What We Bought

• 1 bottle of 2003 estate Cab ($28)
  

Ovene Winery
Another boutique winery whose tasting room is housed in Wines on Pine, Ovene is a family-run operation founded in 2004.

What We Tasted

• 2004 Chardonnay
• 2004 "The Puzzle" Pinot Noir
• 2004 Rose of Syrah
  

What We Bought

• 2 bottles of 2004 "The Puzzle" Pinot Noir ($30)
  

Peachy Canyon
The inspiration for our trip to Paso Robles was a charming and pleasant place to stop.  Peachy's 50,000 cases are produced by the Beckett family, which clearly has a good marketing sense, since PC wines are available throughout the country. We were surprised, then, that the tasting room is a modest affair, housed in an historic school house without the bells and whistles of a large producer. A second, smaller tasting room, Peachy Canyon Too, is located in the Adelaida Road area, but is only open weekends and holidays.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:            8
People/attitude:       10
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:       Oyster crackers
Any free goodies?:    No

What We tasted

• 2004 Westside Zinfandel — Earthy, smokey, intense; alcohol a little too pronounced
• 2004 Old School House Zinfandel — Excellent, fruity, elegant.  Needs to age.
• 2004 Mustang Springs Zinfandel — Mixed with 10% Petite Sirah; the Zin winner for us
• 2004 Mr. Wilson's Zinfandel — A bust
• 2004 Snow Zinfandel — Another bust
• Non-Vintage Port IV — A blend of vintages, starting with '02; smooth, with the Zin predominant
  

What We Bought

• 2 bottles of Mustang Springs Zin  ($30)
• 1 bottle of Non-Vintage Port ($25)
  

Summerwood  Winery

The second runner-up in the beauty pageant. Lovely setting, stunning plantings, great views of the surrounding hills and vineyards.  The adjacent Four Diamond-rated inn is one of the pricier rooms in town.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:            10   Very classy; granite tasting bar, plush chairs, tasteful deli with cheese, meats, crackers for sale
People/attitude:       8
People/knowledge:    8
Palate cleansers:       Oyster crackers
Any free goodies?:    No

What We tasted

• 2005 Viognier — Less floral and perfumed than typical Viogniers; Gary thought it tasted more Australian than Californian
• 2005 Syrah Rosé — Refreshing, but priced double what it was worth at $24
• 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon — Fruit forward, dry on the finish; nicely balanced
• 2003 Vin Rouge — Dry finish, hot
• 2003 Syrah — Spicy, not typical for a Syrah

What We Bought

• One bottle of 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon ($30)

Tablas Creek Vineyards
France comes to California at Tablas Creek. The owners—a French/US partnership— imported traditional French varietals grown on parent company Domaine de Beaucastel's estate, including Mourvèdre, Syrah, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc. The entrance to the tasting room couldn't be less "castle-like."  It's confusing and resembles a warehouse. But inside, it's all Rhone.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:            8
People/attitude:       10
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:       Good French bread sticks
Any free goodies?:    No

What We tasted

• Grenache Blanc 2004
• Cotes de Tablas Blanc 2004
• Syrah 2003
• Mourvedre 2003
• Esprit de Beaucastel 2003
  

What We Bought

• One bottle of Cotes de Tablas Blanc 2005  ($27.00)
  

Wild Coyote



Former architect Gianni Manucci founded Wild Coyote in 1995 and today produces 3,000 - 5,000 cases of estate wines. The adobe-style tasting facility was designed by Manucci and unique in Paso Robles. There's even a tipi next door. Art and sculpture dot the grounds and tasting room, and views of the hills are spectacular. We were greeted by the owner/winemaker, who is passionately devoted to his reds-only enterprise.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:            10   Native American music played throughout the visit; very warm and inviting setting
People/attitude:       10  Manucci was a bit aloof at first but warmed up
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:       Oyster crackers
Any free goodies?:    Yes! Dove dark chocolate squares

What We tasted

• 2003 Zinfandel "Resurrecton" — High alcohol; hot but good potential
• 2003 Syrah "Erotica" — Good fruit; medium-bodied; dry finish
• 2004 Merlot "Red Thunder" — Very good; the only Merlot in Paso that we liked
• 2004 Zinfandel Port — The winner
  

What We Bought
Two bottles of the Zinfandel Port

Zenaida Cellars





Winner of the "most beautiful" winery pageant. Stunning vistas of hills, vineyards, olive groves...like Napa without the traffic. Also had the best whites—although not good enough to buy.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:           8     Simple but accommodating
People/attitude:       10   The pourer was passionate and knowledgable
People/knowledge:   10
Palate cleansers:      Oyster crackers
Any free goodies?:    No

What We tasted

• ZC White Estate New Release (blend) — A terroir taste; Lisa's favorite white in Paso
  
• 1999 Pino Noir Estate — Floral, spicy, good fruit
• 2002 Sangiovese — Great fruit, "wow," said Gary
• 2003 Syrah Estate — Full, thick, concentrated
• 2002 Fire Sign Estate
  

What We Bought

• One bottle of 2002 Sangiovese
• One bottle of 2003 Syrah
  

DISAPPOINTMENTS

• Doce Robles — Everything we tasted was sour, hot, light, thin, or dull. And their three German Shepards are not exactly gentle welcomers. Gary's summary: "get a new winemaker!"
  
• Hunt Cellars—We went to Hunt with high hopes based on tastings at the Boston Wine Expo in 2003. While the wine was acceptable, nothing stood out and the prices were outrageous. The 2002 Merlot, called interestingly enough "Unforgettable," was anything but and at $45 was double the price of comparable wine
  
• Opolo Vineyards — The worst tasting room experience in Paso Robles. The "pourer" was unfriendly, disinterested, and new almost nothing about the wines. Even if we had liked the wine—which we didn't—we wouldn't have bought a single bottle. The only saving grace—the tasting was free

For information about Paso Robles wineries visit www.pasowine.com.