24 posts
Pinot Noir 🍷 Last time we looked at the Pinot Noir grape and the various countries where it is grown. Now, let’s look at two specific countries — the U.S. and New Zealand. 🇺🇸 The United States: Coastal Coolers In the U.S., Pinot Noir thrives prima...
Paso D’Oro is a winery venture by the Terlato Wine Group that focuses on producing high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon from the Paso Robles region in California. The name translates to “Way of Gold,” paying tribute to the golden California sunshine and t...
On a recent visit to Paso Robles, I had the pleasure of spending some time in the tasting room at J Dusi with Janell Dusi, the “J” in J Dusi and a fourth-generation winemaker in the Dusi family. Janell was born and raised on the Dusi Vineyard where...
Nestled into the rolling foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains near Paso Robles, California, there is an idyllic contemporary winery owned by the Hoffman family and operated by Dr. Stanley Hoffman and his two sons, David and Michael. The vineyard...
The Arborist is dedicated to the founder of Vina Robles, Hans Nef, and named for the arborist who saved the life of the iconic 300+ year-old oak tree featured on the label. Mr. Nef was known for his love of trees; he named the winery for them (Robles...
Several years ago, I was given a bottle of Opolo Reserve Zinfandel and thought it was one of the best bottles I had ever had. I’ve remained a big fan of Opolo and have visited their tasting room during a visit to Paso Robles. Opolo’s was established...
The Barton Family Wines is located in Paso Robles, California and Joe Barton is the Proprietor of “The Dance” red blend. He makes this wine in remembrance of Joseph Barton Sr., his father. In 1994, the Barton Family established Grey Wolf Cellars wi...
Vines on the Marycrest is located on 26 acres of steep hills in the Adelaida district of westside Paso Robles in California. Originally their land was an almond orchard with some old Zinfandel vines. It is now planted with Zinfandel, Tempranillo, an...
When I was looking for a good wine to accompany a recent meal, I noticed this Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre (GSM) from Paso Robles and grabbed it. Upon pouring it, I immediately noticed that this GSM was a very deep purple color. I was expecting it to be...
Écluse is the French word for the locks on the canals. And, the Écluse name is very fitting for this winery that’s owned by Steve Lock. During my last visit to Paso Robles I stopped in to visit Écluse and got to meet Steve. Besides making great wine...
This was an interesting find. I love Paso Robles and the wines that are produced there. But, I wasn’t previously familiar with this one. The Clayhouse estate Red Cedar Vineyard is located on the east side of Paso Robles within two of the sub-AVAs:...
This Bordeaux red blend from Écluse in Paso Robles is truly an ensemble of varietals. It’s produced from 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cab Franc, 15% Petit Verdot, 14% Merlot, 14% Malbec and 7% Carignane. A little bit of everything! And the result i...
This Elevation 1250’ is a nice blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah from Paso Robles. And, as with all Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week features, it’s a great value. I must admit this is a unique find at Trader Joe’s, and when I went on-line to learn...
I was well aware of the excellent red wines being produced by Daou in Paso Robles, but was extremely surprised by their Chardonnay. This wine seems to fall somewhere in between a bright, crisp, fruity Chardonnay that would come from stainless steel t...
With more than 300 wineries in Paso Robles it’s hard to highlight just a few. In recent posts, we’ve taken a look at the east and west sides of Highway 101 along Highway 46. And, we’ve explored some of the wineries on the west side along Vineyard Dr...
After starting Joseph Carr Wines in 2005, Joseph went on to launch Josh Cellars in 2007. The ‘Josh’ label is named for his father, Joseph, who’s friends called him Josh. This Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles is bold and rich with distinctive flav...
The Paso Robles wine region offers many options. There are nice wineries on the east side of Highway 101 along 46E and a bunch more on the west side of Highway 101 on 46W. But, you’ll also find a lot of nice wineries off the beaten path. If you trav...
Tobin James is one of the larger producers in Paso Robles. Located on the east side of Highway 101, this winery has a salon-style tasting room and a fun atmosphere. The Ballistic Zinfandel is one of their flagship wines. Paso Robles is known for the...
Last time, I described the biggest and best known wineries on Paso Robles’ East side. Venturing across Highway 101 you enter the western side of Paso. Full of rolling hills, canyons and big slopes, along with having greater coastal influence, this si...
Paso Robles is located along the central coast of California, essentially mid-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Conveniently, Highway 101 splits Paso Robles wine country into the East Side and the West Side. So, let’s focus on visiting winer...
Having made several trips to wine regions throughout California, the one that keeps me coming back is Paso Robles. Located along the central coast of California, essentially mid-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco along Route 101, Paso Robles h...
This Rhône style blend is a perfect fit for Behind the Cork ™ - Wine of the Week. It’s affordable, it’s attainable and it’s a nice wine to enjoy any day of the week. Being a Rhône blend, it is made from Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre (GSM). It’s mediu...
This red blend from Peachy Canyon in Paso Robles is a real nice combination of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Merlot, Malbec and Tannat. The 60% Syrah gives it a bold flavor while the Zinfandel and others smooths it out for a very drinkable wine wi...
This Sauvignon Blanc from Justin in Paso Robles CA is very nice one. Loaded with bright, crisp fruit flavors of lemon, green apple, white peach and guava. At 14.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) it is quite dry (not sweet). This one is great with cheeses, s...