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Learn about the basics of wine each week.
And, get great recommendations for affordable and attainable wines in the weekly Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week.
2014 Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon ($13)
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 flavors from oak ageing. Probably could have used some time in the decanter. But, a nice everyday wine that paired well with a steak and mushrooms.
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 travel west on Highway 46W, you'll pass all the wineries described last time. But, if you make your way to Vineyard Drive and head north, you'll drive into some beautiful country that's dotted with wineries. Along the way, some of the highlights include:
Opolo - Along with great wines, Opolo has "Pairings on the Patio" with pizzas, sausages, cheeses and salads, along with The Inn at Opolo if you're interested in staying in wine the heart of wine country.
Oso Libre - Winery and cattle ranch where you can be both a wine club member and a member of The Black Angus Beef Club. 100% energy sustainable.
Brecon - Nestled in the rolling hills of Paso Robles, this small winery sells its wines exclusively through their tasting room.
Whalebone - Another small family-owned winery producing from a site where actual whale bones were discovered while planting the vines.
Tablas Creek - One of the premiere makers of Rhône style blends having imported new cuttings of Mourvedre, Grenache, Syrah, Counoise, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul Blanc from the Beaucastel estate in France.
Justin - Another of the bigger players in Paso Robles, Justin produces wine you may see in stores but, like most wineries, server and sell their best at the winery.
Then, you can head back into downtown Paso Robles along Adelaida Road that also boasts a bunch of good wineries:
Halter Ranch - A beautiful tasting room overlooking the vast vineyards serves Bordeaux and Rhône blend wines.
Adelaida - With property at 2300 ft, their beautiful new tasting room overlooks their grove of almond trees and the vast rolling hills of the Adelaida district.
Lone Madrone - The 'hobby' of the Tablas Creek winemaker, this winery is named for the lone Madrone tree that sits atop the vineyard hillside.
Daou - Sitting atop the hills of western Paso Robles, this winery has spectacular views that match their spectacular facility and wines.
But wait, there's still more! Next time we'll look at some other wineries tucked away among the hills and valleys of Paso Robles. Until then, cheers!
2013 Tobin James Ballistic Zinfandel ($14)
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 their Zinfandel, and this is a good example. Using grapes from the noteworthy Dusi Vineyard, this Zinfandel starts with rich and jammy dark fruit flavors and finishes with classic peppery notes.
This Ballistic Zinfandel from Tobin James fits right in with the "Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week" theme of good wines at a great price. Enjoy!
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 side is dotted with wineries throughout.
But the best place to start is once again along Highway 46. Within this relatively small stretch of 46 West, you'll find a bunch of great options with names you may or may not be familiar with.
One of the biggest and better known wineries is Niner with the picturesque "Heart Hill" visible through the tasting room windows. The hill is named for the grove of trees on the hillside in the shape of a heart.
Another larger and better known winery just off 46W is Turley. Larry Turley, formerly with Frog's Leap, sold his half of Frog’s Leap and started Turley Wine Cellars in 1993. This winery makes 28 separate wines from 35 different vineyards, some with vines that date back to the late 1800’s.
Other great wineries right along Highway 46W include:
Tooth & Nail - You can't miss this distinctive castle structure complete with a moat on the former site of Eagle Castle winery
J Dusi - Run by Janell Dusi, this family’s heritage of grape growing dates back to the early 1920’s
Peachy Canyon - Founded by Doug and Nancy Beckett in 1988, The Peachy Canyon "Old School House" tasting room is the historic Old Bethel School House (circa 1886)
Grey Wolf/Barton Family - Joe and Shirlene Barton established Grey Wolf Cellars in 1994. Their son, Joseph, now handles all the wine operation in this family-run business
Dark Star Cellars - Established in 1994, and named for the CSN tune, this low-key winery produces small lots of premium, handcrafted wines
Sextant - Established in 2004 by proprietors Nancy and Craig Stoller, the Estate Tasting Room is located in the heart of their winery operations
Epoch - Located on historic York Mountain, the original winery on this site was established in 1882
Rotta - One of the original wineries in Paso Robles, this one has history dating back to early 1900s
Along with these wonderful wineries on the west side along 46W there's a bunch more off the highway and back in among the hills and canyons. And we'll get to those next time. Cheers!
2014 Manzanita Creek Cloud Buster Zinfandel ($10)
Another good one from Sonoma's Manzanita Creek.
This Cloud Buster is labeled as a Zinfandel varietal as it should be since it is produced with at least 75% Zinfandel (80% to be precise). But, as is typical, winemakers then blend in other grapes to get their wine just where they want it. With this one, the winemaker threw everyone in the pool. The blend includes 6% Merlot, 3.5% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.5% Petite Sirah and the remaining 7% is comprised of Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Syrah, Barbera, Petite Verdot, Carignan and Alicante. Whew! Apparently the Zinfandel needed just a bit of help!
As usual here in the "Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week" feature, this is a nice wine from Sonoma County at a great price point.