Zin lovers will be in heaven at Paso Robles annual Zinfandel festival.  Everywhere you look… Zin, Zin, Zin!! An endless supply of Zinfandel to sip in addition to a special area featuring late harvest wines, ports, and a buffet of chocolate pairings.  By the end of the weekend, Sean and I were transformed into Zinners.

Paso Robles Wineries

Our weekend started with visits to some far out vineyards of Paso Robles.  Here we traveled along the windy, wooded Vineyard Drive and stopped at the following wineries:

• Jada Vineyard
• Opolo Vineyards
• Chateau Margene at Limerock Orchards
• Whalebone Winery
• Eberle Winery

Jada Vineyard

Open Thursdays – Mondays from 11:00 – 5:00

This is one winery that is completely new to our ears. We drove past it on the way to Opolo. The lined path of cherry trees in full bloom, their gorgeous stone entrance and outdoor covered deck overlooking the vineyard was too much to resist so Sean and I took a spontaneous detour.

The entrance to their tasting room is through richly designed doors with unique raised art.  On our way to the tasting bar we were thrilled to see beautifully crafted pieces of art and even T-shirts with unique sayings such as Jack of Hearts.




Chalan Lind started us on our tasting tour, giving us some off the menu tastings of their 2005 and 2006 wines so we could see how well they age.  Chalan went on to explain that Jada produces about 2,300 cases per year per vintage.

Tasting Menu Includes:

• Jersey Girl 2007  /  Organic White Cheddar  (USA Cow’s Milk Cheese)
• Mirror 2006  /  Piave Vecchio (Italian  Aged Cow’s Milk Cheese)
• Hell’s Kitchen 2007  /  Mimolette  (French Aged Cow’s Milk Cheese)
• Passing By 2007  /  5 Year Aged Gouda  (Dutch Aged Cow’s Milk Cheese)

All of their wines are excellent with ratings in the 90’s by Stephen Tanzer.  The cheese pairings were well thought out.  This delicious tasting menu should be on all Paso wine tours.  All of their wines have such a rich deep red appearance, light mouth feel and smooth finish.  If you are one of those wine drinkers who prefers whites during the summer, then these light summery reds will satisfy your mood for a cold white wine on that hot day.

As you can see in the adjacent picture, Jada Winery uses Soiree Wine Decanters to pour their wines.  This is an intelligent way to taste any wine!  It is used to enhance the taste and experience of wines.

It’s difficult to pick a favorite from their list and Chalan agreed, explaining that they all sell equally.  Though, I did settle on their Passing By 2007 with the Gouda pairing.  It is a smoky deep red wine with dried red berries and cherry notes.   Another choice, their sold out Jack of Hearts Paso Robles, gets its name from the winery owner, Jack; a cardiovascular surgeon from Florida.  I thought it was clever.

Opolo Vineyards

Open Daily from 10:00 – 5:00

Our next stop was just down the road from Jada off of Vineyard Drive, a perfect spot for a late lunch and wine tasting.  Their outdoor area is well planned for a barbeque wine tasting with picnic tables under a veranda overlooking their vines and surrounded by walnut groves.  Just a few steps away is their rustic tasting room with a barrel lined bar and cases of wine ready to be purchased. During Zinfandel festival they have a wine maker’s dinner and barbeque lamb lunches each weekend day.

Their wines are so fabulous that I became a wine member.  We fell in love with their Mountain Zinfandel, in our opinion, one of the best wines we’ve tasted in Paso Robles. Sean and I were amazed after our first sip.  He described its taste as, “like jelly.”  Opolo Vineyards wine notes describe it as, “a full bodied Zinfandel with gobs of boysenberry, wild cherry and blackberry, with chocolate, brown sugar and a toasty oak finish.” Their 2007 Late Harvest Zinfandel was superb as well.  All their wines were yummy but their Zins certainly stood out.

Tasting List Includes:

• 2006 Roussanne
• 2006 Pinot Noir
• 2006 Sangiovese
• 2006 Rhapsody
• 2006 Serenade
• 2008 Mountain Zinfandel

Our guides, Lindsay and Julia, had their hands full as the Zinfandel Festival crowd gathered for the tasting. Anyone could see they really enjoy what they do. When they got a free moment, they explained to us the background of Opolo. This name, Opolo, is inspired from a rose wine found on the Dalmatian Coast. We learned further that their clones of vines come from Croatia, the birthplace of Zinfandel.

Most of Opolo wines are estate grown, on about 90 acres on the west side and 190 acres on the east side.  Their 2006 Pinot Noir comes from the west vineyard, a 93 points gold medal award winner that is extremely light and fruity, not earthy like other Pinots.

Their 2006 Rhapsody is a Meritage (Bordeaux blend) with the best aroma!   We also enjoyed their 2006 Reserve Zinfandel which was fantastic, an unforgettable aromatic finish.

Chateau Margene Winery

Open Saturdays & Sundays from 12:00 – 5:00

We took a break from drinking Zins and tried some fabulous Cabs at Chateau Margene Winery. This small winery produces about 3,000 cases annually.   The Mooney Family owns a classy tasting room and micro-winery.  We were lucky to meet “Old Man Mooney”,  also known as Michael Mooney, and son, who ran the tasting room together.

We were informed by Mr. Mooney that they do not grow their own grapes, but their wines are crafted of grapes carefully selected from Central Coast grape suppliers.  They put an emphasis on grape quality rather than high yields, explaining how meticulous they are with their suppliers.  They are, however,  involved in grape growing practices such as irrigation, cropping levels, yields and grape maturity for harvest dates.  They use this micro management on all 9 vineyards their grapes come from.


Luxury Wines Included:

• Pinot Noir 2008
• Paso Cuvee 2006
• Paso Cuvee 2007
• Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
• Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Their Pinot Noir 2008 is an extraordinary wine.  It is crafted with grapes from Monterey County. This dramatic wine offers blackberry, earth and black pepper.  Enjoy a glass on their covered porch overlooking a pond and vines.  Keep a look out for their special events featured here with cheese, truffles and of course –wine!

Whalebone Vineyard

Open Daily from 11:00 – 5:00

Another small family winery is located on Vineyard Drive on top of a hill.  Here you’ll see gorgeous vineyard view from up high.  Whalebone Vineyard is unique in that it offers good wines and delicious olive oils and balsamic glaze to sample with bread.

This history behind the name of this vineyard is very interesting.  Whale and sea life fossils have been discovered throughout the vineyard, and a 30 million year old baby whale skeleton was discovered within the  limestone. This winery is also known for their Bob wine.  The owner Bob made his homemade wine for family and friends and  everyone enjoyed it so much that they decided to share their cab blend in 2001.  To this day it is an award winning wine.


Tasting List Includes:

• 2006 Syrah
• 2006 Bob Wine – Red Table Wine
• 2005 Bob Wine – Red Table Wine
• 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2006 Zinfandel

Eberle Winery

Open Daily from 10:00 – 6:00 in Summer, 10:00 – 5:00 in Winter

It was tough prying Sean from the basketball game to check out this winery, but I managed once the game was over. Before you enter Eberle’s Tasting Room be sure to rub the bronze boar’s nose for good luck.  Enjoy free tastings that include your choice of 5 wines from their overwhelming award winning tasting list.

Once we completed our tastings, we filled up with a favorite for their complimentary cave tour.  I had their gold medal winner, 2008 Estate Muscat Canelli, a challenging year for the winemakers of this region due to the frost, though I couldn’t tell.  It has a fabulous floral aroma, and crisp, sweet finish of orange blossom, ripe melon with hints of citrus and bursts of guava and nectarine.  Sean sipped their 2009 Estate Chardonnay—New Release! It has bold aromas of pear and apple.

We highly recommend their wine cave tour, a relaxing jaunt through their 16,000 square foot underground storage rooms (located 35’ below). As we walked through the arched cave, a total of 1,500 barrels were stacked on either side for aging and we got a glimpse of their wider cave section where dinner parties are entertained.  It’s a refreshing setting with the promise of wonderful gatherings.  Private events in the cave can accommodate a group of 80.  It can be scheduled for as low as $25 a person or $50 a person—including food!






We learned that one barrel can fill 300 bottles of wine. If it wasn’t for the cool 60 temperature of the cave, each barrel would lose 29 bottles of wine.  Barrels stored at ground level, in warmer temperatures, have the possibility of decrease retention due to evaporation.

After our cave tour we enjoyed the grand view of the vineyard from their outdoor deck off their tasting room and on Sunday they hosted a barbeque with live music from the area.  We recommend checking out their weekend events so you’ll be sure not to miss their social gatherings.

Zinfandel Festival Paso Robles

Our Zin-Filled weekend finished with a smorgasbord of Zinfandel.  We waited on line with fellow Zinners to enter the festival at the Paso Robles Event Center.  Little did we know, if we had upgraded our tickets for a few more dollars, we would have enjoyed the ZIP (Zinfully Important Person) experience.  From what we heard this included a pleasant walk-through of Zin tastings and an endless stream of appetizers.

The massive turn-out was great!  We enjoyed small talk, going from table to table, tasting their big new releases.  We had the pleasure of learning about Janell Dusi, the granddaughter of the famous Dusi Vineyards, opening her newly released wines. The Dusi Family provide select wineries that produce delicious Zinfandels from their acclaimed grapes. Ms. Dusi introduced her own Zinfandel and Zinfandel Port to the public.  Most of our favorite Paso Wines are produced using the Dusi Old Vine Zinfandel grapes, so Sean and I were eager to try the J Dusi Wines 2008 heavenly release.

Turley Wine Cellars was one of the 50 wineries showcasing Zinfandels, however we ran out of time even though they were on our list.  If anyone has had the pleasure to experience their winery please drop a comment.  But we were fortunate enough to taste their top-notch Zin at the festival.  It ranked as one of our favorites for the trip!  This rich, jammy Zin is produced using the Dusi Family grapes. Go figure! It was so memorable, we even ordered a bottle weeks later.

We were not expecting an area dedicated to ports.  It was nice finishing off the event with some sweets including delicious chocolate truffles.

Another day in Temecula Wine Country with Paula & Chris… with its breathtaking natural beauty,and warm soothing weather.  The snow capped mountains and bright yellow mustard plants growing between fields of vines were all ingredients for the perfect Spring day.

We started off our Temecula wine tour at Paula and Chris’s house. They have the perfect set up for a wine party. Their house is filled with wine décor featuring framed wine art, wine bottle peppermill, ceramic wine chiller, wine plates, slate cheese tray, wine lamp, professional wine opener, dual temp wine refrigerator and more… and just about every wine accessory imaginable.  Though I noticed on our last wine trip they were missing one of our best sellers the Clef Du Vin Pocket Professional. So, Sean and I brought one with us on our visit to Temecula. We had fun testing our favorite wine accessoriesand aerator together.

After our wine experiment we sipped wine and nibbled on three well paired cheeses:  Gorgonzola Piccante a robust, firm hard cheese that crumbles and pairs well with a full bodied red.  The Aged Gouda, a full flavored cheese and New York Cheddar, both went great with the sliced meat.  We devoured the delicious crackers with dry salami and the option of accenting your appetizer with my favorite the Chipolte Deli Style Gourmet Mustard by Griffin or Sweet Hot Mustard Honey by Inglehoffer.

Once again, Sean and I want to thank Paula and Chris for their warm hospitality as well as their insights into more Temecula Wine Country locations for this trip.  I told you we’d be back…

Temecula Wineries

Our one Temecula day tour included tastings at three southern California wineries.  Each had their own distinctive atmosphere being cottage style and quaint, casual and homey, or modern and stately. Our Temecula Tasting Tour Included Visits to:

• Briar Rose Winery
• Alexs Red Barn Winery
• Monte De Oro Winery

Briar Rose Winery

First stop on our wine tour is a boutique winery called Briar Rose, a hidden gem in Temecula Valley.  We didn’t know what to expect of this winery since it was recently introduced to even Paula and Chris, who both live here.  The enchanting walk through the tall hedges that fronted a fairy tale like cottage put on the set of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, it was an absolute treasure.

We checked in for our reservation (as required by reservation only) and viewed their premium and standard tasting lists, which were surprisingly expensive. We selected their premium tasting  then stepped outside to a courtyard of tables with an amazing view of stone columned fence, fields of flowers and snowy peaked caps of mountains. The back drop of natural beauty and the adjacent quaint cottage architecture was the perfect setting for an afternoon tasting.

Premium Tasting List

• 2009 Estate Viognier
• 2004 Holiday Petit Verdot
• 2005 Temecula One
• 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2007 “Katrina” Estate Zinfandel
• 2009 Talking Frog

Long story short – we joined their wine club since every since one of their wine was absolutely terrific!  Just about all of their wines are Estate bottled. This means their wines are made with 100% from grapes grown on their vineyards.  Our beautiful wine hostess, Christine, explained further that their handcrafted Temecula wines can only be purchased at their winery since Briar Rose Winery produces wines in small quantities with great care.

One of Sean’s favorites was their 2009 Estate Viognier. It is a perfect poolside summer white wine that is light and filled with peach aromas. Christine then introduced us to their 2004 Petit Verdot. It boasted more flavors and aromas since it comes from a first press as wineries generally press their grapes several times.

Their premier wines usually consist of the first press which extracts the flavor and aroma from the skin of the grapes.  This wine exhibited a massive structure filled with aromas of white pepper, spice, blackberry, and truffle with a lingering finish of blackberries, clove, and plum.  At first this was my favorite of their excuisite wines but then we were introduced to even better reds.

The next wine upset us as Christine explained Briar Rose Winery’s 1^st place award winning wine.  It originally scored 95 points at the Caesars Palace wine contest.  Once the judges heard it was from Temecula they dropped it 4 points. How can this be??   This is what Temecula wine lovers call “valley prejudice”.  Before a drop of wine hit my glass, the first served at the end of the table were in awe. Chris said, “the nose on this one is incredible – cedar and sage.”  Sitting at the opposite end of the table, I now was even more eager to try this wine after such a great comment by an avid wine taster. Finally my turn came, you must visit Brian Rose Winery to try this spectacularly light but body filled wine.  It is a blended wine modeled after the Italian Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.  It is superb!

We all thoroughly enjoyed their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from their private collection.  This was actually my favorite!  This medium body wine has notes of cherries, tobacco, and spices.  It is aged for 18 months in French oak and is said to evolve over time into an enchanted wine.

The 2007 “Katrina” Estate Zinfandel has a light jammy finish of ripe black cherries and plum.  The jammy finish isn’t as strong as the wines from Paso but is different in that it has a refreshing long finish.  The last wine we tried is their 2009 Talking Frog a carbonated Viognier.  We were informed that it is created with Hefeweizen beer thus the name Hefe-N-Vine.  Being one of my favorite beers I had to switch my selection from their last premier list tasting of the 2009 Fume Rose to this unique sparkling wine. It was such a unique wine, and refreshing one as well that we went home with a bottle which we’re saving for a hot day on the beach.

Alexs Red Barn Winery

Open Saturdays & Sundays from 11:00-6:00 (Summer hours) and 10:00-5:00 (Winter Hours)

The experience at Alexs Red Barn Winery is super casual and ultra laid back. This small family winery produces limited quantities. So, if you favor a bottle be sure to stock up after your tasting.
Tasting List Includes

• Old-vine Sauvignon Blanc
• Old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon
• Old-vine Johannisberg Riesling
• Old-vine White Cabernet Sauvignon (Sold Out)
• Syrah
• Viognier
• Solera-Type Cream Sherry

Their Old-vine Riesling has a surprisingly dry elegance to it, unlike the typical sweet Riesling, but still ranked second favorite from there tasting list.  The best taste is their Solera Style Sherry. If you don’t have a lot of time (or tolerance) to visit all wineries on your Temecula wine country tasting list, then we recommend visiting this winery and sharing a glass of their silky Sherry.  Sip this delicious wine outside where they have picnic tables surrounded by colorful landscaping.  It is hands down the best wine on their list.  Their Cream Sherry is a full Oloroso made of Palomino grapes.  This is one of the three types of Sherry.  It is described as darker in color, sweeter and higher in alcohol than the other two Sherry types.

So what does Solera mean?  It refers to the method of blending older wines with younger wines.  This Spanish blending method occurs with delicately stacked barrels where the barrels holding the oldest wines are on the bottom and the younger wines are stacked in barrels above in decreasing age tiers.  Sherry is filtered and bottled once a year from the bottom barrels.  The void in the bottom barrels is replaced with wine from the barrels directly above and then these barrels’ voids are filled with the younger wines stacked in barrels above them.  The purpose blending wines from stacks of barrels holding various aged wines is to end with a consistent product.

Temecula’s Newest Winery –    Monte De Oro Winery

Daily Tastings from 10:00-5:00

We learned about Monte De Oro Winery at Chef Marty’s demonstration cooking classes in Temecula. His cooking classes are terrific and quickly sold out, that’s another story. Anyways, he is one of the investors that formed this winery. Their brand new facility is 31,000 square feet.  The atmosphere is modern in both architecture and décor.  An inviting outdoor veranda serves as a perfect place for sipping wines on a sunny day with 180 degree panoramic view of the Palomar, San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains.  Below their tasting room is their wine barrel room. You can see it from the tasting room by looking through their impressive glass floor.
Tasting List Includes

• 2007 Viognier MDO Owner’s Private Label
• 2008 Chardonnay
• 2006 Merlot
• 2006 Cabernet Franc
• 2006 Syrah
• 2006 Zinfandel
• 2005 Synergy 65

Of these wines we tasted 6 of our choice. Their Cabernet Sauvignon stood out from our tastings. They describe it exhibiting black currant and blackberry; nuances of bell pepper and violets with a silky finish. Their 2006 Zinfandel was pleasant to drink as well. It has hints of red raspberries, chocolate, cinnamon stock and white pepper.

As we left this winery we enjoyed views of rows of vines with yellow mustard plants growing between the vines.  Even though the vines are naked during this time of year, colorful flowers  still bloomed everywhere.  What looks like colorful, wild weeds between the vines are actually intentionally planted by Vineyard growers. These mustard plants have a positive effect in the vineyard.  They help reduce soil erosion, improve the soil, assists in controlling root-knot nematode and keeps worms from eating the vines.

We had a wonderful, relaxing time tasting in Temecula Wine Country again!  We’ll be back soon for Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival June 4^th-6^th.  We’ve heard this exciting venue includes wine tastings, wine and food pairings, live music concerts, an evening balloon glow and morning picturesque skies filled with hot air balloons.

We missed visiting the highly recommended Chili Gourmet, Chili Pepper Products & Novelty Store as well as WINE on a dime for 10 cent wine tastings. Keep a look out for reviews on our Old Town Temecula visits to fun specialty shops this June.

There are two appellations in Paso Robles are found in the east and western corners of the region. Naturally, this begs the question; whose grapes are better? We started on the eastern end where the terrain is more level and the temperatures are warmer. Then we followed the sun toward the west side to enjoy their cooler and hillier countryside.

The largest difference between the two in terms of crop production is higher acidity in the wines from the west side due to the cooler climate. We trekked through there in late October so be sure to dress warmly since the temperatures in Paso Robles can drop as much as 40 degrees in the evenings.

The western end of Paso Robles has the smaller wineries, due to the hills and valleys that dominate the landscape making production easier for their eastern contemporaries. However, the west does maintain a more intimate touch as you are more likely to run into the vineyard owner and enjoy hearing of their winery’s history. Some of these include:

• Eagle Castle Winery
• Treana Winery
• L’Aventure Winery
• Grey Wolf Cellars
• Linne Calodo
• Four Vines Winery

Get ready to hear about big, powerful wines from the westside.

Paso Robles West Side Winery Reviews

Eagle Castle Winery

Open Daily 10:30 – 5:30

This Medieval inspired castle sits on a hill, complete with a moat! An outdoor patio overlooks the moat and through the castle doors one can see knight-inspired decor complete with a middle aged dining table. Sean and I shared a wine flight which we’re both glad we did. While their wines aren’t comparable to others in the region, their appetizer menu came highly recommended. Though we arrived without an appetite, we’ll be sure to devour something from their Crown Room menu the next time we get out that way. But we did decide Eagle Castle would be the ideal place to wind up a day of tasting, their patio provided the ideal scenery to recount any adventure would be a great finish to the day. Their tasting room and gift shop had a great collection of wine t-shirts.

Insider Scoop-

Visit Eagle Castle Winery on Fridays for their Happy Hour food and wine pairing specials. Enjoy their enticing appetizers from 5-7:00.

As we were leaving Eagle Castle Winery we bumped into a lively crowd getting off The Wine Line. This is a shuttle service where you can create your own itinerary from a list of recommended wineries. They currently run 2 shuttles which pick up and drop off every 40 minutes.

Treana Winery  

Open Daily

At Treana Treana Winery you need to either bring a blanket or guzzle quickly, their tasting room is located off their cellar where they age their barrels along the pathway that leads to their bar.

There we were greeted by Whitney, our wonderful tasting guide.

Some of the complimentary offerings she poured were:

• Treana White 2007
• Austin Hope Grenache 2006
• Candor Zinfandel Lot 1
• Candor Merlot Lot 1
• Austin Hope Syrah 2005
• Treana Red 2006

The Treana White 2007 boasted a unique oil mouth feel with vibrant floral aromas while their Austin Hope Syrah 2005 is a big, bold wine that is incredibly smooth. They described it as having some earth, asphalt and toast. Definitely one of my favorites. But, they’re most know for their Treana Red 2006, which I found to be on par with the Hope Syrah. Its up-front aromas of exotic spice followed by rich notes of mulberry made for a delicious blend.

They have 5 different brands of wines. Whitney spilled the beans on their newest label, Westside; emphasizing their location within Paso Robles. This new brand is in the works to be launched I have to thank Whitney for the sneak peek as well as a great tasting room experience. Congrats on your upcoming wedding — love your ring!

L’Aventure Winery

Open Thurs-Sun 11-4:00

The drive from Treana Winery to L’Aventure is serene beauty. We bathed in the west side’s rolling path with views of surrounding vineyards and livestock on the drive along Live Oak Road. Once you get to L’Aventure Winery you’re surrounded by mini mountains of vines. I highly recommend an outdoor wine picnic in their open field or a pick-up game of football like Sean found. Their unique outdoor setting engulfed us in some wonderful views of hills with vines and skies.

We visited the L’Aventure Winery on Halloween and found their festive wine tenders were creatively dressed in costumes as well as some of the patrons.  Our wine hostesses, Riley, was cleverly dressed as a fruit fly. Needless to say she was a lot of fun. Riley explained the winemaker’s background; a vineyard grower, winemaker, as well as owner. The french term for wine maker is vigneron. She went on to relate why he left France to make wine in  California, due to their wine laws he was restricted from blending wines. Lucky for us! L’Aventure’s innovative, deep, dark, intense Paso reds are delicious. Riley set us up with 2 stemless Riedel glasses and started us on our divine L’Aventure tastings.
 

Where Bordeaux Meets the Rhone Tasting List Includes

• L’Aventure Estate Roussanne 2008      85% Estate Roussane & 15% Estate Viognier
• L’Aventure Optimus 2006                     50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Syrah & 5% Petit Verdot
• L’Aventure Estate Cote a Cote 2007     40% Estate Mourvedre, 40% Estate Grenache & 20% Estate Syrah
• L’Aventure Estate Cabernet 2007         95% Estate Cabernet Sauvignon & 5% Estate Petite Verdot
• L’Aventure Estate Cuvee 2007              49% Estate Syrah, 37% Estate Cabernet & 14% Estate Petit Verdot

Our favorite was the Estate Cuvee 2007. It is the “Best of the Best”. There is a lot going on in this complex wine with black fruit notes. We were impressed how they dated the bottles for tastings. Their

emphasis on quality and care is to be commended. For our oenophiles who collect wine, check out L’Aventure’s aging chart. It informs you on how long you can store a bottle in your cellar and optimal drinking periods.

Riley also informed us that every one of their superb wines received high 90’s ratings by Robert Parker. She explained how they produce lower yields in their cabernet sauvignon vineyards to increase the quality of future harvests. By leaving some grapes on the vines this makes better grapes which results in better wine. We also learned about the loss of wine from evaporation. An investment in the construction of wine caves would save them approximatley $200,000 per year; keeping the wines moist so they don’t evaporate.

Along our trip from Santa Ynez to Paso Robles the Artisan Restaurant was highly recommended by so many people. As we were leaving, Riley invited us to dine at the Artisan where she waited tables. We took her up on it, and she immediately called for our reservation. Thanks again!

Grey Wolf Cellars

Open Daily 11-5:30

Sandy, who we met in Santa Ynez, recommended Grey Wolf Cellars to us. We are so glad she did! Sean and I both ranked Grey Wolf Cellars in our top tasting room experiences for our entire wine vacation. We’ve visited tasting rooms that were excellent in having a great time, or those with stimulating conversations, or photographic settings, or those great at educating us on their wines and the industry, or wineries with savorful wines you couldn’t get enough of. Grey Wolf Cellars encompassed all these marvelous wine country encounters in one place!

Grey Wolf is a family owned and operated boutique winery. Grey Wolf was chosen as their name since wolfs pick mates for life. They are a tight nit family. When owner Joe Barton’s father died, Joe stepped in to run the family business.  Grey Wolf emits such a warm, family like atmosphere even their tasting room used to be their house.

Their hand crafted wines are so good that during our tastings we witnessed three locals come in to pick up cases of wine. We bought some as well, one of which I’m saving for Christmas dinner – can’t wait! Their tasting list included the following wines with most darling names.

• 2008 Southpaw   White Rhone Blend
• 2008 Rose’ “Little Red”
• 2007 Grenache “Instinctual”
• 2007 Tempranillo “The Trapper”
• 2007 DUSI Zinfandel
• 2007 Zinfandel “Big Bad Wolf”
• 2007 Soulmate
• 2007 Syrah “Predator”

Sean and I agreed that they were all good wines.  The Southpaw was a smooth, light and refreshing white Rhone blend. The 2007 DUSI Zin was my favorite from there. It’s a “BIG JAMMY MONSTER” with spice and raspberry perfect for sipping on Halloween. It is 100% Zinfandel from the famed Dusi Family Vineyards. Worth mentioning is their 2007 Soulmate with its great aroma. However, they were sold out of their Lone Wolf Meritage on our visit since it’s a limited production released 2-3 times a year. We hope to taste it on our next wine trip.

Behind the Scenes Wine Tour at Grey Wolf Cellars

Assistant winemaker Alley invited us for a private wine tour of their facility. During which we got to know the passionate winemakers Alley, owner Joe as well as their winery dog .  We witnessed the hard work that goes into crafting their exceptional wines. Alley walked us through their set up which included:

Voila…. you have wine!

Linne Calodo

Open Daily 11-5:00

On our way to Four Vines when we saw a modern styled, new building from the roadside. Curious, we stopped to see the inside of this architecturally unique building as well as taste their wines . So we detoured to Linne Calodo’s most impressive tasting room. Nestled in the woods is a tall modern yet rustic styled building. As you enter the tasting room, the ceilings are high with abstract shaped windows and interesting modern art hanging on their walls. We were greeted by a cheerful wine hostess, Shauna, who started our tasting flight which included:

• 2006 Outsider
• 2007 Outsider
• 2007 Problem Child
• 2007 Slacker

We were surprised to learn that the 2006 Outsider’s grapes are specifically harvested from the perimeter of the vineyard. This area is lower and the soils are deeper with cooler temperatures. Winemaker’s notes state, “this produces less acid in the grape; these wines gain an edge of spice and earth.” Our favorite Linne Calodo wine is their 2007 Outsider which has bold aromas of dried plums, vanilla be n and cherry pie.

Four Vines

Open Daily 11-6:00

As you know, I love wine and all the wonderful varietals it comes in. I also love visiting vineyards, trying out their wine creations and observing the vibes that result from the winery’s atmosphere. I especially enjoy walking  into a tasting room and with exciting ambience. Four Vines’ ambience was bouncing off the walls! It could have been because it was the end of the day, tasting rooms were about to close and wine tasters are a bit tipsy. I don’t know, but once we joined in, we realized their out of the box style is a direct result of the exciting vibe that struck us at the door.

A happy fun young man by the name of Chad Frank started us on our tasting tour. He first asked us if we preferred a ZinBitch, 4Vines, Naked, Anarchy or Biker stemless Riedel glass. You get to choose a tasting glass which to take with you. I picked ZinBitch while Sean went for Anarchy. The next part of their madness was tattooing. So, I picked out an Anarchy tattoo while Sean went with a ZinBitch (just kidding, Sean didn’t get a tattoo). Anyways, we had an absolute blast with their unusual tasting experience.

Artisan Restaurant

After a long, exhausting day of wine tastings we were looking forward to a locally recommended dinner. We walked through downtown Paso Robles toward the restaurant when we were walking to the restaurant as we were surrounded by the most adorable Halloween costumes. Goblins and princesses came out of nowhere on their trek for treats and giggled right past us on to much more important things. Then we found the Artisan Restaurant . Thank goodness Riley booked us a reservation. We found Riley had transformed from a fruit fly into a cat.

It was time to pick out wine. Yep,  more wine…  Sean allowed me to select our bottle, the gentleman that he is. I was eager to try another bold, powerful jammy zin from the area. Our waitress surprised us with Brochelle Vineyards 2007 Zinfandel from Paso Robles. It was the best recommendation, and one of my top 3 favorite wines of the trip. I finished off the trip with the most jammy red wine of them all. The aroma of the wine was addicting.

Off to the wonderful land of Zins! It took about 45 minutes to reach Paso Robles from Santa Maria. As we ventured deeper into Central Coast wine region of California on HWY 101N, we passed through rocky mountains. As we got closer to Paso Robles the mountains slithered down to rolling green hillsides. A Carolina girl, I was spellbound by California’s diverse landscape throughout our trip.

Paso Robles wine country is home to 40 different varietals and is the third largest and fastest growing wine region in California. We learned that the area has a wide range of micro climates and soils to grow a variety of grapes to produce the superb wines of this area. It is know for their soothing, dynamic reds such as cabernets, merlots, zinfandels as well as their refreshing chardonnay and viognier varietals. Here in Paso, we’ll enjoy my favorite deeply colored, rich, jammy red wines.

The excitement grew as we exited HWY 101 onto HWY 45E into the east side of Paso Robles where we focused our first day. Here we tasted at the following wineries and tasting rooms.

California’s Central Coast
Paso Robles Wine Reviews

Firestone Vineyard Paso
Tobin James Cellars
Sylvester Vineyards & Winery
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
Peachy Canyon Winery

Opolo Vineyards and Eberle Winery are recommended wineries we didn’t get a chance to visit on this trip.

Firestone Vineyard Paso

Open daily from 10-5:00 p.m.

Stone lined paths lead up to this impressively built winery which features a recently built tasting room with gift shop, barrel cellar, gardens, and large patio area. Firestone Vineyard Paso is known for their Paso Robles grown Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In the tasting room we met two locals, Richard Brown and Tod West, who are in the wine industry enjoying their flight while purchasing a case of wine.

October 09′ Featured Wine Flight

2007 Chardonnay, Central Coast
2007 Gewurztraminer, Santa Ynez Valley
2007 Cabernet Franc Rose, Santa Ynez Valley
2005 Merlot, Paso Robles
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
2005 Cabernet Syrah, Central Coast
2005 Late Harvest Riesling, Santa Ynez Valley

Surprised our tasting visit was only four dollars, we took advantage of that deal and tasted more than our share of wines. The 2007 Cabernet Franc Rose is the best rose I’ve sipped on this trip yet. It was soft with an infusion of berries and ended in a quenching finish. This is a great wine to sit on their patio and ship while contemplating the sun. For a chillier day, I would enjoy their full bodied, chewy 2005 Merlot with notes of black cherry, dark chocolate, cola and mocha. Sean enjoyed their 2005 Late Harvest Riesling. Our wine hostess recommended pairing it with a dry Champagne. Supposedly Rieslings, which are made form a late harvest where the grapes turn to raisins, pair very well with dry Champagnes.

Interesting Facts:

We learned that the previous owner of this winery was on The Batchelor. We heard funny stories about ladies who visited the tasting room after his newfound fame. Also, we were informed that a wine label’s year indicates what year the grapes were harvested. In the United States wine makers are allowed to blend in grapes from other years. The rule is 85$ of the grapes must come from the vintage on the label.

Tobin James Cellars

Open Daily from 10-6:00

The owners should be proud to know that they have the most recommended tasting room in all of Central Coast Wine Country and based on our experience, we cannot disagree. Tobin James Cellars has an amazing staff, fabulous wines and a unique atmosphere of Western spirit. Their tasting list states,

“THE ONLY RULE IN OUR TASTING ROOM IS —HAVE FUN!!”

If this is their mission statement, they completely hit it! We had such a fun time at Tobin James Cellars that we couldn’t leave. We could have spent the entire day sipping wine, and they would have served it to us all day too! To our surprise the tasting was complimentary. They must have so much confidence in their wines, they never charge for tastings. We attest to that.

The atmosphere of Tobin James Cellars reeks of the wild west. Before entering their tasting room there’s a large picnic area with tables, benches and a fireplace; all built from stone. They are generous with the number of tastings you can try and once you start you will not be able to stop. All of their wines are great! But plan ahead and bring some lunch for in between tastings. Their wine lists are the longest I’ve seen yet. You could spend the entire day wine tasting here, we almost did.

The walkway up to the tasting room is filled with old wine presses and other historic relics. We opened the door to find a huge room with western decor and two antique bars. Mo, our exciting wine hostess, informed us that the 145 year old bar was made from mahogany and once owned by American outlaws’, Jesse and Frank James. Don’t forget to ask Mo about the bullet hole in the bar. You can imagine the bartender reaching for his gun and aiming it under the bar as she describes the story. Apparently, the bartender shot from underneath the bar in those days.

Tobin James Cellars Tasting List Included:

White Wines
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Chardonnay
2008 Syrah Rose

Red Wines
2006 Chateau Le Cacheflo
2006 Sangiovese
2006 Merlot
2007 Zinfandel
2006 Syrah
2006 Petit Sirah
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Estate Private Stash
2005 Syrah

Desserts
2008 Charisma
2006 Late Harvest Zinfandel

Sean and I both favored their 2006 Merlot. Aged in an oak barrel it’s placed over a fire where the flame chars the inside to a medium to heavy intensity which creates a smokey, unique bouquet and flavor. Mo describes it perfectly as, “BBQ in a glass.” My absolute favorite wine is their 2008 Charisma dessert wine. Which surprised me since I usually don’t take to sweet wines. This one was delicious with lingering flavors of strawberry, guava, mango and peach. I savored every sip of this unique mouth feel. Mo suggested marinating this wine with fresh apricots and blackberries then pouring it over vanilla ice cream. My bottles went to fast to get too this point. Next time I’ll certainly be ordering a few cases of their Charisma Dessert Wine.

Mo was kind enough to let us try a few wines from their reserve list. This list is only available to wine club members, or the charmingly named,  the James Gang. As we were finishing some of Mo’s superb zinfandel recommendations a Tobin James Cellars chef came by with appetizers. A tradition in the afternoons at Tobin James, we devoured some delicious bbq sausage with cheese on a baguette.

Eventually, it WAS time to leave and as we headed for the door,  Richard and Tod entered. They weren’t surprised that we spent nearly the entire day there. We were grateful they recommended Mo, a pleasure to spend the afternoon with and a real asset to Tobin James Cellars. We did ask Mo of her favorite wine. She had the best response, “I don’t have a favorite. I’m a wino! I have a favorite wine in each varietal.”

Sylvester Vineyards & Winery

Open Daily, Winter 11-5:00, Summer 11-6:00

Our next stop was Sylvester Tasting Room which is known for their assortment of international cheeses and of course wines! More wine – yeah! We decided to try their cheese flight that is paired very well with their wines.

The Wine & Cheese Flight

2008 Kiara Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

Grafton Sage – White Cheddar from Vermont rubbed with sage oil

2007 Kiara Reserve Pinot Noir

Petit Basque – Basque Sheep’s Milk Cheese

2006 Kiara Reserve Zinfandel

Mimolette – 1 1/2 Year Aged French Cow’s Milk

2006 Kiara Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Regnant – Extra Aged Argentinean Cow’s Milk Cheese

Our favorite pairing was their Sauvignon Blanc with Premium Vermont Sage. It’s a naturally aged Vermont Cheddar Cheese made from cultured whole milk by the Grafton Village Cheese Company. We also favored their earthy Zinfandel paired with Mimolette, a rich nutty cheese from Normandy, that goes great with wine and even better with strong ales.

We mentioned we like port and so we received an extra tasting which included their Sangiovese and Syrah ports. Their highly rated 2003 Kiara Reserve Sangiovese Port is 100% estate grown. This delicious dessert wine had flavors of cherries and roasted dark cocoa. It has a bright, vibrant mouth feel and smokey finish.

Their Kiara Reserve tastings are complimentary. If you try their Cheese Flight or Chocolate Pairings with Wine they’ll charge a minimal $5.00. They were closing as we finished our tastings. Next time we’re going to arrive earlier and schedule a tour of their facility in advance. The settings are beautifully planned. I could easily see spending a day here as well. Check out their Weddings page where they have a lovely virtual tour of their vineyards and winery.

  Insider Scoop –

Schedule their VIP tour 2 weeks in advance. The Sylvester Vineyards & Winery tour features a full facility tour, private barrel tasting & gourmet cheese pairing aboard their 1947 Pullman train cars.

J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines

Open Daily from 10-5:00 p.m.

The ride to J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines tasting room is picturesque. They have a charming old style building off a country road surrounded by vineyards, where they produce primarily Cabernet Sauvignon.

Naturally, we savored out time here. Mark Gibbs, our tasting host, showed us a unique wine cork creation, a wine cork purse. In the photo, it is made with J. Lohr wine corks. Mark let us try their limited production 2005 Cuvee St. E. It is a smooth sipping wine of Bordeaux style with black cherry flavors. A Cuvee is made by a wine producer who creates a special blend of wines; often from different vintages.

If you’re on a budget we recommend stopping here and trying their complimentary wine flight in their cozy tasting room.

Peachy Canyon Winery

Open Daily from 11-5:00 p.m.

We were on our way to our hotel when we stopped at the Peachy Canyon Winery, where we didn’t realize they closed at 5. We entered their packed filled tasting room and enjoyed wine and delicious appetizers, not realizing that we crashed a party! Everyone was giddy from drinking “peachy perfect” wines, so they didn’t seem to mind.

Their tasting room is an Old School House, a cozy atmosphere where you can walk around their tasting bars that drift from room to room. Their outdoor picnic area has an old fashioned gazebo with views of rolling vineyards. Mary, hostess, introduced us to their 2007 Old School House Cabernet Sauvignon. We enjoyed this well balanced, smooth dark red wine with berry and cherry notes. We had a great time easting dessert appetizers and schmoozing with Mary.

The sun was settling while we tasted at Peachy Canyon Winery. Even though we no longer could view the rolling vineyards that surrounded their Old School House Tasting Room, we relished this peaceful, cottage style atmosphere.

Our next destination took us twenty miles north of Solvang to Santa Maria Valley Wine Country where the air is peppered with sea mist in their glorious mornings.  This region, known for its Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, benefits from the ever present Pacific.  Burgundy grapes thrive in this cooler climate, which are essential to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varietals.

We took HWY 154 from Santa Ynez to Foxen Canyon Road and gushed at the rolling vineyards, fields of lush produce, and scampering wildlife.  Known as the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, it connects Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Valleys, with the following wineries nestled in between:

• Rancho Sisquoc Winery
• Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard
• Cottonwood Canyon Winery
• Costa De Oro Winery

On our next wine trip, we’ll certainly visit Zaca Mesa and Foxen Vineyards, recommended to us while tasting on the Foxen Canyon Road Trail.

Foxen Canyon Road Trail Winery Reviews

Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard

Open daily from 10-5:00

If you are planning a wine wedding or a wine country picnic then you have to check out Fess Parker. It‘s enclosed within the vineyard which lends a classy, invigorating setting with gorgeous landscaping, a peaceful wrap around porch, and a stately huge stone fireplace.

As you enter their tasting room you’ll notice these adorable Davy Crockett mini coonskin caps for the tops of the wine bottles, coonskin cap logos on their wine glasses as well as certain wines; such as the “Crockett”, twentieth anniversary, 2006. This wine is currently sold out, however Sean has a bottle he’s holding onto. The Davy Crockett influence comes directly from Fess Parker who acted the part of “Davy Crockett” in a Hollywood film. He also portrayed “Dad” in Old Yeller.

The Fess Parker Tasting List Included:

2006 Chardonnay Ashley’s
2008 Viognier, Santa Barbara County
2006 Pinot Noir, Rio Vista
2006 Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vinearyd
2005 Syrah, ATR
2005 Syrah, Rodney’s Vineyard

While with Sean, a wine club member, our tastings were free. You too can taste for free! Sean’s available Saturdays and Sundays – just kidding! Click here for a free wine tasting coupon. Of these wines our favorites were the highlighted ones above. Their 2008 Viognier, “Santa Barbara County” is a great value; an extremely refreshing Viognier with flavors of pineapple, white peach, vanilla and butterscotch.

The grapes that make their 2006 Pinot Noir, “Rio Vista” comes from vines that produced grapes for the first time.  Robert Parker also enjoyed our other favorite, their 2005 Syrah, “ATR”.  He gave this wine 90 Points. In order to purchase a bottle of this big Syrah you’ll have to visit their winery.  It boasts “concentrated fruit elements of plum, boysenberries and blackberries; along with vanilla, toast and smoke; with hints of spices, cinnamon and nutmeg; create a rich, powerful and complex Syrah.”

Rancho Sisquoc Winery

Open Monday – Thursday 10-4:00 & Friday – Sunday 10-5:00

The winding road that leads up to Rancho Sisquoc Winery was a pleasure to drive. Cattle were roaming the land, vines and produce were growing in their fields. Their tasting room is so quaint, as you can see in our photo. This is a great spot to take a break, drink some wine, and enjoy some great views of the sprawling ranch.

The Ranch hostesses, Becky and Sarah, were informative with delightful sense of humors.  They educated us on the background of the ranch which sits on 37,000 acres. The owners are in the cattle, produce, and grapevine business, the vineyards located in the cooler area of Santa Ynez Valley.  We were surprised to see the tasting glasses were stemless. Stemless wine glasses have evolved into a popular wine gift over the years. Little did we know but this would be the first of many visits with wineries using stemless glasses.

Cottonwood Canyon Winery

Open 10-5:30
Cave Tours: Saturday & Sunday 11am, 1pm & 3pm

If you are a chardonnay lover you will certainly like Cottonwood Canyon Winery.  Their reserve wine tasting list includes the following:

Non-Vintage Bistro Chardonnay
2001 Estate Chardonnay
2002 Estate Chardonnay
2003 Estate Chardonnay
2001 Barrel Select Chardonnay
2002 Barrel Select Chardonnay

We sipped on the Non-Vintage Bistro Chardonnay which was my favorite. The hostess paired it with an olive, explaining the acidity in the wine paired good with olives and spicy foods. This one had a creamy base with a lingering finish. Sean’s favorite was the 2001 Estate Chardonnay. He picked out the pear notes right away! The hostess served this wine warmer than most Chardonnays you’re use to drinking. When served warm the fruitier it will taste.

At Cottonwood Canyon they aerate their youthful wines with a wine funnel filter. The wine hostess put the funnel in a crystal decanter and poured; which had holes at the base of the funnel where the wine aerate through and hit the insides of the decanter as it dripped to the base.

I really enjoyed this tasting.  Our wine hostess was very informative on their wines, food and wine pairings, and how to enjoy your wines. She was strict with us when it came to first lightly swirling our wines to savor the aroma before tasting. Then she had us compare the first swirl, sniff and sip to a much more intense swirl, sniff and sip. We were very impressed with the noticeable difference.  I felt as if I were eating dinner with a cook and knew not to add pepper to a meal until I had tasted the cook’s creation.  As you can see from our experience at Cottonwood Canyon Winery, aerating your wine can immensely improve the entire experience.

Costa De Oro Winery

Fall hours: Thursday-Monday 11am-6pm. CLOSED Tuesday & Wednesday.

What a fantastic end to our wine tasting day in Santa Maria Valley.  We closed Costa De Oro Winery with our entertaining wine hostesses.  They invited us to join them Friday night where they regularly have live music, wine tasting, and cheese plates from 4:30-7:30.  Unfortunately we couldn’t stick around long enough for that, but we’ll definitely check it out the next time we’re in the area.

Wine Country Stay in Santa Maria

We finished our wine trail adventures at the Historic Santa Maria Inn in Santa Maria. This historic inn was built in 1917 and they‘d done a tremendous job of maintaining the original aura.  I felt as though I moseyed into an old western movie where I could rustle a stagecoach from the window.  Once we got settled in, we visited their cozy wine cellar in the basement.  I enjoyed a glass of Wild Horse Viognier while Sean sipped on a glass of Pinot Noir.

Arched brick structures with wine racks lined the right side of the old, charming wine cellar. As you entered and turned the corner there was a small private room with a chess board.  Sean was lucky the cellar was closing early so we didn’t get a chance to play.

We roamed from the basement’s wine cellar through the inn’s first floor historic settings, where we walked across their lobby and past their impressively carved front desk. In the halls we passed a couple pianos, one rumored to be played by the ghosts haunting the hotel.

This Inn is highly recommended by Sean and I as the perfect end to a wine vacation day. Each room’s settings are cozy, inviting, and completely relaxing. The romantic Historic Santa Maria Inn granted us a memorable evening after a wonderful day of wine tastings.

The inn keeper informed us that the inn served as a mid-point for travelers back in the day for those riding from Southern California to San Francisco.  The suite we stayed in had many windows with a continuous bench wrapping around the corner of the room. The view out the windows were the picturesque San Rafael Mountains.  I won‘t forget waking in the morning to the view of those beautiful mountains.  The room was enormous and included a love seat, desk, two armed chairs with a table, and the window seats. The bathroom was large as well and included separate his and her sink vanities for a leisurely morning.

We started our road trip early in the day from Orange County to Solvang along a breathtaking stretch of HWY 1 North to Santa Barbara County. The three hour drive skirted by quickly as we the ocean lapped along the coast on our left and the lush rolling hills of vines and crops summoned Sean, and I on our right. On our way to Pinots of Santa Ynez, this was a trip the both of us looked forward to for some time now.

Ostrich Land

After we turned onto HWY 246 to Solvang, I caught sight of Ostrich Land in Buellton and just for the hell of it, we stopped by to see if we could feed the strange animals. For nine dollars we came face to face with the birds and their fist-sized eyes. Armed with food bowls to lure them to the fence for our ready cameras, it became obvious little enticing was needed as a smaller, intrepid fellow jabbed his head through the fence to attack my offering. Needless to say it scared the hell out of me. As Sean goaded me to feed the ostriches, I eased over to the fence with apprehension as more and more blinking, beaked heads swarmed and pushed for position like a hungry mob in a famine struck country at the grain truck. The sign cautioned, “Yes, We Like To Bite!” and I wasn’t about to question the sagacity in that. I handed my bowl to Sean and as you can see in the picture, he didn’t fare much better.

Solvang

Along an oak lined street dotted with windmills, smorgasbord signs, and quaint cottages is this charming Danish styled village, Solvang. The restaurants, chocolate/pastry shops and markets are filled with Danish specialties in this pedestrian friendly village. So take a break from your wine tasting and enjoy a worldly stroll around Solvang. We tried a Danish favorite called aebleskiver; a warm, light and airy pastry ball dusted with powdered sugar and served with a sweet raspberry jam.

Kalyra Winery

Our first recommended winery stop is Kalyra (cal-EYE-ra) Winery. As you drive through Solvang on Mission Drive (from HWY 246) a few blocks ahead is Refugio Road. Turn right here and continue down this road to just before the road turns where you’ll find Kalyra on the right.

An Australian born wine maker recently opened Kalyra Winery. This is one of our favorite tasting room wine tours! The refreshing Australian gave this place a unique flavor to enjoy on our tour. In the tiki lounge (complete with a surfboard inscribed with Kalyra) we were greeted by the friendliest of club members as we relaxed and took stock of our close encounter with the avian kind.

Kalyra’s current tasting list includes:

White Wines
2007 Kalyra Sauvignon Blanc
2008 Kalyra Unwooded Chardonnay                   
2008 Kalyra Barrel Select Viognier

Red Wines
2006 Kalyra Merlot
2005 Kalyra Alvarehao
2007 Old Vine Zinfandel

Dessert Wines
Kalyra NV Black Muscat
Kalyra 2005 Vintage Port

The most impressive part of this visit was that all the wines from their tasting list were good. From the whites the Viognier was a stand-out; a well balanced wine with pear, sweet apricot, and a hint of honey on the noise. Sharlee, our hostess further described this wine as having little ml (ml is winemaker’s lingo for malolactic acids) and oak (it is barrel fermented in neutral French Oak). We learned that cool grape growing regions tend to be high in acidity. This high acidity comes from the contribution of malic acid.

Their 2005 Kalyra Alvarelhao was our favorite from the entire wine list. The unique aroma hinted at the most addicting smoky bouquet. Sharlee recommended drinking this bottle with grilled meats, steak or BBQ. Their tasting list explained, “the fruit of this Portuguese varietal was sourced from the Santa Ynez vineyards of Eli Parker during a very warm harvest period. Once fermented, the wine was moved to aged French Oak barrels and left to mature for over 32 months. The result is a delicate, soft & smooth wine with rich dark berry flavors, with just a touch of vanilla and cocoa.”

We can’t forget Sharlee’s favorite for the Autumn season, 2007 Old Vine Zinfandel. Harvested from 50 year old vines in the Alexander Valley, it is a subtle zin compared to some of the bigger ones we’ll soon describe. It has a classic dark berry flavor and jammy finish. The wine maker recommends decanting this wine prior to sipping.

We finished our wine tasting and shut down the place with locals Sandy & Tim (club members). Never one to ignore the recommendations of local wine lovers, Sandy suggested Rancho Sisquoc Winery, River Run Vintners, and Grey Wolf Vineyards and Cellars. Sharlee, our informative hostess, urged us to visit Four Vines, Tobin James, Tablas Creek Vineyard, and Linne Calodo Cellars. Check back with us next week for our experiences on these recommended Central Coast Wineries and Vineyard tours.

Kalyra means “a wild and pleasant place“. Our experience with our wine hostess, Sharlee the bubbly, energetic and most knowledgable wine tender, was exactly that. It was an entertaining visit we were happy to share with locals Sandy & Tim.

Insider Scoop –

We hope we’re not getting our hostess and locals in trouble, but they did spill the grapes on a local establishment’s special. We were told to visit the Hitching Post II on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays for a phenomenal cheeseburger special at the bar. It is such a secret that it’s not even on the menu! We had to try this special known only to locals. So, after our tasting we headed over to the Hitching Post II. Naturally, Sandy and Tim were already there (next time they‘ll have to spill the secret of their shortcut). They described the special so well that I’m sure they talked themselves into enjoying it too.

Hitching Post II Restaurant

Most of us wine drinkers are familiar with the Hitching Post II restaurant from the 2004 oscar wining film Sideways. It’s at this restaurant where Miles makes his opinion on Merlot abundantly clear. We didn’t try the merlot. But we did sip on their Pinot Noir HIGHLINER.  There are only so many bottles of wine you can drink in a lifetime. This is one you can’t miss. Balance and complexity are perfect descriptions for this most elegant Pinot Noir. Here’s a fine review according to Wine Spectator,   “fragrant, delicate and clean, with spicy berry, cedar and hints of fresh earth and mineral, ending with modest, integrated tannins. Drink now through 2011.”

The Hitching Post II was a fantastic time and we enjoyed getting to know Sandy and Tim some more as well. Tim introduced us to a lovely wine cork project where he made wreath centerpieces for his daughter’s wedding tables. Tim – we would love to see pictures of the wreaths and hints on how to make them. Please do share! Thank you Tim & Sandy for the wine.

Wine Country Stay in Solvang

Just around the corner from the Hitching Post II Restaurant is the Kronberg Inn. The location is central to visiting the ostrich farm, Solvang, and Santa Ynez winery. A modest inn, the rooms are a great value (with a patio!) and convenient to everywhere we visited that day. You can’t miss it as you turn onto Mission Drive, where a large windmill beckons from the front.

This week we’ll visit Paso Robles and Santa Ynez in the Central Coast Wine region of California for some award winning wines.

Locals of the Paso Robles area recommended these wineries for us to visit; Treana Winery, L’Aventrue Winery and Eagle Castle Winery. Folks in Santa Ynez pointed us to Bridlewood Estate Winery and Kaylra Winery.  Check back with us next week to read our reviews of these wineries as well as our favorite tastes.

We’re also going to get insider tips on additional local wineries to visit. Tune in next week for our reviews of this upcoming trip, recommended winery tours, and wine country stays. Eventually, we’ll have an ultimate list of the best wineries to visit. It’ll be so much work to cover the 100+ wineries in the Central Coast Californian wine region, but we’ll try!

If you’re seeking a wine country outing or visiting Orange County, San Diego or Los Angeles, and want a taste of the wine country; I suggest taking a short drive to the rolling vineyards of Temecula as a great side trip away from these busy cities for a romantic weekend or relaxing trip with friends in this growing California wine region.  Temecula is overgrown with over 3,000 acres of luscious grapes and 20-plus wineries from large scale to family run productions.

In August, I visited Temecula with my boyfriend, Sean, and his friends; Paula and Chris.  Merely blocks away from the vineyards, we were lucky to have these wine country experts show us around as we toured Leonesse Cellars and Doffo Winery during our day trip—both wonderful destinations.  The grapes were full, almost ready for picking.  It was nice stepping out of the wine cellar cooling rooms to a hot, sunny day.  However, in the evenings it certainly got cooler to the point where you needed a sweater; an ideal condition for excellent wines.

Great Wine Tasting At Leonesse Cellars

Speaking of excellent wines, one of my favorite tasting tours was at Leonesse Cellars; the best wines I tasted on this trip.  The hosts at this Cellar were funny, informative, and kind with their taste offerings.  Paula & Chris‘ member status granted us access to their private Barrel Tasting Room—a must see.

We started out at their gift shop and first tasting area, then took a path outside through the vineyard, down some steps to the Barrel Tasting Room.  Here we kicked back on their leather couches, tasted wines and savored some snacks.  Not only are their wines delicious but their “Small Bytes” are excellent too!

A wine that surely stands out is their Meritage.  I don’t believe this was part of their wine tasting flight.  I highly recommend trying it or better yet, buy a bottle! This red wine was rich and elegant, with aromas of black cherry, boysenberry tobacco, complementing lush flavors of black currant, and spice.  Aged for 18 months in small French oak barrels, this blend of 69% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot offers soft, supple tannins leading into a long, velvety finish.

The port served at the end of the tasting flight with a truffle was to die for.  An excellent pairing; a perfect ending to an enchanting wine tasting experience.  Next time I’m here, I’ll definitely be signing up for their V.I.P. Wine & Artisan Cheese Pairing where they couple their award winning wines with cheeses and chocolates.  The members we were with highly recommended Lionesses’ Wine Club Member Dinner.

Wine Passion at Temecula’s Doffo Winery

The last winery Paula & Chris took us to was Doffo Winery.  This is a small family run operation on 15 acres.  The owner spoke proudly of his family‘s history and their genuine passion for what they do which is evident in their wine.  Their red wines are delightful, especially the memorable, Los Nietos Syrah. This rich late Harvest Syrah is considered one of their more special wines.  It is aged in barrel for more than 24 months.  Very few cases made. There is a 2 bottle limit per customer.

In the next 5-10 years I‘m confident Temecula will be one of the premiere wine vacation spots in the country and I look forward to another excursion very soon.