El Paso de Robles: The Pass of the Oaks

I’ve spent a lot of time reminiscing over how I love Italian and southern hemisphere wines, but don’t be fooled, the Californians are always in close competition.
One area that I’ve been reading about lately, that doesn’t get as much recognition as Napa or even Sonoma, is Paso Robles. In the June 30, 2005 issue of Wine Advocate, Robert M. Parker, Jr. asserted that there is no question that a decade from now, the top viticultural areas of Santa Barbara, Santa Rita Hills and the limestone hillsides west of Paso Robles will be as well-known as the glamorous vineyards of Napa Valley-and Parker’s nod seems to have given Paso Robles the push it needed.

According to the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance “This wine country appellation is one of the fastest growing premium vineyard and winery regions in California with over 25 different varieties of grapes grown in the Paso Robles Wine Country and over 100 wineries.”

Wine production began in Paso Robles 1797, when Franciscan missionaries at the historic Mission San Miguel Arcangel began making wine. Commercial winemaking was introduced in 1882, when Indiana rancher Andrew York began planting vineyards on his 240-acre homestead. Within a few years, he found that the vines were yielding more than he could market, prompting him to establish Ascension Winery, known today as York Mountain Winery, which remains the oldest winery, with some of the oldest Zinfandel vines in continuous cultivation in the county.

The Zinfandel grape had the strongest influence on the early growth and development of the wine industry in Paso Robles. It remains a key wine varietal for several wineries, including, among others, Peachy Canyon Winery, Turley Wine Cellars, Tobin James Cellars, Norman Vineyards, Castoro Cellars and Nadeau Family Vintners.

Paso Robles had the first Syrah plantings in California, and today has the largest acreage of Syrah, Viognier and Roussanne (which I love). Since 1993, Paso Robles wines have been consistent gold medal winners and have been featured regularly in the top rankings of national and international wine reviews. A milestone in the worldwide recognition of Paso Robles Wine Country as a premier wine region came in 1997 when Justin Vineyards & Winery’s Bordeaux-style Isosceles was named one of the top 10 wines in the world by The Wine Spectator.

Wines from the Central Coast/Paso Robles area that I’ve recently had the chance to sample include the 2004 Estancia Meritage, 2005 Greg Norman’s Petit Syrah, and the 2006 Paso Creek Zinfandel. Meritage is a blend made from traditional Bordeaux grapes that got its name from the blending of the words “merit” and “heritage”; it is a fine example of one of those blends including Merlot, Cabernet, and Petit Verdot (if I’m not mistaken). This wine is smooth and ready for drinking with notes of black cherry, rosemary, licorice, and sage. It’s also decently priced at about $28.

Greg Norman’s Petite Syrah is a bit more on the jammy wild berry side with spicy notes and even an undertone of coffee as well as some chewy tannins. Though I’ve had some bias against Greg Norman’s wines in the past, this was a nice surprise, and with a price point under $18, it’s a fine bottle to share with friends in front of the fire.

Last but not least is the Paso Creek Zinfandel. I tend to favor the older or ancient vine Zinfandels with deep berry flavors, but this newcomer was a pleasant surprise. Its big, bold flavor hit me full on and paired nicely with some spicy pasta. Please note that when you open a bottle, give it about 15-20 minutes to open up as it’s young and just gets better the longer it breathes.

If you get out to the California coast, travel guides say that a tour through wine country down Highway 101 can take about 7 hours for a 300-mile trek. What they don’t say is that stopping in a less-commercialized area like Paso Robles lets you experience some of the old charm that Napa once had and taste a variety of lesser-known wines (After all, Helen Turley’s vineyard is there). But if you’re stuck here in the frozen tundra of the north, pick up a bottle from your local store and as always, enjoy and be safe.