Unfiltered, Unfined

Just some of the wines I tasted in Paso Robles

In the next month I’ll be traveling to various places in American wine country, part of the annual extravaganza that public relations/marketing firms put on during what’s known in the business as O-N-D (October-November-December). This past week I was in central California attending the Paso Robles Wine Country Buyers’ Tour, organized by Paso Robles Wine (www.pasowine.com). Not only did I learn a lot about the region, but I tasted a bunch of great wines that won’t necessarily break the bank.

Paso is actually a desert community, which means that there are significant daily swings in diurnal temperature (as much as a 55-degree difference between day and night). This is good for wine grapes, as it is for many crops that rely on sap flowing up and down the plant to properly set the fruit. From early spring through harvest there’s not a lot (or even any) rainfall, so irrigation is usually employed even though there’s quite a bit of underground water nearby. Irrigation is a hotly debated topic in viticulture. Some think that it leads to vines that simply aren’t stressed enough to produce great wine. But in much of Paso Robles it is absolutely required, making that argument somewhat moot.

The Clayhouse (actually adobe) on the label

Clayhouse is one of the area’s largest landowners and grape growers, with over 1,500 acres under vine. The Middleton family that owns Clayhouse is one of California and Washington’s oldest farming families, with timber interests going back to the 19th century. As is obvious from the size of the ranch, they produce a lot of grapes, some for the table and some destined for wine.

Although Paso Robles isn’t as well known for white wines as it is for red, I was particularly impressed with Clayhouse’s Adobe White blend. Tangy pineapple and sweet limeade lead to bright red cherry on the long, smooth finish. Made from a plethora of grape types, it’s a real winner from a house that I’m just getting to know but will definitely investigate further.

Part of Paso’s charm is that it’s home to a variety of wineries, from the quite large to the very small. While Clayhouse is huge by almost any standard, one of the minnows is Still Waters Vineyards, producer of a single-varietal Viognier that I really enjoyed. This wine’s peach, apricot and lemon verbena nose fused nicely with classic honeysuckle and floral elements on the long, bright finish. It’s quite a bargain for top-notch Viognier, which seems to do well all over the appellation.

As for rosé, I tasted quite a few and for me the winner was the Robert Hall Rosé, full of candied orange peel and clover honey, followed by creamy caramel and roses on the medium-weight finish. Rosé wines are great with food, and this stood up nicely to several dishes including green salad and pan-seared fish with ratatouille.

Stefan of L'Aventure

Another excellent smaller house is L’Aventure Winery, owned by Stephan Asseo. Stephan is charmingly French, a bon vivant whose viniferous origins are in Bordeaux. He emigrated to Paso eleven years ago so he could try his hand at winemaking in a place where he didn’t have to follow quite as many rules as his fellow Bordelais. L’Aventure’s wines exude class and breeding, none more so than the Estate Cuvee, whose deep black pepper and currant nose joins cassis and plum jam on the long, svelte finish. Yes it’s expensive, but it’s a real joy to drink and will only get better with a few years in the bottle.

While very few Paso Robles wineries have been in operation even a decade (more than half of the 200+ houses in the region began operations in the last five years), one of the most venerable is Eberle winery, owned by Gary Eberle since 1983, when he released his first Cabernet Sauvignon from the 1979 vintage. Eberle is the longest-lasting winery in Paso Robles still producing under its original name, and Gary’s wines show his experience and dedication to craft.

At dinner one evening Gary poured us his 1983 Cabernet Sauvignon, a real treat to taste, still youthful and vibrant after 26 years. Unfortunately this isn’t currently for sale, but his most recent vintage shows some hallmarks of the older wine while also exhibiting youthful exuberance. Black pepper and green olives on the nose join cinnamon and baking spice on the palate, blending into a harmonious whole that, just as with the L’Aventure, will be even better in a few years.

Another red I really enjoyed, this time from a much younger winery, was the Ortman Family Vineyards Sangiovese. Italian varietals aren’t really what one thinks of when considering Paso Robles, but this rhubarb and lemon peel-scented beauty stole the show at one of our tastings. The moderate oak regimen and zippy, musky finish was a real revelation of what Sangiovese can become, even when hailing from such a nontraditional location.

A tasting panel (Ancient Peaks winemaker in the middle)

Yet another winner from a recently founded house was the Ancient Peaks Zinfandel Margarita Vineyard. Lithe raspberry and dark chocolate on the nose lead to red licorice and a bit of spice on the moderately tangy finish. Well crafted and laughably inexpensive, it’s a wine to buy by the case.

Finally, no wine festival column of mine would be complete without mention of at least one dessert bottle. I was very impressed with the Roxo Port Cellars Ruby Tradicional, made from traditional port varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Souzao, Tinta Roriz and Bastardo. Roxo only makes port-style wines. Their fanatical devotion to this often unappreciated craft shows in the bottle, with wonderful dark cocoa, blueberry pie and vanilla cream aromas and flavors that finish long, sweet and smooth.

Much of the fun of attending these events is in finding wines that are outside of the traditional box. Paso Robles is full of such entrepreneurs, some large and some small, some focused on single-varietal wines and some on blends, a few quite old and established but most brand-spanking new. But all are dedicated to exploring their unique terroir. I really enjoyed my visit, and I’m sure you will as well.

Next week I’ll be reporting on the vineyard scene in Idaho, specifically the Snake River basin, where Ste. Chappelle produces wines from multiple varietals.

Recommended:

White

Clayhouse Adobe White Wine 2008 (Paso Robles, California) $18

Still Waters Vineyards Viognier 2008 (Paso Robles, California) $24

Rosé

Robert Hall Rosé 2008 (Paso Robles, California) $13

Red

L’Aventure Estate Cuvee 2007 (Paso Robles, California) $85

Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Paso Robles, California) $20

Ortman Family Vineyards Sangiovese 2007 (Paso Robles, California) $22

Ancient Peaks Zinfandel Margarita Vineyard 2007 (Paso Robles, California) $16

Dessert

Roxo Port Cellars Ruby Tradicional 2006 (Paso Robles, California) $44/500ml