Paso Robles’ Dynamic Wine Culture is a Standing Invitation to Wine-Loving Travelers

Kukkula, a dry farmed vineyard, is one of many exciting producers I visited while touring Paso Robles.

In early September, I spent several days digging into the Paso Robles wine scene, and I came back feeling refreshed and inspired about the future of this region. I’ve loved Paso Robles wines for many years, but it remained one of the few California wine regions still on my list to visit. So I was excited to go, and rightfully so — Paso is an exciting place.

It boasts a mix of geographical features, varied soils and microclimates, allowing many different grape varieties to flourish. I found a thriving wine culture marked both by experimentation and tradition, individualism and collective cooperation. It’s easy to see why more and more wine-lovers are visiting Paso Robles.

Paso wines have received large-scale attention, high praise, and high scores from major wine critics for a long time (Justin’s Isosceles and Saxum’s Syrahs come to mind). But another thing that’s great about Paso: there are so many intriguing wines flying well under the radar. With more than 200 wineries, and vineyards that grow more than 40 grape varieties, there’s a little bit of everything happening out here.



Geographically located about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Paso winelands are intimately linked with the nearby Pacific Ocean. When I got off the plane at San Luis Obispo airport, the surfer in me grew stoked as I tasted cool, salty air streaming in from Morro Bay. In the morning it may be cool and foggy, but when the sun heats up, winds come whipping over the hills. As grapes here ripen, they get plenty of heat and sunshine, and they also receive plenty of cool, fresh air.

Onshore winds from the ocean get sucked into the Paso Robles appellation through the Templeton Gap, basically a crack in the coastal mountain range that separates Paso from the Pacific. This results in a day-night temperature swing of some 40-50 degrees during the growing season, the largest in California. While I was visiting, the mornings were cold and foggy, the afternoons warm and windy, the evenings cool and long.

A whale vertebrae, found in Paso's Zenaida Vineyards.

Also: Soil. Paso Robles is an ancient sea bed, home to more calcareous and siliceous soils than any other appellation in the state. I picked up fossilized oyster shells and crumbly limestone chunks in vineyards, and I ended my days with white dust all over my shoes. One winemaker showed me a huge fossilized whale vertebrae he dug up while plowing his vineyard, and ancient whale bones and shark’s teeth have been found throughout Paso’s soils. (There are tons of great whites in the areas that I surfed, but I don’t want to talk about that, OK!) Anyway, wines grown in these soils have a trademark freshness and minerality that makes them pop. Most wines feature juicy, ripe fruit, but I was surprised by the refreshing acidity, which made me want to serve these wines on my table, with lots of food.

Yes, there are large producers who release mass-market branded wines, but the real heart of Paso lies in the “boutique” winery. About two-thirds of wineries here produce fewer than 5,000 cases per year, and several of the winemakers I visited release just 1,000 to 2,000 cases annually. The wineries I visited (almost unanimously) sold the vast majority of their wine directly to the consumer.

Bordeaux varieties, led by Cabernet Sauvignon, make up a little more than half of the grapevines planted in Paso Robles, and there are lots of Rhone grapes sprinkled around. I found elegant, age-worthy Bordeaux blends from RN Estate, which I think could fool some people in a blind Bordeaux tasting. Syrah, Grenache and blends from producers like Le Cuvier, Kukkula, and Nelle wowed me with their depth, gorgeous fruit, and complex non-fruit flavors. I found a few wines I felt were too hot or oaky, but those were only a few outliers. In my tasting notes, words like balance, freshness, and vibrancy pop up all over the place.

If you love gobs of rich fruit in your red wines, though, you sure have your choice of high-quality stuff. Russell From, of Herman Story Wines, told me, unabashedly, “All my wines are as big as I can get them.” His densely concentrated Grenache 440 backed up that statement. It’s a massive wave-to-the-face of fruit, but it’s also absolutely delicious and, kind of… balanced?

Ishka Stanislaus' dry-farmed calcareous vineyards have been a long-time source of fruit for reputable Paso producers.
Under his Guyomar Wine Cellars label, he produces estate wines of impressive depth and clarity.

While Bordeaux and Rhone blends (mostly red) have been Paso’s calling card for some time, winemakers are trying all sorts of different grape varieties, crafting wines of wildly different styles. Chris and Adrienne Ferrara, the Italian grape gurus at Clesi Wines, produce spicy, tangy wines that could impress fans of wine from Central and Southern Italy. The Portuguese red blends from Passport Wine Co. are vibrant, spicy, and earthy examples of what is out there. And I found plenty of salty Grenache Blancs and crisp Albarinos that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best I’ve tasted from other California regions. And Zinfandel (Paso’s historically dominant grape) can be found throughout the region, made in all sorts of styles.

While visitors may need an appointment to visit many wineries, you’re much more likely to meet the winemaker or owners. You’ll be welcomed in by welcoming people. There must be some clueless tools who work at tasting rooms somewhere in Paso, but I couldn’t find them. I don’t think I saw a single goddamn person in a sports coat, and the drive across the region wasn’t as clogged up by gaudy buildings or corporate billboards. A lot of investment (domestic and foreign) has poured into Paso Robles in recent years, but the place still maintains a work boots and calloused hands appeal. It feels real.

Wine industry folks in Paso Robles told me they’ve seen steady growth in wine tourism, and the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance reports the Paso wine industry has an economic impact of nearly $1.5 billion. The word is definitely out, and Paso Robles seems primed for more attention in the coming years.

As I traveled, tasted and ate, one of the things that struck me most was the congenial, collaborative culture of this wine region. There’s a small town vibe, where the local fair is a huge deal, and it seems almost everyone knows almost everyone else. Many winemakers share winery space, vineyard sources, winemaking equipment, interns, knowledge. I’ve heard winemakers in many wine regions discuss the “rising tide that lifts all boats” notion, but in Paso people seem to take that idea quite seriously.

I spent an afternoon tasting wines and doing pump-overs in the winery with Tyler Russell, who produces wine under two labels, Cordant and Nelle. Tyler’s wines are pristine and his tasting room has an artsy, crisp vibe. He is also quite possibly the most relaxed and effortlessly chill winemaker I’ve ever met, so naturally we had a blast drinking and talking about music. His winery is located in Paso’s Tin City, a gathering of warehouses that’s home to a bunch of small winemakers, not to mention a brewery, distillery, art space, restaurant, etc. Tiny City has a walkable, hip atmosphere, and it allows small production winemakers to pool their resources in one area, work together and learn from each other.
 

Tyler Russell of Cordant & Nelle wines.

“There’s definitely a winemaking culture that’s unique to this area,” Tyler said, as he rattled off names of Paso producers whose wines I should taste. Every winemaker in Paso will tell you about five other wines you absolutely have to taste, and maintaining strong relationships with other wineries seems built into the fabric of Paso’s wine ethos. A winemaker recommendation goes a long way here, because so many producers sell so much of their wines direct to the consumer.

This dynamic exists on some level in most wine regions, but in Paso it seems to happen organically. I looked for signs of outcast or scorned wineries, winemakers who hated each other, pockets of cantankerousness, but I came up with nothing. I found a friendly, warm environment, and it enveloped me quickly.

A lot of California wine regions have a special relationship with their local beer scene, and so does Paso. Firestone Walker has a large facility here, with a brewery, taproom, bottling facility, and store, and their beers have a large presence in the community. Their blonde ale called 805 (after the local area code), has become the de-facto San Luis Obispo brew — you’ll find it everywhere, and you’ll see the logo on t-shirts and bumper stickers around town.

Firestone Walker does something special with local winemakers, though. The brewery hosts a blending competition every year, where Paso winemakers form pairs and get access to Firestone Walker’s extensive barrel-aged beers. The winemakers prepare blends to be blind-tasted by the entire group, and the winner is released as a vintage-dated “Anniversary Ale.”

During a dinner at Epoch Estate Wines, I spoke with a team of former winners (Jordan Fiorentini of Epoch and Anthony Yount of Denner Vineyards). They talked about their beer blending trials with passion, intensity, and playful competitiveness — it’s clear they take beer blending just as seriously as they do wine blending trials. It was pleasant to see such a respected brewer so supportive of the local winemaking culture, and vice-versa. And I think collaborative efforts like this one have the potential to create a positive feedback loop for both industries.

Eric Ponce, Firestone Walker's Barrel Program
Manager, samples a few barrel-aged brews.

Lastly, Paso’s food scene is working to keep up, because every wine region needs thriving restaurants. Thomas Hill Organics is a classic farm-to-table restaurant that should be a stop on any visitor’s trip to Paso Robles. Somm’s Kitchen is also excellent. It’s a small space with a semi-circle granite table, which allows Sommelier Ian Adamo to show off his wine, food and service chops to customers in an intimate setting. (My favorite dish of the trip was a wild boar and kale frittata, made by Paula Jussila of Kukkula winery — wow.) I wasn’t able to dig deep enough into the food available here, but I’m sure a conscientious wine tourist can find plenty of great local eats.

If you’re a California wine-lover looking for something different, Paso Robles is worth checking out. I know I look forward to going back in the near future to dig deeper, and to watch as this region continues to grow and evolve.

I’ll have more in terms of tasting notes and information about specific producers in the coming days and weeks, so check back if you’re interested. 


Cheers!


This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

Beaches and Brews in Delaware

A lot has been said, written and televised about Delaware’s Dogfish Head craft brews. Known for the unique names and labels they slap on their beers, and for the dorky founder and president Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head is one of the first craft breweries I fell for. Their year-round bottlings offer consistent quality at reasonable prices, and their seasonal offerings are always exciting. 

Their flagship brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, is something of a Mecca for East Coast beer fans, and rightly so, what with their dozen-plus beers on tap and well-priced and delicious pub food. Over Memorial Day me and a good buddy of mine headed east from DC for a weekend of beach and surf. After a full Sunday of shore-pound waves and perfect sunny weather, we decided to hit up Dogfish Head brew pub for some well-deserved beer and food. 

I tasted more than a few beers over the course of the weekend, but here are some notes on a few that impressed me.

Pearl Jam Faithfull Ale


I just had to pick up a bomber of this for my buddy, who is insane about Pearl Jam and Dogfish Head beer. "It's like my two favorite things rolled into one," he said. We knocked it back after a long day of sun and waves at Indian River Inlet. There is nothing like a craft brew after a day at the beach.

The Dogfish Head website describes the beer like so: "Faithfull Ale is a celebration of Pearl Jam's 20th anniversary as a band and its extraordinary debut album, Ten. In recognition of these milestones, this Belgian-style golden ale is delicately hopped to 20 IBUs and fruit-forward from 10 incremental additions of black currants over a one-hour boil."


I really liked how this beer's pleasantly hopped taste is accented with faint hints of currant and cranberry. It goes down way too easily, but at 7% alcohol, it won't knock you out like some other DFH brews.


Faithfull Ale is one of several bottles in the "Music Series," following the Miles Davis-inspired Bitches Brew and a beer tribute to Robert Johnson, Hellhound On My Ale.


Red & White

Like anything Dogfish Head puts out, this beer is made with some interesting ingredients. Red & White is a Belgian-style witbier brewed with coriander and orange peel and fermented with pinot noir juice. A fraction of the batch is then aged in a 10,000-gallon oak tank. The result is a fizzy, delicious, beer-wine that would wow wine and beer lovers alike.

It’s a pretty strawberry-apricot color with a light head. It smells both hoppy and sweet. The palate is a burst of hops, fruit and oak flavors. It’s got great bite and bitterness, but that’s balanced by the creamy mouthfeel. Overall, this provides a beer-drinking experience like few others. Maybe it's the pinot noir lover in me, but this is the best beer I've tasted from Dogfish Head. Complex and thought-provoking, but still  straight-up delicious. 

At $13 for a bomber, this is a solid deal as well.

Urkontinent


This beer is the color of Starbuck's coffee. And it tastes like coffee mixed with cherries mixed with English breakfast tea mixed with baking spices. There's a really toasty flavor to this wine that lingers on the finish. Despite the alcohol content (8%) and its bold flavors the beer isn't heavy or weighed down. It maintains a freshness throughout.

Somehow, this beer incorporates the following bizarre ingredients: wattleseed from Australia, toasted amaranth from South America, rooibos tea from Africa, myrica gale from Europe and honey from the United States. Its name, Urkontinent, explains Dogfish Head, "is a German word for the theory that all of the continents were once connected, is a shoutout to the worldly recipe and ideas that make up this beer."

A worldwide medley of ingredients come together in the glass and make for one hell of a delicious dark beer. This is my second favorite Dogfish Head beer of all time, just behind the Red & White.

Any other Dogfish Head fans out there?

A Northern European Beer Tour

I'll admit it, I don't know nearly as much about beer as I do about wine. But when I'm at a bar or restaurant, I usually go for a beer, preferably something local. Wine is always overpriced and usually vapid, while beer rarely disappoints. When I travel, I really get a kick out of trying local beers. So, on a recent trip to Iceland, Denmark and Germany, I tried as many different local beers as I could. The labels were sometimes hard to read, and the beer lists were frequently translated into Gobbletygook, so most of my beer selections were based on nothing more than pointing to a tap or a ordering whatever the guy next to me was drinking.

Iceland doesn't have many beers to choose from, and many of the bars in Reykjavic serve the same few selections. But what they do serve is quite good. In Copenhagen, I couldn't find a beer for less than $10 in the entire city. The dollar is worthless, apparently, so I to practically cash in my 401k to buy a draft. That said, I tried some incredible beers in Denmark. It's rare that a beer really stops me and grabs my attention, but that happened more than once while sipping beer in Copenhagen. The brown ales I had there were unbelievably good. I didn't drink as much beer in Germany, because I was there mostly for the Mosel Valley's riesling, but what I did taste was quite good. I'm not sure how many of these beers are available in the United States or other countries, but there are a few here that I will perpetually keep an eye open for. Cheers!


The Beers...

Egils Gull (draft, Iceland)
Sweet, green apple and honeysuckle flavors, mixed with a rich malty note. It has a little bit of tang, no and no bitterness. I enjoyed this beer at a place called the Cafe Paris in Reykjavic.

Kaldi Dark Lager (bottle, Iceland)
I had these two beers at an amazing little hole-in-the-wall fish and chips shack called, simply, Icelandic Fish and Chips. Fresh, beer battered cod that melts in your mouth and delicious beer... truly a great combination. The dark lager was superb and complex, with a creamy body and delicious caramel and malt flavors. The finish was full and creamy.

Kaldi Lager (bottle, Iceland)
The regular lager bottle was much lighter in body, and had much more of a bite to it. I enjoyed the pear and Granny Smith apple flavors.

Fano Vadehav Brown Ale (draft, Denmark)
My first order of business in Copenhagen, was to acquire a cold beer and a big sandwich. I found a great place called Dia Man Ten located on one of a dozen plazas beside a snaking canal. I had some sort of roast beef sandwich that seriously rocked me, but this beer was surprisingly good as well. It was a beautiful dark ruby color. The palate was bold with dark chocolate and caramel malt ball flavors. It was almost like a stout, commented my girlfriend, who, truth be told, is quite the beer aficianado. And she was right. A lovely ground coffee flavor came out on the finish. It was simply a phenomenal beer, and probably the best brown ale I've had in my life.

Ravnsborg Ale (draft, Denmark)
So, according to the translated English menu, this beer is a "brown-red ale." I don't really know what that means, but I do know that I love this beer. It reminded me a lot of an Irish red, but with more bite. It was so fresh, and had that great bitterness to it to balance it out. As far as red ales go, this is way up there, and I sure hope I can find some of this in the States.

Jacobsen Brown Ale (draft, Denmark)
I enjoyed this lovely brown ale on the grounds of the Rosenberg Castle in Copenhagen. Surrounded by a moat and flower garden, it was quite a beautiful spot to enjoy a beer on a warm September day. This beer is apparently made by the Carlsberg Group. Malty, dark bread aromas. The palate is really malt-driven, with lots of dark rye bread flavors. This is so much richer and more complex than the English brown ales I'm used to drinking. The caramel and barley flavors carry onto the finish. Complex, but it maintains a freshness. If the Fano Vadehav brown ale is my favorite, this is number two.

Carlsberg Jacobsen Extra (bottle, Denmark)
I sipped this pilsner while my girlfriend walked around the Danish Design Museum. My feet were tired from roaming around the Rundetarn and half the city of Copenhagen, and this beer was a great respite. Bitter and nutty on the palate, with a very dry finish. This beer packs a punch, which I like, but it lacks complexity. It hit the spot though. Carlsberg describes this as a "luxury pilsner" brewed with German hops.

Carlsberg Pilsner (draft, Denmark)
One of my favorite go-to pilsners. Classic, as always.

Astra Pilsner (draft, Germany)
This was my first time tasting this pilsner from Hamburg. What better place to taste it than the infamous Reeperbahn. What a party town Hamburg is. I never knew it was so crazy. It's an underrated town that apparently produces a great pislner. It starts off with green apple, and leads to a strong, bitter finish, which is long. This pilsner has some love handles on it. Plus, I love this beer because its logo reminds me of the logo from one of my favorite bands, the Bouncing Souls from New Jersey.

Köstritzer Schwarzbier (bottle, Germany)
For a dark beer, this had a light auburn color. It was very hazelnut-driven on the palate, with a very creamy body. I was expecting a bit more, but this was still enjoyable.

Holsten Edel Pilsner (bottle, Germany)
My girlfriend and I drank this Hamburg beer after a full day of driving from Hamburg to Southwest Germany. It took almost twelve hours and involved several highways that dead-ended in the middle of nowhere. So I was exhausted when I finally popped this beer. After an incredibly long day of travel, this beer was like some sort of magic elixir. It was crisp and tangy, with gorgeous green apple flavors. It had a smoothness and creaminess that I don't usually get from pilsners. This was a beer to remember, and one of my favorites from the trip.

Astra URTYP (bottle, Germany)
This beer is made at the Hamburg harbor by Carlsberg, which apparently has its fingers in some Deutsche breweries as well. This pilsner had a creamy body, with lots of golden apple flavor. The bitterness is sharp, almost mouthpuckering, and carries onto the finish. I enjoyed this, but my girlfriend thought it was a little overdone.