Uptown Food and Wine
By Ron James/ Editor in Chief
Just Call It Paso: A primer on Paso Robles Wine Country
What I remember most about the trip was the beautiful rolling hills studded with grand oak trees and, of course, the Pea Soup Andersen’s billboards with the cartoons of Hap-pea and Pea-Wee splitting peas.
Then, our young eyes spotted mostly contented cows and a few cowboys on those hills. Sometimes we would stop for gas or a bite to eat at a rough little farm town called Paso Robles, located about halfway between L.A. and San Francisco.
What a difference a few decades makes. Today, vineyards have replaced the cows and wine enthusiasts the cowboys. And the farm town has turned into wine country boutique chic with a Paso Robles twist.
Wine destination Paso
Paso Robles is now the fastest growing wine country destination in America. For Uptown wine lovers, it’s a great option for long-weekend getaways, in easy reach compared to the more distant Napa-Sonoma wine region.
Incorporated in 1889, Paso Robles was originally and still officially named El Paso de Robles (“Pass of the Oaks”). The locals shortened the name to Paso Robles and then again to just plain Paso. And the locals don’t pronounce Robles as we would in San Diego; they say it like “Row-buls.” But anyway you say it – it is one heck of a wine lover’s paradise.
The Paso Robles wine country boasts more than 26,000 acres of vines with 180 wineries and an astounding 138 wine tasting rooms. And Paso Robles, like its cousins to the north, has developed into a full on, first class wine country destination with top-notch restaurants and accommodations.
The Rise of the Rhônes
The region’s warm days and cool nights and its many microclimates and diverse soils make it a perfect place to grow more than 40 varietals. They include favorites like cabernet, merlot and even pinot noir. Zinfandel has been king for years and still has a cult-like following. Paso Robles is also famous for its Bordeaux, Rhône and zinfandel blends.
In the mid 1970s, Paso wine pioneer Gary Eberle planted the first syrah in the U.S. since prohibition. The grapes thrived and were a natural for the region. Growers began experimenting with other Rhône grapes. It’s now a premier region for Rhône varietals and blends made up of mostly syrah, grenache, mourvèdre and viognier. In the 1980s a group of Paso wine makers formed a loose organization called The Rhône Rangers to promote those varietals to a public fixated on merlot, cabs and chards.
Destination Paso
The town of Paso is a long way from the cowboy town of my youth, as a recent visit showed. Today you can take time to stroll the historic downtown to shop and dine. High-end boutiques, wine country restaurants and tasting rooms fill the blocks surrounding Paso Robles’ Downtown City Park. It’s similar to the quaint plazas of Healdsburg and Sonoma. There are restaurants and hotels for every budget.
A few months ago, we left San Diego at 6:45 on a Sunday morning, breezed through L.A., and arrived in Paso Robles in time for a late lunch. We check into the very nice La Bellasera Hotel and Suites (rates start at $179), dropped our bags in our room and immediately headed out to our first wine tasting adventure.
Paso wine county is roughly divided into the Highway 46 West Trail that leads to the Pacific and the Highway 46 East Trail on the east side of Highway 101. And then there’s the “hidden and far out” wineries scattered all over the region that include some of the most famous names such as Turley, Tablas Creek and Justin.
We only had time for a couple of stops after our trip from San Diego, so we headed west on Highway 46 in an area called the Templeton Gap which provides cool afternoon breezes from the Pacific. Most of the wineries are small family-owned affairs tucked into the hillsides along the road.
Our first stop was the Four Vines winery and tiny tasting room whose motto is “Temperance, like chastity, is its own punishment.” We met marketing guy and self-described “zin pimp” Bill Grant, who entertained us in their new larger tasting room still under construction but already decked out with Dale Chihuly glass chandeliers.
Grant is best known for his “Drink Naked” bus tour in 2008 where he crossed the country to tout Four Vines’ Naked Chardonnay. These and other attention-getting promotions have made Four Vines a destination for the young and hip who can’t get enough of their zinfandels, syrah and “Freak Show” wines only available at the tasting room. A fun time can be had by all at Four Vines.
On Grant’s advice we meandered off of the highway for several scenic miles to Villa Creek Cellars. We just about missed the corrugated metal pre-fab barn that houses the winery, owned by former San Diego restaurateur Cris Cherry and his wife, JoAnn, who also own one of the better restaurants in town by the same name.
Cherry’s small operation produces some of Paso Robles’ best blends from the area’s best grenache, syrah, mourvèdre and tempranillo. A stop here will help you understand these varietals and what great blending is all about.
While you’re on the west side, don’t miss Hope Family Wines, the most architecturally stunning wine tasting facility in Paso. It’s a modern take on a rustic barrel room with stunning views of the vineyards. They pour some outstanding Treana White and Red and Austin Hope wines. Decanter magazine named the Treana Red one of the three best regional blends in America.
The next day we headed east on Highway 46 to the land of the larger vineyards and tasting rooms to match. We met with the winemakers from Silver Horse, J. Lohr and Eberle. Each one had beautiful large wine tasting and picnic areas. And each offered its own special experience and was very much worth visiting. You’ll also find favorites such as Tobin James, EOS, Chumeia and Robert Hall in the area.
One of the highlights of the day was meeting pioneer winemaker Gary Eberle and touring the subterranean caves below the tasting room. If you visit Eberle Winery, there’s a good chance you’ll see Gary grilling venison sausage for the guests in the tasting room. Ask him how he brought in the first syrah vine stock; hint: he calls it the Samsonite clone.
Paso for foodies
Our dining experiences in Paso were on par with Napa and Sonoma. Part of the joy of walking around the town’s streets was peeking in bistros, wine bars and tasting rooms.
On the first warm afternoon we had a great happy hour at the Villa Creek, conveniently located on a corner of the downtown square. It had lots of great affordable food and wine with a cheerful, after-the-wine-tasting-tour crowd. We dined at the La Bellasera Hotel’s Enoteca Restaurant the first night on its outdoor patio, where we enjoyed a leisurely meal, friendly service and an exceptional bottle of local pinot noir.
But our most exciting wine country dining experience was at the very urban Artisan Restaurant in downtown Paso Robles. This casual yet elegant bistro was lively, bustling with the energy of diners who love the good life. Artisan is the brainchild of chef Chris Kobayashi, a 2002 graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Kobayashi scours the countryside for the best organic produce and sustainably farmed fish and meat products. Our dinner was served expertly and was delicious. California Cuisine pioneer chef John Ash would love this place – put this one on your must-visit list.
Paso planning
Paso has a whole lot of tasting rooms both small and grand, so it’s wise to preplan your trip according to your palette and sense of adventure. With so many blends and varietals available, this is a great opportunity for higher palate education. While many wine tasting rooms are open every day, some smaller ones are open only on weekends so check the Paso Robles Web site (pasowine.com) for hours, fees and offerings.
To prevent “tasting room fatigue” there’s much to do on alternate days. Just a short drive to the coast is the town of San Simeon to the north, home to Hearst Castle, and the fishing village of Morro Bay to the south. In between you will find the charming towns of Cambria, Harmony and Cayucos.
Upcoming Paso Events
Zinfandel Festival Paso Robles
March 19-21
A weekend long celebration of zinfandel. At the Zin Tasting, Saturday evening, more than 50 wineries showcase their zinfandel and zinfandel blends. More than 10 of the area’s best restaurants and caterers will be there to enhance the experience. This is a limited event; call (800) 549-WINE to purchase your tickets now. Purchase tickets before Jan. 31, and save $10 on all Zin Tasting tickets.
27th Annual Paso Robles Wine Festival
May 21-23
The marquee Paso weekend wine tasting event where wine, artisanal food and good company come together among the oaks and in the sun. The festival features more than 90 wineries pouring their best in Paso Robles Downtown City Park. Wine country cuisine and artisan foods are a true complement to the more than 400 wines featured at this music-filled celebration.
Grand Tasting Tour (San Diego)
Week of Feb. 27
Paso Robles winemakers will be coming to San Diego to showcase their award-winning wines at a series of trade and public events around San Diego. This will be a great opportunity to taste more than 150 wines from California’s fastest growing wine region. Uptown News is an official sponsor of the event – I will have complete details in the Feb. 5 Uptown News. See you there!
