If Napa and Sonoma are the Beatles and Stones of California wine regions, Paso Robles must be Led Zeppelin. (For anyone under 30, that’s Napa/Taylor, Sonoma/Biebs, Paso/Gaga. Or something like that.)
Situated halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Paso Robles is nestled in the Central Coast’s San Luis Obispo County. If you’re good at Spanish, check your skill at la puerta when it comes time to saying Paso Robles aloud. It’s “PASS-oh ROE-bulls.” Roll that “R,” and risk getting eyes rolled at you. Though originally “El Paso de Robles,” translating to “the way of the oaks,” the Americanized pronunciation should not seem too unorthodox considering how you (and I) routinely butcher “San Francisco” and “Los Angeles.”
The area’s consumer wine production has roots in rustic zinfandel, dating to the 1920s (even though those grapes had been grown there for decades before that). But Paso Robles proved to have more potential than anyone could have imagined at the start, and as more players joined the movement, it ended up redefining itself in surprising and wonderful ways.
Cabernet sauvignon arrived in significant numbers in the 1970s, and to this day, it is the most widely planted grape in the region, covering about 40 percent of all vineyard acreage. It is also one of the wine styles the area is best known for. But you can’t talk about Paso (true fans say only “Paso” or “Zeppelin”) without talking about its penchant and knack for Rhone Valley grapes.
In 1989, wine importer Robert Haas partnered with the famed Perrin family of the Rhone Valley’s Chateau de Beaucastel to form Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles. This eventually sent Paso in yet another fortuitous direction as winemakers began to explore Rhone varieties and new producers emerged.
Today, Paso Robles is huge, home to more than 200 wineries, offering everything from good, affordable wines to some of the most respected and sought-after bottles in the state. The appellation was established in 1983, has been expanded twice since then, and now covers 612,000 acres of land, 40,000 of them planted with vines. The region is a staggering 42 miles wide, and 32 miles long, north to south, bisected by Highway 101 and lying inland, its closest vineyard about 8 miles from the Pacific Coast.
Paso generally enjoys hot days and cool nights, which grapes love, and in parts of the appellation, single-day temperatures can swing 50 degrees. Because soil, elevation and weather conditions vary so drastically within Paso’s sprawling borders, in 2014 the region was broken up into 11 viticultural areas: Adelaida District, Creston District, El Pomar District, Paso Robles Estrella District, Paso Robles Geneseo District, Paso Robles Highlands District, Paso Robles Willow Creek District, San Juan Creek, San Miguel District, Santa Margarita Ranch and Templeton Gap District. Why some start with “Paso Robles” and all don’t end with “District” is beyond me. As long as your bottle says “Paso Robles,” it will almost always be good-to-great wine at a price that is not inflated to match any market-driven brand cachet. Yet another reason to love Paso. Below are my 15 favorites from a recent tasting. Newer vintages of some bottles may be available.
WHITES
2014 Vina Robles White4. A blend of viognier, vermentino, verdelho and sauvignon blanc, offering melon, tropical fruits and lime with a creamy mouthfeel and a crisp finish. $16
2014 Robert Hall Chardonnay. Butterscotch, green apple, pear and more butterscotch with plenty of acidity. This wine is like a liquid taffy apple that is neither cloying nor sluggish. $18
2014 Cass Viognier. Floral notes, green apple and stone fruits emerge from this 100 percent viognier, which makes its way to a patient yet palate-refreshing finish. $24
2013 Tablas Creek Vineyard Roussanne. Another 100 percent varietal, this one is lush and viscous, with wood-kissed layers of honey, pear and spice that linger in the most satisfying way. $35
2014 J. Lohr Gesture RVG. A delightful blend of roussanne, viognier and grenache blanc that displays minerality, citrus, ripe stone fruits and bright acidity. $35
REDS
2013 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon. Jammy, dark fruits tempered by toast, pepper, incense and lively acidity. You were asking about an awesome cab for less than $20? This is it. $16
2014 Chronic Cellars Sofa King Bueno. This predominantly syrah-based blend is a celebration of red fruit, from a ripe cherry-and-strawberry entrance to a tangy cranberry exit. $20
2013 Peachy Canyon Westside Zinfandel. Blackberry, leather, spice and caramel notes characterize this beautiful example of the region’s heritage grape from a winery that specializes in it. $22
2013 Eberle Winery Steinbeck Vineyard Syrah. A Paso pioneer, Gary Eberle has been growing and making syrah since the ‘70s. This one offers delicious nutmeg, blackberry, minerality and mocha. $26
2013 Clayhouse Estate Old Vines Petite Sirah. Aged 15 months in oak, this single varietal is big and ripe, with plum, blueberry, black pepper, mocha and grippy tannins. $30
2013 Midnight Cellars Nebula Cabernet Sauvignon. Baking spices, black cherry and vanilla distinguish this enjoyable and powerful cab, which clocks in at 15.6 percent alcohol. $44
2012 Thacher Controlled Chaos. Mourvedre, zinfandel and grenache combine to produce a wonderfully silky wine with notes of blueberry, black cherry, herbs, forest floor and spice. $45
2012 Justin Justification. Bright cherry and black currant mingle with minerality and vanilla in this cabernet franc/merlot blend. If you normally don’t spend more than $30 on wine, this is your safe splurge. $50
2012 Aleksander Reserve. An ever-evolving ride that begins with fresh floral notes and moves through plum, blackberry, incense, red vine licorice and tobacco to a long, contemplative finish. $95
2013 Clos Solene Hommage a nos Pairs Reserve. Composed of 94 percent syrah, this inky powerhouse showed layers of blackberry, herbaceousness and spice — and only 140 cases were made. $95
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