Paso Robles: Cali's answer to the Rhone?

[Busboy]

For years, Bobby P. and any number of other critics pitched Rhone wines as the best values in France, offering world-class wines at "bargain" prices -- and not without reason. And I checked some out and developed quite a tatse for what one friend refers to as "chatty neufs" and especially for their off-beat whites.

Yesterday I had a chance to crash what appeared to be an industry lecture/public tasting being put on by a group of Paso Robles vintners and heard a lot of the same kind of talk -- the same quality as more celebrated California appellations but at a more affordable "price point." Other similarities: use of 83 different grape varieties and a lot of Roussanne (Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastle: mmmmmmm) , Marsanne and Viognier, all of which start to taste so good this time of year.

So my questions: Should I be spending more time hunting up obscure PR vineyards (as well as Dover Canyon ) in order to stretch my wine dollar and, besides the Zins (Eberle; Four Vines for having both high-and low-end that caught my palate), and the aforementioned whites, anything in particular to keep my eye out for? I had everything from Tempranillo to Pino Noir (surprisingly good: Orchid Hill) mostly mixed with everything else, so it seems to be a difficult region to master, but well worth spending some quality time with

Thanks for any tips.

[Rebel Rose]

Absolutely you should look at Paso Robles for Rhones! (Including Dover Canyon . . . ) And to make your search easier, our local alliance website has a search function that allows you to search for wineries by type of wine or varietal.

I am partial to the Four Vines releases partly because the wines are great, the packaging is distinctive, and they have the good taste to employ my son--he's their cellarmaster. How did you like their packaging? I can get you a "Zin Bitch" T-shirt.

As far as "mastering" a varietal, you will never see Paso Robles claim a single varietal. Our appellation is geographically three times as large as Napa, and our region has east-west valleys and major wind tunnels, as opposed to the north-south ridges of northern California. Therefore, we have far more diversity in climates and topography. Although the region is not widely known for it or dedicated to its production, there is even some excellent pinot grown here, as the western half of Paso is in the Santa Lucia foothills.

[Busboy]

Absolutely you should look at Paso Robles for Rhones!  (Including Dover Canyon . . .  )  And to make your search easier, our local alliance website has a search function that allows you to search for wineries by type of wine or varietal. 

I am partial to the Four Vines releases partly because the wines are great, the packaging is distinctive, and they have the good taste to employ my son--he's their cellarmaster.  How did you like their packaging?  I can get you a "Zin Bitch" T-shirt. 

As far as "mastering" a varietal, you will never see Paso Robles claim a single varietal.  Our appellation is geographically three times as large as Napa, and our region has east-west valleys and major wind tunnels, as opposed to the north-south ridges of northern California.  Therefore, we have far more diversity in  climates and topography.  Although the region is not widely known for it or dedicated to its production, there is even some excellent pinot grown here, as the western half of Paso is in the Santa Lucia foothills.

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Do you have a distributor in DC/VA? Or do I have to break down and order on-line?

I'm always suspicious of a wine whose packaging is too cute -- all those good Burgundies and Bordeaux seem to get along with pretty boring labels -- but Four Vines pulls off both the package and the wine (I liked the Anarchy Red). I almost suggested that the gentleman pouring change out of his rather elegant attire and I'd lend him something black and ripped from my lost youth. On the other hand, the his tie went well with their less anrachic Sonoma County offerings (which they snuck in, I suppose; I like the PR stuff better).

I'm t-shirt size XXL.

[Rebel Rose]

You got it!

I'm afraid we've pulled all of our distribution back from the east coast to feed our winery club and California distribution. But don't worry . . . there's a secret eG discount, available to anyone who posts in the Wine Forum.

Oops. Forgot to mention . . . we have a famously "cute" label.

Edited March 30, 2007 by Rebel Rose (log)