Just in the “Nick” of Time…
One of the beauties of wine is that the landscape is ever-changing. While great wineries are like the old standards of music, there are new iterations and ideas always finding their way into the refrain. New winemakers and new views are a part of the evolution of the wine scene. Being able to discover an “up and coming” winery and watch it grow into the market is part of the fun of the journey of wine.
One such winery that is on the rise is Nicora in Paso Robles. The winemaker and principal is Nick Elliott. Upon our last visit to Paso Robles, we were able to taste with Nick and learn about him, the winery and his wines. This is an appointment-only setting. The location for the tasting room is industrial, yet the setting inside is pleasant with comfortable seating around a large table. This is a great experience to sit, chat and taste through the wines with the gentleman who handcrafted each bottle. This was truly a pleasurable and refreshing journey.
The Intrigue of Paso Robles: Herman Has a Story to Tell!
We spent this past weekend enjoying the wine country around Paso Robles, CA. One of the things I appreciate about this region is the value it offers to consumers. The area has grown even in the year since we last visited, and several new wineries are cropping up and are worthy of note for Rhone varietals. (We will dive deeper into just what that means in a later blog.) The environment is low key; the tastings are mostly open to drop in and modest in price. Many may say it is akin to the Napa Valley in its youth, and that may be true. Paso Robles is a few hours south of the San Francisco Bay Area, and there are many rewards for the investment in the time it takes to get there.
One of those rewards is Herman Story Wines. Located close to the heart of the town center in Paso Robles, it is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm. The tasting fee is $10 for a flight of 5 wines. An industrial location, it is a drop-in tasting at the bar. You may find Russell P., winemaker and owner, behind the bar pouring or one of the creative individuals who work there. No matter who is there, it will always be an enjoyable journey.
Herman Story: The Rest of the “Story”…
Last week, I shared about our recent visit to Herman Story Wines in Paso Robles. In response to that post, a couple people asked for more information about the wines themselves. Well, here’s the rest of the “Story”!
Syrah is one of my favorite grapes and provides very different aromas and flavors, depending on the region it is from and the clone. It is grown in France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, Italy, and, of course, California. Syrah is blended with many other varietals and is a great stand-alone wine.
Turley Wine Cellars: A $22 Zinfandel and Now Open in Amador County!
My first experience with Zinfandel left me wanting a cabernet. Many I tried were very single dimension, high alcohol with little depth. I never had much appreciation for prunes, and many were reminiscent of that flavor profile. That is until I met Turley. Smooth, rich and easy drinking with more complex flavors – my Zin relationship changed for good, and I wanted to have more.
Larry Turley founded Turley Wine Cellars in 1993. Turley produces terroir-driven single vineyard Zinfandels & Petite Syrahs from some of the oldest and most historic vineyards in California. Each terroir lends its own character to the wines, and they are given separate labels according to the location of each vineyard. With the purchase of Karly in Plymouth, CA, the vineyards are now located in Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Lodi, Howell Mountain, Contra Costa, and Amador. In fact, at last count, there were 26 vineyard-specific Zinfandels to enjoy.
A Final Pass through Paso
If you ever get to Paso Robles, you must visit the tasting room of Brian Benson. Again, being in Paso, the star here is Rhone Varietals. The wines are deep, rich and intense. Brian is the owner and winemaker at Brian Benson. He started making wine with his father at a very young age. He worked part time on the weekends learning the craft; and, at the age of 12, made his first wine. Back then, his first wine was a Cabernet. He became the full time assistant winemaker for his father at Dark Star Cellars in 2000. At the age of 19, he started making his own wines with an initial investment of less than $2000. His success has only grown from there.
Paso Pleasures
Spending a weekend in Paso Robles can be quite rewarding. The downtown is quaint and has very fine restaurants. The hotel where we stayed, the Hotel Cheval, is wonderful. One block off the square with excellent accommodations, you can rest and recoup from a long day of wine tasting.
One notable difference in this area is the set up of the wine tastings. This is a young and growing area, so the emphasis on wine education during the tastings is in its infancy, as contrasted with Napa. The heart of what you get in Paso is good wine that is well-priced and a very relaxed atmosphere. You do not have caves and the established wine tours that are available in Napa Valley; yet the low-key, relaxed approach is really quite enjoyable.
Don’t Pass by Paso…
Paso Robles is a quaint town situated off the central coast of California. There are now hundreds of wineries in this region putting out some very well-structured, quality Rhone varietals. There are delicious reds and whites that make a trip to this town very worthwhile.
Qué Paso!?
California wines have a huge following (as they should); and, while Napa has the biggest reputation, there is another area of note. That is California’s Central Coast. There are some very beautiful wines coming out of this region, and it is especially worthy of a visit. We visited the area with dear friends a while ago and had a wonderful time.
Specifically, we visited Paso Robles and stayed at the Hotel Cheval. This is a quiet town with excellent food and a quaint town square. Our experience was refreshing and relaxing. The hotel itself was small, and the well-appointed rooms surrounded a peaceful courtyard. Chairs were set in the courtyard in front of fireplaces, and there was a nightly S’mores service. Yes – a young gentleman would come around with a cart, and you could order your flavor of marshmallow with a specific chocolate. Yum, and I am admitting right here that I sat back and let him make a S’more for me!