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.
On our visit, Cameron was our host. He learnedly walked us through the line-up – starting with a refreshing white called Tomboy (100% Viognier) to the big bold Syrahs. He led us through the wines and was not only interesting to engage but also lighthearted and fun. As it turns out, he is one of the creative staff who designs labels and provides photos for the winery in addition to other winery accountabilities.
So what about the wines? This is a winery that is never shy about experimenting with blends while also producing some excellent single varietal bottles. What first attracted me to the winery was a great Syrah titled “Nuts and Bolts.” Herman Story produces whites, Grenache, Syrah, and blends based on what is the best expression of the grapes in that vintage. And they do so consistently well. While ratings should not be your driver – your own palate should do that – the quality is there and the ratings are good. In the recent 2011 vintage, almost all were rated 90 and above from Wine Spectator.
Access to the wines may be limited, and that is the best reason I can find to make a trip to Paso Robles. Wineries will always have wine to sell when you are there tasting and hold many winery-only bottles for sale. You may be able to find these wines in a fine wine store close to you or on the winery website. Phone calls to the winery may also do the trick. It never ceases to amaze me what you can get if you just ask!
Enjoy!
