Keplinger: A Favorite!
This is exciting news! For years, I have followed and loved the wines made by Helen Keplinger. My first taste of her wine was the 2006 Red Slope, a Grenache based wine that I can still recall. It was lush with mouth watering fruit – so much so that I needed to join the mailing list. It was a great decision!
I’ve written about Helen’s wines several times in the past out (check it here and here). The challenge has always been how to introduce the fine art of her winemaking to my friends. There was no tasting room, and the busy schedule of Helen and her husband/business partner, DJ, made it hard to schedule a tasting. The wait is over. This is the email they sent me! Read on, and…
Winemaker Helen Keplinger: One to Follow
People will tell you that much of winemaking takes place in the vineyard. They say that 80% of what goes into a wine’s quality is produced in how that vine is grown and nurtured. I buy that in many ways. That leaves at least 20% to the skills, abilities and palate of the winemaker. That 20% really matters. Helen Keplinger is one winemaker to follow – no matter where she is or what grapes she is working with, her wine is of remarkable quality. (See this recent post called California Women of the Rhone, which highlights Helen and three other winemakers who focus on Rhone varietals.)
I first tasted one of Helen’s early wines back in 2008. The bottle was a full throttle Grenache named Red Slope. The vintage was 2006, and I remember it well. Rich, fleshy and deep fruit flavors. I immediately went back to buy more and immediately joined the Keplinger mailing list. I have been buying her wine ever since and watching as her career and reputation have taken off. She has worked with many of the best in Napa Valley and been the winemaker for several different labels.
California Women of the Rhone
I want to share with you a video from Wine Spectator, which presents some of my favorite winemakers known for making Rhone varietals with grapes sourced from various regions in California: Paso Robles, Sonoma Coast, Knights Valley, and Amador County. In this video, Helen Keplinger, Annie Favia, Anne-Marie Failla, and Jordan Fiorentini share their perspective on Rhone varietals and talk about their California sources. Their wine is wonderful!
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.
The Hills Are Alive!
Sacramentans have great choices today as the Foothill wineries east of Sacramento continue to evolve. The federal government has designated four distinct AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in the Foothills: Sierra Foothills AVA, El Dorado AVA, Fair Play AVA, and Shenandoah AVA. Growth is abundant in these areas. For example, Amador County, which is found in the Sierra Foothills AVA, has over 40 wineries. There is much to choose from and much to explore. The journey here has only just begun.
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.