Paso Robles recommendations for Europeanized palates?

[Jenise]

Going to be wine tasting in Paso soon, and things have changed drastically since I was last there. I don't know most of the wineries. So where would you send someone who hates jammy syrahs and monster zins? Besides another county....

Must-visit recommendations are good, and Avoid reccos are useful too. Tobin James (sorry, Bill Spencer) is already at the top of my Avoid list.

So, Linne Colado? Victor Hugo? Saxum? Come on, I need names.

sorry, Bill Spencer

%^)

No apologies needed !

Everybody's taste is in their OWN mouth !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clink !

%^)

For a European palate would be Tablas Creek, Nadeau, Fratelli Perata, Windward, and l'Aventure. They all make lean/thin/acidic/wussy wines that would appeal to a European palate!!
Actually, the Tablas Creeks are a bit more austere and less ripe than most from Paso; very much a European profile.
The Caparones are a bit eccentric sometimes but rather Italian in character (i.e. unclean/bretty).
Of more Paso style, I'd recommend Dover Canyon.
Tom

I've never been there...but..
I had a Maddelena Cab recently that wasn't over-the-top. I went through my TN archive and most of the Paso wines I've had have been forgettable.

2002 Maddalena Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles) 13% Very good cab. Ripe fruit nose with modest oak, medium body, huge fruit flavors with some mocha notes. Very chewy tannins and a long finish.

I don't know if this counts since it is made in Berkeley, but Edmund St. John Los Robles Viejos is a rhone blend from grapes grown in a vineyard in Paso Robles. It is neither jammy, oaky and over the top - nor is it a lean/thin/astere/wussy wine. More like a CdP made in a slightly modern style. Really nice.

[Jenise]

No apologies needed!

Glad you feel that way, Bill. I know they're a favorite of yours--any many other people I know--but I find their wines a tad too fruity.

Oliver--ANY wine by ESJ is definitely on any to-do list about wine I make. Unfortunately, not likely to run into Steve's wines, unless there's a tasting room that pours for him. Speaking of that, anyone know about any non-winery specific tasting rooms?

Bill, don't think I've ever had any Maddalenas. The name's familiar, like it's a producer I used to see at Trader Joe's a lot.

Tom, thanks for the names. I'll look into those. I'm only familiar with Tablas Creek and Dover Canyon, whose zin I remember liking a lot at a late 90's ZAP.

Ridge Dusi Ranch Zin if it's available.

Pipestone on the West Side. Jeff is a Rhone Ranger. He does make a Zin with others' grapes, but all the Rhoneys are his.

Sorry about how you feel about TJ. It is a nice place to visit even if you don't drink or buy the wines.

Have a great trip.

Carl

[Jenise]

Carl, friends of friends got married at Tobin James, I understand the property's lovely. But I'll be travelling with dedicated winos, so won't be time for anything but tasting and dining and of course we want to maximize our time. There are so many wineries in that area, one can hardly get to all of them in a week let alone a couple days.

Pipestone makes nice Rhone-style wines in a beautiful location

Linne Calodo is near Pipestone, but you may find their style too new world; I think they make some awsome wines

Windward makes pretty decent Pinot in some years..

I would recommend a stop at Hug.. they are right next door to Garretson... see if Raquel is there and tell her I sent you.... call ahead if possible, and they will take great care of you.. they make Pinot, Syrah, Viognier.. I think you might like them...

Since you insist on skipping Tobin James, which is a hoot of a place, then you must at least try the insanity at Clautiere

L'Aventure makes some pretty nice wines and also a great site to visit... kinda between new and old world

Denner is a new entrant on the scene.. pretty nice stuff

Saxum is there too, but that would require a phone call.....some of the best Rhone stuff available.. I'll have to open some for you some day if you haven't encounted any

here is a link to the Paso wineries http://www.pasowine.com/wineries/profiles.php

There is a wine bar/tasting room in downtown... I think its about at 11th St, but I''l check...

Nice Thai restaurant on the downtown square..

If you can get down to San Luis Obispo (it's about 1/2 hour south), you must try The Park Restaurant.. .. I think it has the best food on the central coast.... and you are one who would appreciate it ... .

[Jenise]

Jim, thanks for the reccos. I know your palate well and I value your opinion.

Tobin is a hoot of a place? What could be so hooty about it that would overcome my aversion to their style of wines? (A friend emailed today that "All they make there is dessert wines, only nobody knows it." Which made me laugh at loud.) Tell me more about Clautiere.

I've had Windward pinots but mostly none of the others you mention (including Saxum). L'Aventure was already on my list. I had one Linne Colado, Eric Anderson brought it one night when we all ate together in Tustin at a restaurant near the Black Sheep. I remember being quite impressed with it. Anyway, thanks for the reccomendations.

Clautiere makes some interesting wines, but you have to dress up when you get there in wig, hat, other stuff.. it's just kind of silly and.. well.. stupid fun.. .

I can't believe you haven't had a Saxum.. how about Alban? Both, great producers...

I do hope you will go out of your way (if it is), to try The Park.... the food is amazing.

l'Aventure. They all make lean/thin/acidic/wussy wines that would appeal to a European palate!!

Tom, I have to disagree with you about L'Aventure. There's nothing thin, lean or acidic about these wines. In fact, the only thing European about them is their owner. And even he seems to have left his nationality in France.


Prost!
Bill

[Jenise]

Nope, no Saxum. But definitely Alban--I really admire and respect Alban wines, they're among the few California syrahs I've really liked.

My two cents worth...


Try these Paso/Tempelton area wineries:

Wild Horse [Excellent reds, top to bottom]

Fratelli-Perata [Very nice Italian style Zins]

Caprone [Excellent Italian style reds; unfiltered, unfined]

Mastantuono [Unfiltered, unfined...worth a try]

Adelaida [Zins are fabulous, IMHO]

Castoro Cellars [Best Syrah on the Central Coast, IMHO; a nice Viognier, too]

Eberle Winery [In the caves, they often do barrel tastings; very nice Cabs, IMHO]

Meridian Vineyards [Fuller Zins, but not over powering]

Tobin James [hint: Don't believe everything you hear...the Kid's alright.]


Down in San Luis Obispo:

Edna Valley Vinyards [Excellent Pinots!]

Claiborne and Churchill [Dry whites; Reisling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat]

I've had an Eberle Zin (Steinbeck Vineyard) that I liked as a tasting glass but wasn't thrilled with for a whole bottle at home. It struck me as one that satisfies more in small portions. I haven't tried their Cabs so they may be better.

l'Aventure. They all make lean/thin/acidic/wussy wines that would appeal to a European palate!!

Tom, I have to disagree with you about L'Aventure. There's nothing thin, lean or acidic about these wines. In fact, the only thing European about them is their owner. And even he seems to have left his nationality in France.


Prost!
Bill

Bill, that was TomHill'S attempt at humor - I'm sure he knows that L'Adventure is making some of the best wine in Paso.

Jenise - I'm afraid you're not going to find all that much that is going to sing to a Europeanized palate. The majority of the wine being made in Paso (of what I've had) is styled differently, as you probably know. All I can say is, when in Paso............. I think you have to visit Paso's better producers, and enjoy the wine for what it is - because they are making some dandy stuff up there.
That said - there is stuff that you will like - Tablas is already on your list - and definitely visit L'Adventure. Someone else mentioned Hug - I think it is worth a visit.

Enjoy the trip.

[Jenise]

Tim, thanks for the list. Some of the wineries I am familiar with, some not. Wild Horse is a fond old favorite, for instance. But Tobin James--that's not hearsay I'm acting on, I come by my dislike honestly. Friends used to be in their wine club and I dreaded them ever showing up with those wines. Then last April I was at a blind tasting of 18 mostly-California Syrahs. Here, read about it, and see flight #2: Link to tasting report. The winery has a lot of fans, but I'll never be one of them.

John, you're absolutely right: it's Paso, and I don't expect Paso wines to deny their origins, I was just trying so hard to avoid the Tobin James style that I (as usual) risked over-correcting in phrasing my request. Thanks for the recommendations.

Fair enough, Jenise.

I can't fault you on your own particular tatses.

But "Very Paso" is something of a misnomer, IMHO.

Jenise,
Speaking as someone who's usually accused of having a Europeanized palate myself, I can tell you what wineries I like in Paso:

Tablas Creek -- a must, not least of which for their tour
Linne Calodo -- good Syrah, not likely to be mistaken for Cote-Rotie, though
L'Aventure -- Stephan makes some interesting wines, somewhere in between traditional and International in style

to avoid:
Garretson -- totally OTT wines (which I can appreciate, but not your style)
Turley -- need I say more?

HTH
Mark Lipton