Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Trade Tasting

Golden Gate Club, Presidio, San Francisco, California
Tasted Sunday, July 17, 2011 by rjonwine@gmail.com with 953 views

Introduction

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I haven't made it down to Paso Robles for the last couple years, so I was glad to have this chance to check in with some familiar and a few new producers when a large contingent of Paso Robles producers, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, came to San Francisco recently. Unfortunately they only allowed 90 minutes for the media/trade tasting portion before booting us out to set up for the food and wine public event that was following that afternoon, so I had to work fast. I decided to focus on just a few reference point producers and then the ones that were new to me. A total of 31 producers were represented; I made it to 15 producers and sampled 59 wines before our time was up.

I had recently tasted through Tablas Creek's offerings, so I didn't spend time there. The reference points I did check in with were L'Aventure, Justin, Adelaida Cellars and Clayhouse. The ones that were new to me (and, in a few cases, are brand new generally) were Hearst Ranch Winery, kukkula, Opolo, RiverStar, Roxo Port Cellars, Steinbeck Vineyards and Terry Hoage Vineyards. The best of the latter were kukkula, Hearst Ranch, Steinbeck and Terry Hoage.

I find that the warm climate conditions in Paso Robles are ideal for red grapes that can take a lot of heat: Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Grenache and other Rhone varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties also seem to do well in some parts of the appellation. These were the varieties that showed well at this tasting. My favorites of the tasting, wines that I rated 91 points and higher were:
2008 Adelaida Zinfandel Michael's Estate Vineyard - 91 points
2007 Clayhouse Vineyard Petite Sirah Estate Show Pony Red Cedar Vineyard - 92+ points
2008 Justin Vineyard Isosceles - 91 points
2009 L'Aventure Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - 92 points
2008 L'Aventure Estate Cuvée - 91 points
2007 Ortman Family Vineyards Petite Sirah Wittstrom Vineyard - 91+ points
2007 Terry Hoage Vineyards Grenache-Syrah The 46 - 91+ points

For my detailed tasting notes, and more information on some of the producers, see below:

Flight 1 - Adelaida (6 Notes)

John Munch started making wine from purchased grapes under the Adelaida label in 1981. Ten years later he teamed up with the Van Steenwyk family, who were substantial landowners in the area. In 1994 Munch and the Van Steenwyks purchased part of nearby Hoffman Mountain Ranch, including most of the vineyards developed by Dr. Stanley Hoffman in 1964, which is the oldest Pinot Noir vineyard in San Luis Obispo County (older even than any Pinot vineyard in Santa Barbara County). They added other vineyards, including Anna's, where 18 acres of Syrah was planted in 2002-2003, and Michael's Estate, an 18-acre vineyard planted to heritage Zinfandel clones. Current winemaker Terry Culton was hired out of Calera Wine Company. I've enjoyed Adelaida wines, particular Syrahs, over the years. At this tasting I was most impressed by the Zin from Michael's Estate vineyard.
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Flight 2 - Clayhouse (2 Notes)

The Clayhouse Petite Sirah Show Pony Red Cedar Vineyard was my wine of the tasting. It's from a one-acre-block of the Red Cedar vineyard that was planted in the 1960s on its own rootstock. This vintage, 2007, was the first in which they bottled all of the Block 43 Petite Sirah separately, with 1.5% Syrah from Rick's Block. UV43 yeast was used. The result is a very deep and complex Petite that should continue to develop over 10 to 15 years.
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Flight 3 - Hearst Ranch (8 Notes)

Flight 4 - Justin (5 Notes)

Justin Vineyard, created by Deborah and Justin Baldwin, was sold last year to Roll International Corp., owner of FIJI Water. The Baldwins continue to oversee operations. This has been a very reliable producer more or less since their first vintage in 1987. The Sauv Blanc, retailing for only $15, was quite good. The Isoceles Bordeaux blend, usually my favorite of the Justin lineup, was good in '08, but not as good as my favorite recent vintage, which was the 2006.

Flight 5 - kukkula (6 Notes)

kukula is a brand new producer, whose name comes from the Finnish word for hill or high place. Kevin and Paula Jussila bought the Chimney Rock area walnut farm in 2004 where they have since planted 19 acres of vines, as well as French varietal olives. The grapes planted are Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Starting in '09, most of their grapes were estate grown. The results are generally good, with the best being the '09 sisu GSM blend. I don't know the reason for the apparent aversion to capital letters in the name of the winery and its wines (which are incorrectly capitalized on CellarTracker.)
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  • 2009 Kukkula Vaalea 86 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles Adelaida District

    Fresh, ripe apple, peach nose; ripe peach, apple palate with low acidity; medium finish (43% Viognier, 29% Roussanne, 28% Grenache Blanc)

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  • 2009 Kukkula Pas de Deux 88 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Roasted plum, charcoal nose; tart roasted plum, charcoal palate; medium-plus finish (58% Grenache, 42% Syrah)

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  • 2007 Kukkula Sisu 88 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Soft plum, red berry nose; red berry, ripe currant palate; medium finish 88+ points (51% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 24% Mourvedre)

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  • 2009 Kukkula Sisu 90 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Intriguing, sweet green herb, berry, tar nose; tar, tart black fruit, charcoal palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (51% Syrah, 27% Grenache, 22% Mourvedre)

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  • 2007 Kukkula In The Red 89 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Nice plum, berry nose; ripe plum, tart berry palate; medium finish 89+ points (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Syrah)

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  • 2008 Kukkula I.P.O. 89 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Berry, plum, French oak nose; smooth, oak, ripe plum, ripe berry, cedar palate; medium-plus finish (74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Syrah, 9% Zinfandel)

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Flight 6 - L'Aventure (3 Notes)

Stephan Asseo's L'Aventure is well known, and among the best producers in the Paso Robles AVA. 2008 was a difficult vintage throughout California, and L'Aventure's 2008s are the weakest I've tried. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is quite lovely, however, and should be thoroughly delicious with another three to four years of bottle age.

  • 2009 L'Aventure Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 92 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Very dark red violet color; lovely, ripe cassis, wild berry, lifted nose; tight, ripe cassis, berry palate; needs 3 years; medium-plus finish

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  • 2008 L'Aventure Estate Cuvée 91 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Dark purple red violet color; nice berry, plum, ripe black fruit nose with lift; tasty, ripe berry, plum, smoke palate, a little hot; medium-plus finish (50% Syrah, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot)

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  • 2008 L'Aventure Côte-à-Côte Estate 90 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Dark purple red violet color; berry, plum, tar, charcoal nose; roasted plum, oak, berry, black fruit palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points (40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre)

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Flight 7 - Niner (5 Notes)

Flight 8 - Opolo (5 Notes)

  • 2009 Opolo Zinfandel Mountain Zinfandel 87 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Berry, raisin nose; basic, berry, raisin palate; medium-plus finish 87+ points

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  • 2006 Opolo Syrah Paso Robles 88 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Ripe black fruit, vanilla nose; ripe black fruit, vanilla, berry jam palate; medium-plus finish

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  • 2009 Opolo Montagna-Mare 88 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Lifted, ripe red berry, cinnamon nose; ripe red berry, cinnamon, juicy, oak palate; medium finish 88+ points

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  • 2008 Opolo Serenade 87 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Lifted green herb, licorice, tar nose; green herb, licorice, tar, tart black fruit palate; medium-plus finish (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Malbec)

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  • 2007 Opolo Petite Sirah 89 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Primary, ripe black fruit, berry nose; ripe black fruit, berry, juicy palate; medium-plus finish

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Flight 9 - Ortman Family (2 Notes)

Chuck Ortman's winemaking experience includes stints at Heitz, Spring Mountain, St. Clement, Far Niente, Cain and Shafer, before founding Meridian in 1984. He subsequently sold that brand in 1988. He and his son Matt started Ortman Family Wines early in the last decade. Matt learned winemaking both from his father and from working at Castello di Gabbiano in Italy. I particularly enjoyed the Wittstrom Vineyard Petite Sirah. Their Cabernet is a good value at about $25.
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Flight 10 - RiverStar (2 Notes)

Flight 11 - Roxo Port Cellars (3 Notes)

  • 2007 Roxo Port Cellars Paso Melange 88 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Berry, wild berry nose; rich, ripe berry, wild berry, blackberry palate; long finish (71% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot)

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  • 2007 Roxo Port Cellars Ruby Tradicional 88 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Dried berry, fig nose; dried berry, fig, ripe currant, raisin palate, showing heat; long finish 88+ points (34% Souzao, 25% Tinta Roriz, 18% Touriga Nacional, 15% Tinta Cao, 8% Bastardo)

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  • 2007 Roxo Port Cellars Magia Preta 89 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Deep black fruit, tar, mulberry nose; rich, tasty, mulberry, berry, tar palate; long finish (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Syrah)

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Flight 12 - Steinbeck (6 Notes)

Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery is a new producer established by a family that has been farming and growing wine grapes in the Paso Robles area since 1884. Steve Glossner is the winemaker, who worked at Justin for eight years. The first vintage for this project was 2006. The Steinbeck family mainly sells their grapes to other producers, and claim that they use only one percent of their own grapes for this project. I particularly liked the Petite Sirah. The five-grape blend called The Crash is supposed to commemorate the rather messy 1956 descent of a B-26 into the family farm.
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  • 2008 Steinbeck Viognier 86 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Peach nose; soft, peach palate; medium finish

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  • 2006 Steinbeck The Crash 89 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Tart berry, currant nose; tasty, tart currant, tart plum palate; medium finish (72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 7% Viognier, 5% Petite Sirah, 2% Zinfandel)

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  • 2006 Steinbeck Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Poised, deep berry, black fruit nose; tart berry, tart black fruit palate; medium-plus finish

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  • 2007 Steinbeck Voice Paso Robles 87 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Earthy, tart berry, charcoal nose; brett, tart berry, charcoal palate; medium-plus finish (67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Petite Sirah)

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  • 2007 Steinbeck Petite Sirah 90 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Ripe black fruit, ripe blackberry nose; tasty, blackberry, tar, chocolate palate; medium-plus finish

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  • 2007 Steinbeck Zinfandel 88 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles Geneseo District

    Lifted, berry, herbal, apricot nose; lifted, tart berry, currant, apricot palate; medium finish

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Flight 13 - Terry Hoage (1 Note)

Terry is a former professional football player and he and his wife Jennifer purchased a 26-acre Paso Robles vineyard in 2002. They originally employed Saxum's Justin Smith to make their wines, from 2002-2004. With the 2005 vintage, and what they learned from Justin Smith, the Hoages began making the wines themselves. They specialize in Rhone blends. The only one I got to try at this tasting was the Grenache-Syrah blend, but it was very good, and I'll be looking for an opportunity to try their other white and red blends.
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Flight 14 - Viña Robles (5 Notes)

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