Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc

Lone Madrone Winery

wine grapes

The year was 1996. A young man named Neil Collins embarked on a journey at The Carver vineyard, producing the inaugural vintage of Lone Madrone, named after the solitary tree that stands watch over the vineyard. He was not alone in this venture; from the start, Neil's wife Marci and sister Jackie provided unwavering support and encouragement. Initially, there was no intention of this becoming more than a young winemaker’s hobby, something separate from his day job. However, things did not turn out that way.

Lone Madrone grew, slowly but surely. The philosophy remained consistent: each wine should be unique, with its distinctiveness derived from where the fruit was grown, how it was grown, and who grew it. Over time, they added more vineyards, focusing on the dramatic hills of West Paso Robles. The soil, the climate, the proximity to the great Pacific Ocean and its profound influence, and the people who chose to farm grapes in this beautiful but challenging land—all these factors played a role in their evolutionary choices. They chose to focus on dry-farmed vineyards, believing this method offers “the purest expression” of any given piece of land. This world-class terroir, once a hidden gem, has now gained broader recognition.

Galleo E&J Winery

grapes

E. & J. Gallo Winery is a family-owned winery with fifteen family members, spanning three generations of the Gallo family, actively working in the business. • Established in 1933 and headquartered in Modesto, California, E. & J. Gallo Winery remains a privately held and ever-growing company that employs more than 7,000 people worldwide. • E. & J. Gallo Winery offers a broad array of products that total more than 100 brands and include table, sparkling and luxury wines, beverage products, dessert wines and distilled spirits. • With products available in more than 100 countries, E. & J. Gallo Winery is an exporter of California wine, and imports wines from Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and Spain. Additionally, Gallo imports spirits from Australia, the Caribbean, Italy, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. 

Willow Creek Wine Co.

pruning vines in the vineyard

Willow Creek Wine Co. is a boutique winery located on the west side of Paso Robles, owned and operated by Natalie and Brian Brown. The winery specializes in old-vine Chenin Blanc, estate Syrah, and Rhône-style blends.

The vision for Willow Creek Wine Co. began in 2016 when the Brown family purchased a small ten-acre parcel on Vineyard Drive in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles. Upon moving to the property, Brian and Natalie Brown embarked on the task of rehabilitating the land, which had been overrun with underbrush and weeds. As professional winemakers, their dream was to cultivate their own piece of land and establish a winery to house their various brands. At the time, they were already producing their own projects—Emerson Brown and Rococo—and began creating wines together under the brand that would eventually become Willow Creek Wine Co. In 2019, they harvested their first crop from the property, which contributed to the development of their wine label, In Medias Res.

In 2020, they opened the doors to the estate’s brand-new production facility and tasting room, now showcasing all four of their brands for visitors to enjoy.

Cupcake Vineyards

grape cluster

These tasty little wines were introduced nationally in 2008 from California’s Central Coast and represented a finely crafted, fruit-forward, indulgent and eminently approachable style of wine. The inaugural release included Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, Adam has used his experience and relationships around the world to add seven international wines to the lineup. http://underdogwinemerchants.com/

Read our guide to Livermore Wines and Wineries

Mountain View Wines

grape cluster

MANAGING DIRECTOR - CO-WINEMAKER
Angelo Pera took over the reigns of Mountain View Winery in 2010. Angelo has increased the amount of wine being produced by adding several small, micro-vineyards (less than 200 case annual production) to the wineries portfolio. The new, ultra-premium vineyards allow the wines to showcase not only varietal character but appellation character. In total, Mountain View now has 19 vineyards currently under management.

WINEMAKER
Winemaker Philip Zorn is a respected winemaker with broad international experience. Philip has been the winemaker at Mountain View since 1990. Born in the US and raised in Germany, Philip attended the nation's top school of enology and became winemaker at a number of top California wineries. Philip has a keen understanding of California's sub-regions and the intricacies of making wines from various California appellations.

Maurice Car'rie Vineyards & Winery

Painting by Agata Zaborowski - women enjoying wine

We ate at the kitchen first which was absolutely delicious. I never ever thought I would eat some tomato bisque. Yummy. Then walked next door to the tasting room and used our 2 for 1 coupons and started tasting. Donna was a very good host and was able to be attentive to everyone. She was Explaining what all wines were that we drank. And also offered some suggestions. Nice. The winery is very nice which have a kitchen next door. 

Ultimate Vineyards, situated in the heart of Temecula Valley wine country, produces wines primarily from its 75-acre estate vineyard. This vineyard benefits from a unique combination of geological and topographical features that result in fruit with exceptional intensity, weight, and richness. Positioned in the bed of the ancient Santa Margarita River, the vineyard has accumulated millennia of sediment deposits. It also rests in a natural geological bowl, where cooler nighttime air drifts in and settles, preserving higher levels of acidity and tannins in the grapes. The ample sunshine, combined with gentle ocean breezes, helps the grapes develop deep color and sugars.

The vineyard’s soil, mostly sandy loam, offers excellent drainage but has low organic matter due to limited rainfall. To foster "Living Soils," Ultimate Vineyards enhances soil health through annual applications of organic compost, inoculation with beneficial microbes, and the planting of nitrogen-fixing cover crops. Their philosophy centers on creating a thriving, healthy ecosystem in the soil to promote better vine growth, more consistent ripening, and higher quality grapes. To achieve this, Ultimate Vineyards avoids the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides on their soils.

 

The Terraces

wine splashing in a wine glass - Pixabay

This little hidden gem is very easy to miss while whizzing past on Silverado Trail. But don't overlook this one. You won't be disappointed. Some of the best zinfandel and very good cabernet sauvignon. It is a great value wine that will hold its own against some higher priced wines. This is a very small winery with limited production and only offers a few wines. You won't find this in too many stores so you will need to make a trip out there of go on-line. 

Cache Creek Vineyards & Winery

lady in bathtub with wine

Discover Cache Creek Vineyards & Winery and the Land Bill “Poppo” Van Pelt, our father and grandfather.  Bill vowed to keep the land as a sanctuary for the elk. Several ponds around the property serve as water sources for waterfowl, otters, beaver, wild turkeys, deer, and elk. Owl boxes placed throughout the vineyard provide a natural method of gopher control. 

Hours: Daily | 10:30 am - 5:00 pm

Robert Sinskey Vineyards

wine by the fireplace - Pixabay

Fine wine needs to evolve from a distinct point of view – a self imposed discipline to navigate the siren song of temptation. Otherwise, you may wake up one day to find yourself fabricating a wine to placate a critic or fill a market segment, and discover your craft has devolved into just another recipe for soulless wine.

Having a distinct point of view can also be dangerous. It invites unwelcome criticism from those who make a career out of second guessing the methods or intent of others. Yes, dig deep enough and you can find inconsistencies or incomplete execution in anything, but this is a craftsman’s journey that will only improve with repetition and refinement. The following, gleaned from 35 years of winegrowing, are our rules for great wine from our point of view.

Tarrica Wine Cellars

wine corks and glass

Tarrica Wine Cellars is a small, family owned winery started in 2000 in the Paso Robles Wine Country. The focus of Tarrica winery is to produce value priced wines that are a clear expression of viticultural origin and varietal flavor.

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