• Blog
  • About Me
    • Press Release
  • Back Road Wineries
    • California Wine Trail
    • Tuscany Wine Trail
    • Baja California Wine Trail
  • Wine A Bit ~ Editorial & Reviews
  • Contact Me

UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

Paso Robles’ Fratelli Perata Winery Is Fantastico

April 12, 2014 by Deborah Mines

IMG_6705 Calling all Italophiles… For truly authentic Italian wines, head for Fratelli Perata Winery off West Highway 46 in Paso Robles.  Family run by brothers, Gino and Joe Perata, the craft of winemaking dates back to their paternal grandfather and great-uncle in Genoa, Italy.

IMG_6701

Fratelli Perata Winery (translates to Perata Brothers) graces 31 hilltop acres on the north end of Paso Robles.  Situated in the renown Templeton Wind Gap, the winds blow straight from the ocean across the vineyards, bathing and cooling the grapes with the perfect amount of moisture.  A long growing season with hot sunny days and cool nights make this the perfect place for the Italian varietal grapes.

IMG_6699

Fratelli Perata is dry-farmed, meaning no supplemental irrigation.  With the current drought conditions, the harvest crop size is expected to be half of the normal production for 2014.  Barbera, Sangiovese, Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Malfalda, Charbono, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Petit Sirah and Cabernet Franc are all estate grown grapes at Fratelli Perata.  Each wine is handcrafted, aged in new oak barrels and is representative of a different region in Italy.Cab

IMG_6706

Fair warning….Fratelli Perata Winery’s tasting room is cozy.  There’s a small tasting bar,  a hand painted fresco on the wall depicting the Perata family in the Italian countryside, and stacks of wine barrels from floor to ceiling.  Either Carol Perata or daughters Cathy or Joanne, man the tasting bar and are always happy to share the Perata family winemaking history with newcomers.

IMG_6708

Fratelli Perata‘s tasting menu is very comprehensive with seven varietals.  Tastings begin with the light peppery 2011 Zinfandel, moving onto the 2011 Bel’ Bruzzo, comprised of 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grapes found in Central Italy.  Next, is my personal favorite, the 2011 Charbono,  a native grape of northwestern Italy, which produces a light-bodied fruit forward red wine, similar to a California Pinot Noir.

IMG_6703Additional current releases include the 2011 Barbera,  2010 Cabernet Sauvignon,  2010 Merlot and the 2010 Petit Sirah.  There are also a number of impressive Library Wines available for purchase.  

When the weekend crowds converge, head outside to the bocce courts or stroll around the grounds to admire the rolling hillside vineyard views. As they say in Italy, “A Presto”, “See You Soon”…  www.fratelliperata.com

 

 

 

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Charbono, dry-farmed, italian varietals, Italian wines, Malfalda, Merlot, Montepulciano, Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, Petit Sirah, Petite Verdot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Templeton Wind Gap, Wine Tasting, Zinfandel

Comments

  1. Jill says

    April 17, 2014 at 6:30 pm

    We love Fratelli Perata, their hospitality is as top notch as their wines! The next best thing to a trip to Italy itself.

  2. Deborah Mines says

    April 20, 2014 at 8:13 am

    Well said! With all the mega-wineries in Paso, it’s refreshing to find a friendly, family-run winery with great wines.

Wine Trail Search

Follow My Wine Blog

    Your Name

    Your Email

    A Little About Me

    To many, I’m simply known as a wanderlust ~ a free-spirited adventuress with a passion for travel and a lover of great wines!Read more...

    Vintage Posts

    • Jordan Winery’s Chateau Block Vineyard Tasting Is Unforgettable November 26, 2021
    • Trending Now ~ Top 3 Wineries in Temecula September 12, 2021
    • Freeman Vineyard & Winery’s Cave Tasting Is A “10” August 8, 2021
    • 2021’s Top 10 Winery Picks off Russian River Valley’s Iconic Westside Road July 5, 2021
    • Kickstart The Weekend In DRNK’s Wine Cave June 6, 2021
    • Cannabis in Wine Country? NIMBY. May 29, 2021
    • Ojai’s Spiritual Vortex (And Great Wine) Soothes The Soul April 4, 2021
    • Book Review: The Billionaire’s Vinegar January 3, 2021
    • Book Review: Sonoma Wine And The Story Of Buena Vista November 29, 2020
    • California Wineries Are Now “Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop…” November 15, 2020
    • Russian River Valley Welcomes Visitors in Uncertain Times… September 20, 2020
    • BOOK REVIEW: A Wine Journey Along The Russian River May 30, 2020
    • US Wine Market Update: A Regional Perspective Webinar Unites Top Industry Leaders April 17, 2020
    • The Lifecycle of a Grape Vine ~ From Vine To Wine March 26, 2020
    • 2019’s “Top 10” Eclectic RRV Wineries December 29, 2019
    • Russian River Valley’s Arista Wines Earn Top Accolades From Wine Spectator September 24, 2019
    • Littorai Wines ~ A Tale of Two Coasts & Three Pinot Noir Styles September 13, 2019
    • After Much Ado, “House of Flowers” Debuts In Russian River Valley August 29, 2019
    • Best Backroads For Cycling In RRV-Healdsburg Wine Country August 16, 2019
    • Experience Cave-Aged Wines At DRNK Winery in Russian River Valley July 3, 2019
    • Best Kept Secret in Sta. Rita Hills ~ Spear Vineyards & Winery May 17, 2019
    • Spring Is An Ideal, And Uncrowded, Time To Visit Wine Country April 19, 2019
    • NEW BOOK RELEASE: Root Cause, A Novel by Steven Laine February 19, 2019
    • Discover the Hidden Wine Caves in Sonoma Wine Country December 17, 2018
    • Vin Santo Reigns In Chianti’s Medieval Hamlet of Castello di Volpaia November 16, 2018
    • Hidden Gem Alert ~ Dry Creek’s Unti Vineyards Is A “10” October 31, 2018
    • Windsor’s Notre Vue Estate’s Unabashed Views Are Worth The Drive October 20, 2018
    • Cheers To Russian River Valley’s “Uneventful” 2018 Harvest! September 21, 2018
    • Add Healdsburg’s Raford Inn To Your Wine Bucket List August 9, 2018
    • A Walk Between The Vines At Emeritus Vineyards… June 29, 2018

    Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in