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UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

Top Paso Robles Wine Trail Picks

August 22, 2017 by Deborah Mines Leave a Comment

When thinking of weekend wine destinations, Paso Robles is often overlooked.  Once a sleepy agricultural enclave, Paso Robles now touts 11 separate AVA’s (American Viticulture Areas) and more than 200 wineries.  Roughly three times larger than Napa Valley AVA, the soils are as diverse and the grape varietals produced here range from Burgundian Pinot Noir to Old Vine Zinfandel.  Vineyard elevations are between 700 feet to over 2,400 feet and are greatly influenced by the Templeton Wind Gap, which brings cooling ocean breezes to some of the most prized wine estates.

A great place to start your wine trek is at Calcareous Vineyards  off Peachy Canyon in the west hills of Paso Robles.  Perched high atop a limestone ridge, the panoramic views from the tasting room are absolutely stunning, as are the wines.

Burgundy, Rhone and Bordeaux grape varietals are sourced from three estate vineyards resulting in distinctive small lot handcrafted wines.  Still family-owned, this gem of a winery is a must visit.  Play a game of bocce ball or bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the never-ending vistas from Calcareous Vineyards.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Albarino, Bordeaux, Burgundian, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Marsanne, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Rhone, Roussane, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel

Joseph Phelps Vineyards’ Insignia Burgundian Style Pinots Amaze

August 13, 2015 by Deborah Mines Leave a Comment

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Joseph Phelps, founder of Joseph Phelps Vineyards, professes a life-long love affair with Burgundian varietals.   Years of searching for the ideal soil and climate conditions to pursue his dream of crafting Burgundian-style wines, brought Phelps to Freestone,  located in the Sonoma Coast AVA, only six miles from the Pacific Ocean.

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Originally the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes were sourced from St. Helena, Yountville and Carneros in the Napa Valley, near the original Joseph Phelps Vineyards.    By 1999, Phelps planted over 100 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Freestone area and constructed the Joseph Phelps, Freestone Vineyards Guest Center to showcase both the Sonoma Coast and the Napa Valley varietals.

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Almost impossible to miss, the fire engine red building points the way to the Joseph Phelps, Freestone Vineyards Guest Center,  situated on two and a half acres at the intersection of Bodega Highway and Bohemian Highway.   [Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Robert Parker, Sauvignon Blanc, Wine Advocate

SD Vintners Debut 2014 Barrel Samples At Fall Harvest Event

November 26, 2014 by Deborah Mines 2 Comments


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San Diego wine aficionados were invited to the 2014 Fall Harvest Wine Symposium & Wine Tasting held at the prestigious rooftop Vintana Wine + Dine restaurant  in Escondido last weekend.

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IMG_8024The symposium, hosted by Cohn Restaurant Group Beverage Director Maurice DiMarino, featured a panel of seven San Diego County Winemakers and their 2014 barrel samples.

Each winemaker presented a barrel sample and discussed the particular wine presented for tasting with the specific challenges that were encountered in the 2014 growing and harvest season.

In addition to the 2014 barrel samples, the San Diego winemakers showcased previous vintages which were available for tasting and purchase.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Montepulciano, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Petit Sirah, Petit Verdot, Rhone, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, urban winery, Vigonier

Calcareous Vineyard’s Journey To Excellence Continues…

June 30, 2014 by Deborah Mines Leave a Comment

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Aptly named for the terroir, Calcareous Vineyard is perched high atop a limestone plateau, aka calcareous soil, on the westside of the Paso Robles Wine Trail.  Situated in the Paso Robles AVA, the influence of the Templeton Gap and the Salinas valley fog and steep hillsides make this a spectacular setting for the vines to flourish.

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Calcareous Vineyard is the collaboration of a father-daughter team, Lloyd Messer and Dana Brown, who purchased the 442 acre estate in 2000.  Today, Calcareous Vineyard is woman-run, with Dana as the winemaker and her sister Erika at her side.  Their first harvest was in 2006, winning yearly accolades in wine tasting competitions ever since. [Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, wine and food pairing, Wine Tasting

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