Most of the grapes have been harvested and the reports
are generally coming in as much less crop than typical but also concentrated
flavors that should turn into an excellent vintage for the Central Coast. With
the ongoing lack of rain, this was to be expected. And as the weather has
cooled just a bit, it is a busy time for wineries getting all the juice
fermented and dealing with tourists who love the harvest season.
Coming up November 5-7 is the
Garagiste Festival at the Paso
Robles Events Center with side bar events at local restaurants. For ticket
options and details on the event, see www.garagistefestival.com. There are full
weekend passes, dinner on the 5th, main tasting, seminars and party involved
and the group sent word out yesterday that the full pass tickets were selling
out quickly. If not familiar with the
movement, the name of which comes via people making wine (starting with
Bordeaux allegedly) in small batches in their garage. All the wineries
participating make very few cases of their offerings and are not seen on the
general market. Many are well known winemakers at larger facilities and do
their own thing on the side. It was very popular with great attendance last
year and many excellent wines were to be found. It also attracts a crowd that
is more wine knowledgeable than general wine tourists. Plus there is a personal
connection as the actual winemaker is usually pouring. Many of the larger
tastings have to put tasting room or volunteer people at the booth due to
volume.
November 6-8 has another offering for the wines of the
San Luis Obispo AVA, Harvest on the
Coast. The opening dinner on Friday night is already a sellout but the main
tasting on Saturday has tickets available. That also includes an auction event.
And so does the Sunday Sliders & Wine event. Which is included for free in
the full event ticket. Tickets and more information can be found at
www.slowine.com. This takes place at the Avila Beach Resort who has special
room rates for attendees.
I am very pleased to hear that Hospice du Rhone will return to Paso Robles next spring, April
14-16 after a few years absence. They held a smaller, intimate version of
Hospice at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee during that period and held the last
one back in September of this year. Plans appear to have been to return there
(per the resort's web site) next spring but a recent email blast announced the
return to Paso. As the Central Coast is well known for producing wines from the
nearly two dozen varieties grown in the Rhone Valley of France and the local
branch of Rhone Rangers is very active, it seems logical to promote the local
wines in the area. More details as available.
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