12th Annual Atascadero Wine Festival
Held annually at pretty Atascadero Lake Park beneath lovely old trees, this event costs $35 for 10 tickets. But many wineries didn't even take up the tickets, so you certainly got your money's worth.
Added attractions included artists, jewelry makers, and other craftfolk, as well as several good food vendors. We tried Caesar salads with sausage and sweet peppers en brochette from the Village Café in Paso Robles – both for only $12. The creamy polenta served with the spicy sausages was a perfect complement.
Tasters: Leah Kolt
"Wine festivals can provide an overwhelming array of choices, so I decided to focus on one red and one white, choosing port and sauvignon blanc. To avoid being tipsy by noon like last year, I resolved to contain my tasting to sips, no matter how much it breaks my heart to dump out the rest. However, I refuse to spit out what I've tasted, as I've been advised. "
Top Taste
We both loved the Petit Sirah from Victor Hugo, a small family owned winery that operates out of hundred year-old barn in Templeton. A wine so dark it's almost black, it has a deep dark-cherry flavor. We tasted the '04, which sells for $20.
Close Second
Linda loved the Aron Hill Primativo but I didn't get to taste it because I opted to sample their sauvignon blanc first. It had a very fruity bouquet and taste, grapefruity like most sauvignon blancs. When I finished and asked to taste the Primativo, the host informed me that they weren't serving it any longer because they'd brought only one bottle. There appeared to be an unopened bottle setting on the table, but I didn't press. Too many other great wines to sample and so little time!
Biggest Surprise
One of the three original wineries in Paso Robles, Rotta Winery was serving an 03 Black Monukka made from raisin grapes! The $20 wine is fortified with raisin alcohol instead of brandy because – unlike the brandy – the alcohol is flavor neutral, the host explained.
He added that it took five years to go from vine to wine! With its lovely vanilla tones, we declared it a surprisingly good dessert wine, unlike anything either of us had tasted before.
He added that it took five years to go from vine to wine! With its lovely vanilla tones, we declared it a surprisingly good dessert wine, unlike anything either of us had tasted before.
No wonder it has already won several awards this year (2007), including:
- Gold, Best of Class at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
- The Jefferson Cup at the Invitational Wine Competition in Kansas City, MO,
- Double Gold at the West Coast Wine Competition
- Gold at the Orange County Fair Wine Competition.
More Good Wines We Tasted
Malory O'Neill: At Linda's urging, I tried their Syrah, which I liked better than most of the Syrahs I've tried, which I usually find too peppery. Several onophiles have recommended the Malory O'Neill wines, because they push the envelope and take risks with their reds. The host suggested trying their pinot grigio, too, although they don't pour it all the time. If you do visit the winery, watch closely because their sign is small and the winery is not on Union road but at the top of a hill.
Stacked Stone Cellars: Linda had noticed that this winery was drawing a crowd at the winemakers dinner. So we stopped by and tried The Gem, their Bordeaux blend, a young wine that Linda thinks will get even better with age. I liked the 05 Zin Stone Reserve – Zins are their specialty – and their chocolatey 03 Port, which is made from three Portuguese varietals. "Doesn't taste like cough syrup, does it?" the host quipped. Not a bit, I responded, smacking my lips and wishing I hadn't left my chocolate in the car.
Eros Cellars: Linda likes many of their wines. At the festival, they let us try a brand new Cab that had just been bottled and won't be released till August. It tasted smooth to me. Linda thinks it will become bolder and gain complexity as it ages.
Anglim We both liked their 03 Reserve Syrah.