As a resident of Paso Robles, California, I am privileged to have over 180 wineries as my neighbors, mostly family owned. Out of this number, three of them stand out as my favorites.
Christian Lazo Wines
Located in the foothills of the beautiful Santa Lucia Mountains about 10 miles northwest of Paso Robles, off of Lake Nacimiento Dr., Steve and Lupe (Lazo) Christian are the owners of Christian Lazo Wines (christianlazowines.com). Although considered one of the smaller wineries in the area, the fruit of the duos effort produces some of the finest quality wines in the business – Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Petite Sirah and a beautiful Barbera. Their 2009 Zinfandel is special and stands alone in rewarding the pallet with an enjoyable experience.
The bottling
I am fortunate to have been chosen to help the bottling crew for Christian Lazo Wines. After crushing, the wine is stored in oak barrels in a temperature controlled building at the vineyard. When ready, Steve has the wine transported to the Vintners Vault bottling plant in Paso Robles (thevintnersvault.com) where the bottling begins. In assembly line fashion, the all stainless steel machine is attended by a crew of at least six members. At the beginning of the line, the bottles are subjected to an Argon injection process that dissipates oxygen within the bottle. It swiftly moves onto a conveyer to the filling process, then corking, sleeving (a thin metal like sleeve to cover the cork), labeling and finally packaging.
For me, the enjoyment of being involved in the process makes the wine taste even better. Steve or Lupe will give your taste buds a great treat by pouring you a glass of their fine wine; just visit their tasting room located at 840 Thirteenth Street in downtown Paso Robles. Their hours are Monday through Thursday 4:00pm – 7:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 12:00pm – 7:00pm.
EOS Wines
My acquaintance with EOS Wines is unique. I was introduced to the brand originally some 10 years ago when the winery was owned by the Arciero brothers. They subsequently sold it and then again it was resold in 2010 to the Foley Family Wines who own the company today. Since I was a race car fan and the Arciero brothers ran Indy race cars and off road style vehicles, my family and I would visit the small race car museum attached to their tasting room and at the same time introduce ourselves to their list of excellent wines. Two of my favorites are the Lost Angel Cabernet Sauvignon and the EOS Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc.
The winery is located in Paso Robles on Highway 46 East at Airport Road, about 4 miles east of downtown. When the name was changed to EOS by the Foley Family (eosvintage.com), the winery was moved from the previous location to the present address. When the location changed, the race car museum became a thing of the past but the quality of the varietals continues to be a wine tasters delight.
Sommelier describes taste
The tasting room is always fun and can be very informative. For instance, while tasting a fine 2008 Petite Sirah, your wine pouring sommelier (source – Yahoo! Answers) will explain the sometimes complicated taste descriptions such as: “Fruit forward, inky beauty, full bodied with cherry fruit, toasted almonds and espresso with smooth and round finish, leaving a lingering embrace”. The explanations can escape me but the Foley Family and the EOS name produce some of the finest wines in the world right here on the Central Coast of California. The tasting room is open every day from 10:00am – 5:00pm, closed on major holidays.
Eagle Castle Wines
Quite distinctive in its architecture, the Eagle Castle winery is designed to resemble a medieval castle complete with a giant moat surrounding the entire structure. With 750 acres of vines, the winery grows enough grapes to not only supply their own needs but that of a few other quality winemakers as well.
Soon to be Organically Certified
The winery was founded in 1999 by a forward thinking and notable winemaker Gary Stemper, plus a group of investors some of which were also wine growers. Inimitable in its design, the facility features gravity feed systems to transfer wine at different stations to eliminate pumps. As a result, the business is finishing its fourth year in a four-year plan to become an Organically Certified Winery (eaglecastlewinery.com). Dedication with passion is evident when savoring the varietals of Eagle Castle Wines.
When in Paso Robles, take a ride down Hwy 46 West about 4 miles and turn right on Anderson Rd. Turn right again at 3090 Anderson Rd and travel up the hill to the castle. Park your iron horse in the parking lot, put your sword in your scabbard, take the bridge across the moat to those huge wood doors and enter one of the finest wine tasting rooms on the Central Coast where fine dining is also available (by reservation only). Their hours are every day from 10:00am – 5:30pm. Membership in the Cellars Club is free and members receive a 25% discount on purchases.
The Central Coast of California is synonymous with great wineries but these three are my favorites.