If you haven’t heard of Paso Robles wine country, then you’re truly missing out. It used to be that Napa Valley was what everyone thought of when they thought of California wine, but Paso Robles is the fastest growing AVA in California and shows no signs of slowing down.
Paso Robles is located in San Luis Obispo county, about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the central coast. It is home to over 200 different wineries that use this great area to produce some of the best wines in the world.
The Paso Robles AVA is divided into 11 sub-AVAs that all posses their own unique qualities. These qualities are what makes some of the wines in Paso Robles so unique and delicious.
There are over 40 different varietals of wine grown over 40,000 acres in Paso Robles, so choosing what Paso Robles is known for, in terms of wine, is a bit difficult since there are so many delicious choices. But there are a handful of varietals that are more prevalent and more refined than others.
Now that you know a little bit about the Paso Robles wine region in California, let’s talk about what you can expect in terms of popularity of certain varietals.
Most Popular Wine Varietals in Paso Robles
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bordeaux-style blends are a staple of the Paso Robles area. Over the years many of the winemakers in the region have cultivated the soil and used the climate to their advantage to create some of the best cabernet sauvignon wine in the world.
Our own Austin Hope has created one of the best Cabernet Sauvignon that has continuously been rated in the top 10 bets wines in the world by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
These wines are bold and beautiful, just like Paso Robles, and will compare to, if not outshine, any other California Cabernet Sauvignon.
Merlot
Merlot has gotten an undeserving bad reputation since a certain line was uttered in the movie “Sideways” back in 2004, but it’s definitely not a wine you want to write off just yet.
The winemakers of Paso Robles are trying to put an end to this unfair judgement of Merlot by using the climate and soil to their advantage. The Paso Robles AVA is the perfection setting for producing Merlot wine and it has helped bring Merlot back to the forefront as a wine you don’t want to miss.
If you’re in Paso Robles in the fall months, we highly recommend sitting down for a glass and making up your mind for yourself. We think that you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how delicious this wine can be, especially in Paso Robles.
Rhone Blends – Syrah and Grenache
Rhone Blends are wines that are created from grapes native to the Rhone Valley in France. When those types of grapes are brought to a different climate, planted, and used to create wine, they can no longer be called Rhone Blends, so they are given different names.
In the case of Paso Robles, you will find a number of different wines created from grapes used in the Rhone Valley, but instead of calling them Rhone blends they are referred to by the name of the grapes.
The Paso Robles AVA is great for growing Syrah, Grenache, and even Mourvedre grapes due to the climate and soil that shares characteristics with the Rhone Valley in France.
Some of these grapes can be very overpowering on their own, but by combining grapes during the winemaking process, you can create a blend that is both delicious and unique, and that’s what winemakers in Paso Robles are doing with such finesse.
Zinfandel
When it comes to popularity of grapes in Paso Robles, Zinfandel is probably one of, if not, the most popular grapes planted in the region. There is even an entire weekend devoted everything Zinfandel held every year.
Zinfandel grapes were brought to the Paso Robles area in the 19th century and have been thriving ever since. Known for it’s flavor profile that includes raisins, prunes, raspberries, and black tea spices, this wine has remained one of the most popular wines in the Paso Robles region with more than 100 different wineries producing zinfandel wines.
Visit Paso Robles
Paso Robles may not yet have the reputation that Napa Valley has, but it definitely deserves all the recognition it can get. The climate and the soil in the region are perfect for growing grapes that are perfect for creating some of the best wines in the world.
Don’t take our word for it though, come out and visit! Our tasting room experts can help you determine which wines would be perfect for you and help to find something for everyone.
We know that wine tastes vary from person to person, and while Paso Robles may be known for the three types of wines listed above, there are plenty of other varietals to choose from.