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Central Coast Wine Insider Blog

Central Coast Wine Insider Blog

Finding Bubbles in Paso Robles

April 26, 2019

Did you know you can find sparkling wines in Paso Robles? Many think of the wine region as a place for big reds only but if you know where to look, there’s lot’s of hidden treasures in the region. One of those treasures is bubbles! There’s actually quite a few wineries in north county offering sparkling wine these days and doing a fantastic job of it. If you want a list of all of them you might want to check out Cali Coast Wine Country Websitewhich has bubble maps for all the central coast regions.

Need help choosing which ones to visit? These wineries boast some of the best bubbles north of the grade in our humble opinion:

WEST SIDE OF 101

Jack Creek – Blanc de blancs is a made from chardonnay grapes. It is wonderfully crisp with nice acidity and a clean fruit undertone. With that being said, it isn’t always available so make sure you give them a call and get it when you can!

Hammersky – Detained is more than just a cool label. Featuring soft notes of pear and apple, hints of tangerine, coconut and pineapple, This light sparkling wine pairs perfectly with a hot summer’s day and is also perfect for sipping while overlooking their beautiful estate!

Niner – Brut Rose is classically made from Pinot Noir grapes. It has great salinity, wonderful floral taste and a bold vibrant bubble. Niner also handled every step of the sparkling wine making process in house and if you want to hear about it you can read it all on their blog!

EAST SIDE OF 101

Bianchi – California Brut has lively bubbles and a fruity taste. This wine is easy to drink or would make a great gift. It’s also perfect for sitting on their lovely patio on a warm day to enjoy.

Clavo – Sparkling Grenache Blanc is made in the traditional fashion. It is very dry and would be a good special occasion popper. It also has won several medals in California wine competitions throughout the state.

Rava – Sparkling Brut features aromas of white nectarine, Meyer lemon, and toast. The flavors are that of stone fruit and minerality with a bright natural acidity. Delicious!

We know some of you think of sparkling wine as a special occasion sipper only. Luckily, there are so many reasons to celebrate the month of May and if you don’t have one yet, make one with some of these amazing May specials. We can help you find sparkling wines, interesting varietals, vineyard tours, and other hidden gems. We have something for everyone and we’re ready and waiting for you!

JUNE CENTRAL COAST WINE COUNTRY EVENTS

June 5, 2018

 

Summer Vineyard at Sunset

You know you want to spend the day in wine country!

Summer is upon us ~ Check out some of the fun in the sun!

Looking for Wine Country Events happening in June in one of
California’s Central Coast Wine Regions?
Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo or Santa Barbara County
Well, drink up!

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DEEP THOUGHTS…WITH DAVE MCGEE: MONOCHROME WINES

April 15, 2018

Monochrome Wines

Monochrome Wines, California White Wine

There are hundreds of great wineries in California focused primarily on red wines. Monochrome Wines devote all of their attention, effort and passion exclusively to white wines.  To paraphrase Coco Chanel, “To be memorable, you must first be different.”

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DEEP THOUGHTS…WITH DAVID PARRISH: PARRISH FAMILY VINEYARD

February 13, 2018

David Parrish, Parrish Family Vineyard

David Parrish, owner and winemaker at Parrish Family Vineyard has a long family history of wine making which is rooted deep in Atascadero and Paso Robles wine country. Inspired by the legacy of his grandfather Earl Henderson, David followed his passion for wine and began producing boutique wines from the vineyard in 2004.

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TRYING TO CONCEIVE? DRINK RED WINE!

January 16, 2018

According to a brand new study from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, there’s a positive correlation between ovarian counts in women and moderate red wine consumption*. Trying to conceive? Pour yourself up a glass and turn down the lights, honey! Here are 5 well-loved varietals from across the Central Coast.

 

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TRYING TO CONCEIVE? DRINK RED WINE!

January 16, 2018

According to a brand new study from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, there’s a positive correlation between ovarian counts in women and moderate red wine consumption*. Trying to conceive? Pour yourself up a glass and turn down the lights, honey! Here are 5 well-loved varietals from across the Central Coast.

*Disclaimer: Before you go uncorking every bottle you come across, remember this. This study only supports the growing theory that moderate red wine consumption (that’s one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men) does not impede a healthy lifestyle. It does not imply that drinking more will increase fertility. Five to ten glasses a month should do it if you’re trying to get pregnant. No amount of alcohol is considered safe during pregnancy.
  • Casa Dumetz Wines Solid Ground GSM – 2013 $35

From the winemaker

“Heady, aromatic and smooth, I broke my own rules when creating this Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blend. (My rule was to never make a blend.) Full of blackberry, fragrant garden roses and an earthy richness, this is now a standard in our lineup. 380 cases produced.”

  • Kynsi Winery Nocturnum – 2014 $39

“Floral aromatics of black cherry, purple freesia, molasses and toasted almond with prominent baking spice notes.  The palate is rich and round with notes of strawberry, allspice, green peppercorn and vine ripened olallieberries.”

  • Municipal Winemakers Syrah- 2014 $28

“The 2014 Syrah is dark, bold and gamy, with tons of intensity and cool-climate spice. Firm tannins support a core of pungent fruit, giving the wine much of its energy and drive. There is plenty to like here. The 2014 was done with 15% whole clusters and aged in neutral oak. And the vineyard sources? Bien Nacido and John Sebastiano. Municipal’s 2014 Syrah is a superb value, especially for a wine made from such pedigreed sites.”

  • Cambria Estate Vineyard & Winery Benchbreak Pinot Noir- 2014 $25

“Deep, dark purple in color with abundant red fruit and dark berry aromas and flavors.”

  • JUSTIN Merlot- 2015 $30

“Full-bodied with ripe fruit, and classic Bordeaux savory character and firm tannins, this wine is a complex and serious version of Merlot that announces to the world that this is a grape variety with serious intentions.”

DEEP THOUGHTS…WITH NICOLE BERTOTTI POPE: STOLO FAMILY VINEYARDS

January 9, 2018

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Stolo Family Vineyards is the only Estate winery and vineyard in Cambria and the surrounding area. Located just 3 miles east of the Pacific Ocean, Stolo is one of the closest vineyards to the California coast and uses the ideal cool climate growing conditions to produce award-winning wines like their 2014 Estate Syrah, voted #27 on the 2017 Wine Enthusiasts 100 list. 

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Holiday Cocktail Recipes

November 3, 2017

 

There’s nothing better than cozying up next to the fire with a loved one on a cold winter’s day. And while there’s nothing wrong with cocoa, it’s nice to warm up with something a little harder on occasion. If you’re looking to up your holiday cocktail game with hot or cold cocktails or seasonal punches, follow along for some sip-worthy recipes that are sure to make this season merry and bright!

 

Fall Harvest Sangria from EatYourselfSkinny.com
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 Bartlett pear
2 Honeycrisp apples
1 Orange
¼ cup pomegranate
2 cinnamon sticks
2 ½ cups apple cider, fresh
1 cup club soda
1 (750ml) bottle favorite white wine
½ cup vodka

 

 

Instructions:

  1. Place chopped apples, pears, orange slices, pomegranate seeds and cinnamon sticks in a large pitcher. Pour in wine, apple cider, and vodka and mix well.
  2. Allow flavors to marinate in the fridge a few hours before serving then add club soda. The longer it sits the better!

 

 

Bourbon Pecan Pie Cocktail from BasilandBubbles.com
Makes 1 Cocktail

Ingredients:
1 ounce Maker’s Mark Bourbon
1 ½ ounce Evangieline Pecan Praline liqueur
½ ounce vodka of your choice

Instructions:

  1. Pour all ingredients over ice and stir

 

 

Holiday Spiced Mulled Wine from JoyfulHealthyEats.com 

Makes 1 Cocktail

Ingredients:
1 orange
1 Pink Lady apple
¼ cup honey
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves, whole
2 star anise
1/3 cup brandy
1 bottle red wine

 

 

Instructions:

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a medium sauce pan or Dutch oven. Cover.
  2. Turn burners to medium heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Serve!

 

Cranberry Margaritas from GimmeSomeOven.com
Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups 100% cranberry juice
¾ cup fresh lime juice
¾ cup tequila
½ cup orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau or Triple Sec
ice cubs

Instructions:

  1. Stir all ingredients together until blended. Serve

Champagne 101 for Valentines Day!

February 6, 2017

How to Open Champagne Bottles

Don’t know how to open Champagne bottles? Don’t fret! While opening a bottle of sparkling wine may not be intuitive, it is quite easy and we will give you a few tips on how to do it best. You want to open a Champagne bottle in a way that both respects the precious beverage inside the bottle but is also elegant and fun.champagne-cheersopening a bottle of sparkling wine may not be intuitive, it is quite easy and we will give you a few tips on how to do it best. You want to open a Champagne bottle in a way that both respects the precious beverage inside the bottle but is also elegant and fun. While we recognize that not all bubbles are champagne (we have love for prosecco, cava and sparkling whites as well!) for today, we will us the term champagne to stand in for all these marvelous libations!

Opening a bottle of Champagne has a feeling of excitement and celebration about it. It is classically associated with parties, celebrations and special occasions. However, Champagne and other sparkling wines have many more purposes than just celebration. Many sparkling wines are much more versatile at table than most people realize. Champagne is a brilliant match with a number of cuisines. It shines with spicy foods like Indian and Thai cuisine. It’s bright intensity is a great foil for sushi and it pairs beautifully with rich, creamy cheese.

Therefore, Champanges, or other fine sparkling wines,  are a great choice for a wine theme dinner party or wine tasting. But before you go and plan your next Champagne tasting, be sure you know how to open Champagne bottles comfortably first!

    • To Pop or Not to Pop, That is the Questionchampagne-popping
      Most people have seen Champagne bottles shaken up and popped violently, shooting the cork across the room followed by a fountain of foam shooting across the room. While this has helped build the reputation of sparkling wines as the perfect celebratory beverage, this is not the ideal way to open a champagne bottle. For one, shaking up the wine causes excessive bubbles and the wine you are left with is under-carbonated. Also, you loose a large part of the bottle in that foam that shoots out. When learning how to open Champagne you should realize that in fact the correct way to open a Champagne is by gently sliding out the cork so that only a small hiss of air comes out. Granted, this is not as exciting and celebratory. However, it maintains the appropriate carbonation in the wine and prevents losses of your precious liquid! Some people will pull out the cork just fast enough to make a bit of a pop noise but without causing excessive foaming and loss of wine. The choice is yours, but if serving wine in an elegant way which is respectful to the beautiful wine in the bottle is your goal, then go slow!
    • Use a Champagne Bucketchamp-bucket
      When serving Champagne or other sparkling wines, they often show best when well chilled. They tend to get flabby and coarsely carbonated when they warm up. Chilling will also help prevent excessive foaming when you learn how to open Champagne bottles. A Champagne bucket is simply a large (usually metal or glass) bucket into which you put ice water and your bottle of wine. It sits on the table, or some have their own stand, and keeps your wine well chilled while you drink and discuss the wine or enjoy your dinner. After you learn how to open Champagne, we strongly recommend using a Champagne bucket when serving sparkling wines.

 

  • Champagne Stopperchampagne-stopper
    After you open Champagne the carbonation starts to dissipate. If you are quickly pouring most of the bottle at a large party, wine tasting or dinner party, or if you plan to consume the bottle quickly, this is not a problem. However, if you have wine left in the bottle which will likely sit for a while, then a Champagne bottle stopper is a good wine accessory to have handy to prevent the wine from going flat. There are different versions which can be bought at wine shops but basically they are a crown that goes on the bottle and has some mechanism for securing it to the top of the bottle. You can’t use a standard wine cork or bottle closure because the carbonation will push it up and will leak. These special stoppers hold pressure so that your carbonation dissipates much slower so that you can keep your Champagne to enjoy over a prolonged period. Keep the bottle chilled in your Champagne bucket while stoppered!

 

  • Doing the Deed
    We finally get to it! Now the fun part. For practice to learn how to open Champagne, if you have never opened a Champagne bottle before, I recommend trying once or twice at home before hosting a wine tasting or dinner party. While real Champagne can be quite expensive for practice, you can find inexpensive American sparkling wines at most markets with which to practice.

    • Opening champagne

      Opening champagne

      One important first step when learning how to open Champagne is to recognize the importance of chilling. Before opening, make sure your bottle of sparkling wine is well chilled. Sparkling beverages bubble and foam much more at warmer temperatures. I suggest sitting your bottle in an ice water bath for at least 15 to 30 minutes before opening. Alternatively, you can set your bottle in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

    • Find a kitchen towel (preferably an attractive one if you are serving guests!) and bring that and your chilled bottle to your table.
    • The first step is to remove the foil capsule on the top of the Champagne bottle. Some bottles have a tab that you can pull to cut the foil around the top for easy removal. If not, you can simply pull the entire capsule off or cut it with a foil cutter like you would for a regular wine bottle. However, note that you should cut further down on the neck of the bottle as the very top of the capsule is over the cork and wire cage.
    • Once your foil is off, you will have exposed a wire cage that covers the cork and holds it down. This cage has a little handle, shaped like a wire loop, which is bent up against the side of the cage. Pull this down so that it is perpendicular to the bottle. Twist it with your fingers counterclockwise until it releases. When it is loose you can open and remove the cage completely from the top of the bottle. Set this aside. Alternatively, some people choose to simply loosen the wire cage but to leave it on while pulling out the cork.
    • From this point on, be aware that the cork is free and can occasionally be pushed out by the pressure in the bottle. This is particularly true if the bottle is not adequately chilled prior to open. So keep an eye on it or keep your hand on it at all times. A flying cork can actually cause harm so watch out!
    • Now the important part! Wrap the towel around the head of the cork and grasp it firmly with your left hand, holding the body of the bottle in your right hand.
    • With your right hand and the base of the bottle steadied against your hip or the side of your body, slowly begin to twist the bottle while holding the cork still and providing some counter-traction with your left hand. As you twist, slowly increase the distance between your hands so that the cork twists out slowly. This should all be done in a slow and controlled manner so that the cork does not pop out too fast.
    • As you get to the end of the cork, slow your pulling and twisting so that the last bit of cork comes out very slowly and in a controlled manner. It actually helps to slightly resist the cork’s movement out and try to push it back in. This will help slow its exit so that it comes out gently. In this way you can limit the escape of air to a faint hiss. Be sure at this point that the bottle is angled upward somewhat so that when the cork does come out you are not pouring wine all over the floor or yourself! As it comes free, return the bottle to a fully upright position and return gently to your Champagne bucket or serve immediately!

If you’ve never enjoyed Champagne before and don’t know how to open a Champagne bottle it may seem daunting, but just give it a try. Good sparkling wine is a thing of beauty. Besides being fun, romantic and celebratory, it just tastes good and compliments a wide range of cuisines. Enjoy!

 

The unsung Wine Warrior, Tempranillo

August 12, 2016

tempranillo grapesTempranillo is one of the world’s greatest wines, but one that sadly is too often overlooked by many wine enthusiasts.

Capable of great aging, the winemakers of Spain have been aging these wines ten or more years before releasing them to the public for consumption for centuries.  These are wines of wonderful complexity and finesse when they mature and can be an absolute joy when you find a good one. The most common fine red wine grape used in Spain, it is arguably at its best in Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions with references to its production found in literature from as far back as the 13th century. It is also widely used in the Duaro region of Portugal where it is known as Tinto Roriz and a major grape used in Port wine blends. None of this is lost on many of the winemakers of California who have been searching around the world for grapes that do well in the Mediterranean climate found here, and Tempranillo was a natural. This is a grape that has an affinity for mountainous terrains as well as areas that offer a great diurnal shift (the difference between the hottest and coolest part of the day- Hello Paso Robles!!) The grape first made its way to California in the early 1900s, but was planted in areas not ideal for vineyards and some particularly prone to Phylloxera, causing significant issues with its continued cultivation. Often used as part of inexpensive red wine blends it didn’t receive fine wine status here until the last ten years or so when it was finally planted to the regions that support it’s viticultural requirements.

Cultivation: A thick skinned black grape that forms fairly tight clusters, Tempranillo is particularly susceptible to pests and mildew. Luckily it is a grape that buds late and ripens early. providing less opportunity to be affected by inclement weather. One unfortunate feature of the grape is that it swells in humid weather, negatively impacting its color and flavor intensity. The good acidity levels demanded of a well made version of this wine requires that its tendency to lower acidity be mitigated by growing it in locations with significant daily temperature swings and blending it with another red wine to ensure its aging ability. This is a vine that particularly likes chalky or calcareous sandy soils or iron rich clays, preferably located on hillsides. Besides California, Portugal, and Spain, Tempranillo is often found in southern France, Chile and Argentina.

Flavor Profiles: Flavor profiles and winemaking style can vary significantly between its home in Spain and the versions being made in California. However, there are some significant similaritiestempranillo vines such as red cherries, strawberries, red berries and red plum, as well as a propensity towards an herbal quality, often dill. Both versions often contain the essence of tobacco, vanilla, leather, coffee and tea. The American version can often be quite full bodied wines with significant up front fruit and can resemble a Cabernet Sauvignon with less tannin and generally more acidity. The Spanish versions are generally aged in old American oak and tend towards great vanilla flavor and an earthiness that is less evident in American versions. Aged Rioja versions tend more towards elegant and earthy and can be quite delicate if older making them more reminiscent of a Burgundian Pinot.

Wine Pairing Considerations: Pair Tempranillo with similar foods that you would pair with Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. It works beautifully with lamb and beef, but because of its good acidity when made well and not overpowering body; can work with bolder fish such as salmon and ahi. A perfect bridge ingredient is dill, an herbal quality often found in the nose of the wine, as well as mushrooms with that great earthiness they share with the wine. Also consider using it with sausage, roast pork and most styles of chicken.

Major California Growing Regions: Clarksburg, Lodi, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Sierra Foothills, Sonoma County.

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