Bordeaux & Barbeque: Proof Positive in Paso Robles

Oh my goodness, I thought. I cannot possibly drink this big, full-bodied red wine in this heat – I’ll pass out! Nevertheless, there I was, in Paso Robles during a heat wave (100˚ in the shade), on a wine tasting tour. “Oh, no, this isn’t normal for May” they said “…but it’s great practice for the summer when it’s 110˚ for months!” A pale Seattle girl, I wiped my brow, took another swig of cooling water and headed determinedly back to the bar.

I’ve been reading about Paso Robles – haven’t we all? It’s the “next Napa”, or “we hope it’s not the next Napa” as some locals say. Known for their big, ballsy red wines and with an increasing reputation (even the French are getting in on it) the area may – or may not be the Next Big Thing.

What I can say is that it’s a beautiful land, split by Highway 101 into West and East sides. The West side has the tight hills and roller coaster roads, while the East side is flatter and faster to get around. Lucky in their varied terroir, they have the heat for big red varietals, cooling ocean breezes to provide balancing acid, nutritious yet well drained calcareous soils for minerality and earthiness, and despite an aquifer that Washington State would kill for, many wineries use low water, or “dry farm” for the most concentrated flavor. It’s still the Wild West in Paso, where anything goes. While they tout their Zinfandel, they also make, and freely experiment with irreverent Rhône and Bordeaux influenced blends.

As I toured, I discovered that the Paso wines can be characterized as deliciously ripe and round, with good berry fruits, spice, licorice, and a bit of earth and minerality – a refreshing change from the straight up fruit and oak bombs produced by some of their more northerly neighbors.