Whites – Paso Robles Wine

Off the beaten path

: Off The beaten path.

It’s hard to find and try new wines without just happening on the location along the road. Thus far we have to yet really get off of the highway much and explore new winery locations. In Paso Robles, if your not on the main roads you may as well forget it unless you have someone out promoting you someplace. All wine and winery’s that I’ve tried away from major thoroughfares we’re suggestions given by other enthusiast.

Pear Valley is almost the only winery that I have tried that was really off of 41, though it really wasn’t that far down Union from Tobin James, another winery that I had yet to try at the time. Pear Valley was recommended to me by a friend who really enjoys their desert wine, Orange Muscat, which I continue to return for and enjoy on very rare occasion.

There are many winery’s down Union just east of Paso Robles I would encourage you, along with myself, to head down Union sometime, there are even touring maps for Union that you can pick up at many of the local winery’s.

Vina Robles Sauvignon Blanc

Returning to a favorite I went back to Vina Robles, where wine tasting got started for me, again due to their whites, having just picked up a selection of reds and rose from Niner I wanted to off set that a bit with some whites and knew just the place. Generally it’s been the Sauvignon Blanc that I have been after when going to Vina Robles so when I walked in I knew that I was going to come away with a White 4 and hoped that the current tasting of the Sauvignon Blanc would be worthy of taking home as well.

Being the July 4th weekend even entry to Vina Robles was a bit sketchy due to the fact that they were opening their new amphitheater with it’s very first crowd. I just wanted to taste and buy some wine so I made it clear that I would be leaving as quickly as I had come as soon as I had tasted a couple of wines.

In the tasting room I approached the counter and told the host that I just want to try the Sauvignon Blanc and the White 4 before I took them home to enjoy. He was taken back by my request and applauded my effort to only faste the wines that I was interested in, instead of a complete flight, keep that in mind next time you go tasting, you may be treated to some extra wines that are off the menu but in the same category.

Starting correctly the host poured the Sauvignon Blanc first, it was impressive but wasn’t quite what I was looking for. It had a beautiful fruity bouquet and a nice smooth opening and a nice dry finish. Would be a great wine with a desert such as a cheesecake or some sort of a cream based food, maybe even a curry if prepared correctly.

Second we were given a taste of the “White 4” one of the staples of Vina Robles, and it did not disappoint at all, in fact it quickly overshadowed the fast of the Sauvignon Blanc, at this point I was certain that the White 4 would be the bottle of wine that I would be going home with. The “White 4” is a very consistent wine year to year, though it would be possible for you to just drop in and walk out with a bottle of “White 4” wine to take home. I always like to make sure that I test the wine before it makes it’s way out of the tasting room. Much better bouquet than the last and much better finish.

As a side note White 4 get’s it’s name from the blend of four wines that are used to make white four in this instance; Viognier, Vermentino, Verdelho and Sauvignon Blanc.

Following those two wines the host asked next if we had time to taste some other wines that were in the same category. Of course I would like to taste outside of the list when given the opportunity so we were treated to two other wines. 2011 Alberino and 2012 Vermentino. The 2011 Alberino wasn’t something that I appreciated and wasn’t going to be taking home, I had also just the same category at Niner and was much more impressed with the Vina Robles Version.

Last for the tasting was Vermentino an amazing wine honestly ready to enjoy as soon as it’s chilled in the fridge, given the opportunity I will make sure to keep a bottle available until the year changes and another tasting is necessary to ensure the quality I have come to expect.

Niner July 2013

When picking up a shipment it’s always good to taste the wines that you are taking home just in case you want to take an extra bottle home to share with someone that you know or have an extra bottle that you know you will enjoy again. Luckily we are able to taste from the light through the dark wines.

The only thing negative that I have to say about the experience picking up this shipment was the fact that we needed to find a time that was much more quiet as the winery was super busy, being a July 4th weekend and all I’m sure didn’t help. Niner was hosting live music, which was great for background but

This shipment opened with Albarino. Turned out to be a very citrusy wine full of tropical notes with a very pinapple type taste. From one of their local vinyards in __ It is a white with a very white type taste, more notes of taste than the sauvigon blanc read for any light fish meal accented with tomatos or other subtle spices.

Second was Grenache Rose, with some good rose color to it very taste forward wine with dry taste and very taste forward. Finish is nice and light this would be best with a good strong fish rather than a fish with subtile fravor. Might also be good with

2010 Super Paso, Primarily Sangiovese and Malbec. Good thick smell full of good sweet notes, however on taste you a greated with a very nice taste full of oak and tannen that continues to finish as great as it starts, without any after taste that leeds you to either want to stop drinking it or follow it up with another swollow for any reason other than it’s great taste. Great for any lean meet that has been cooked with bellpepers and squash.

2010 Syrah, should have some notes of smoked cloves in it, was what I was told on the opening of the bottle and poor into my glass. The build of the tastes always does well for the winery, wanting to build the taste to something more really than it usually is. The boquet in the glass was very enjoyable however the finish on the wine was more than I wanted to taste, this will be a great wine for a good meat served with sauted mushrooms and some sort of cheese. It’s pepper type finish is subtile but there.

Remembering how great the Twisted Spur was in the fall shipment last year we asked if we could taste the 2009 Twisted Spur, we were not at all dissapointed with the taste. Being much more enjoyable than the 2010 Syrah in our opinion. Though the finish was a lot more taste than the Syrah it was much more enjoyable.

So far as other good food pairings have a look here, a list of items and recipes Niner has had published over the last number of Years.

Bottles opened this weekend 4/27/2013

When you can’t decide which wines you want to open, open two instead. This would only apply if you are in a group of people that may accept more than one wine as a rule. For just me it’s one bottle of wine at a time due to the fact that it takes me nearly a week of half a glass at a time to finish a bottle of wine and the last thing that I want is wine going sour while trying to enjoy it.

The first a 2009 Niner Wine Estates Petite Sarah was made to go with a lean piece of meat, in this instance a Santa Maria Tri-tip from a local market near Pioneer, Ca. As a side note I will at some point be exploring the wines near Pioneer, Ca as I hear there are a number of really great white wines available in the area. If you are looking to make a trip to someplace outside of the Central California Coast and would like to visit the Pioneer area I would suggest a stay in Volcano at St. George Hotel, it’s a great place and really isn’t to far from Lake Tahoe if you’re just passing through on your way to ski Lake Tahoe or enjoy the Casino’s there.

The Sauvignon Blanc was equally impressive with a very fruity dry taste. It was almost sweet enough to be enjoyed as a desert wine, in fact I didn’t have any of this wine until I was into my fresh Central California Strawberries that were served as a side to the tri-tip mentioned before. I can’t wait to see what else Niner has to offer with their spring shipment of wine for the club members.

First Taste of Paso Robles Wine

My first taste of Paso Robles wine was at a wedding held at Vina Robles, what a great location to host a wedding at.

After the ceremony was a dinner catered by Vina Robles, with dinner came a great wine that I couldn’t place and couldn’t remember when I left, not because I had so much, just due to the fact that I have a hard time remembering details like this when I’m not in the situation writing it down like I do now when I’m tasting at a vineyard. Since the wedding I had been thinking about the wine and returned almost 1 year later and asked if they would be able to tell me which wines were served at the wedding, they explained they could look it up and I soon discovered one of my favorite white wines.

Since that wedding I have visited Vina Robles a couple of times, to taste their wine and take a couple of bottles home. While I usually find myself a proponent of Red wines, Vina Robles has started to turn me towards whites. Their “White 4” is the way to go and there Sauvignon Blanc, which is an estate wine, is also amazing and I usually end up taking one of each when I return.

Next time I’m there I’ll have to try another one of their whites perhaps the Viognier, which I have recently come to like from other vineyards.

Always a Joy to Taste

It’s always a joy to step into the tasting room at Vina Robles the host there is always a joy to chat with and the wine is always top notch. I am always willing to try the newest flight of the newest wines that have been release but I always come back to one of their staples. White 4 is always an enjoyable wine for me, a smooth taste ready to enjoy from the moment that the bottle is opened.

White 4 is not an expensive wine and since it is one of the Vina Robles staples you can almost count on the consistency of the wine even from year to year you can almost stop by and pick up their newest bottle without having a quick taste, however if you decide that you want to taste the wine before buying it the hoste will be glad to oblige, though a full tasting does have cost associated with it unless you take a couple of bottles home with you.