Recapping 2011 in the Central Coast (and beyond)

In the year 2011, Central Coast Uncorked was busy nursing a barrel of 2010 Syrah, bottling the 2010 Tempranillo Rosé, and working as a harvest assistant for the third vintage at Vines on the Marycrest in Paso Robles.  On many weekends, I was venturing north to visit wineries in Los Olivos,  the Lompoc Wine Ghetto, Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, Edna Valley and Westside Paso Robles or attending great wine tastings hosted by Hospice du Rhône, Rhône Rangers, and Family Winemakers of California, as well as participating as a guest judge in the Central Coast Wine Competition.  More importantly, I was enjoying plenty of wines from Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County and the Edna Valley throughout the year.

This year, I opted to source Viognier from the Alta Colina Vineyard in Paso Robles for my first white Rhône wine bottling.  Although this is becoming a challenging lesson in producing a white wine, I'm sure the end product will meet or exceed my expectations given the source of my fruit and the expertise I am receiving from my winemaker friends along the way.  I am hoping to bottle my stainless steel-aged Viognier in early spring 2012.

Central Coast Uncorked also took a week long vacation up north to visit wineries in the Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley and Dry Creek Valley.  One week wasn't long enough to enjoy everything Napa and Sonoma Counties have to offer, but what I experienced was enough to motivate me to plan another trip in early 2012.  Three words: Dry Creek Valley.  You must visit this wine region between Healdsburg and Geyserville in northern Sonoma County. They are producing some amazing Rhône varietal wines.

Napa/Sonoma Recommendations: Chappellet Winery (Napa Valley/Pritchard Hill), Melka Wines (Napa Valley), Benovia Winery (Russian River Valley), Inman Family Wines (Russian River Valley), Davis Family Vineyards (Sonoma County), Unti Vineyards (Dry Creek Valley), and Preston Vineyards (Dry Creek Valley).

Here's a selection of wines that I opened in 2011.  I am looking forward to enjoying some phenomenal wines from my cellar in 2012.  Cheers!

✔ = Top Pick
$ = Good Value
________________________________________________________________________________

Vines on the Marycrest 2006 Heart of Glass, Paso Robles (72% Grenache/15% Mourvèdre/13% Syrah)  ✔

Piedrasassi 2005 California Syrah

Daou Vineyards 2008 Petite Sirah, Paso Robles  ✔

Alta Colina 2009 12 O'clock High, Paso Robles (69% Viognier/18% Roussanne, 6% Grenache Blanc)  ✔

Chamisal Vineyards 2009 Stainless Chardonnay, Central Coast  $

Palmina 2008 Barbera, Santa Barbara County

Kenneth-Crawford 2006 "Four Play" Syrah, Santa Barbara County

Herman Story Wines 2008 On the Road Grenache, California  ✔

Wolff Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay "Old Vines," Edna Valley

Chamisal Vineyards 2008 Estate Pinot Noir, Edna Valley

Vines on the Marycrest 2006 Round Midnight, Paso Robles (44% Syrah, 28% Mourvèdre/28% Grenache)

Claiborne & Churchill 2009 Chardonnay, Edna Valley

Ecluse Wines 2008 Zinfandel, Lock Vineyard, Paso Robles

Adelaida Cellars 2008 Version (White), Paso Robles

Costa de Oro 2009 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County

Anglim Winery 2007 Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Barbara County

Thacher Winery 2008 Controlled Chaos, Paso Robles (42% Mourvèdre/35% Zinfandel/23% Grenache)

Tablas Creek 2010 Patelin de Tablas Blanc, Paso Robles (50% Grenache Blanc/33% Viognier/10% Roussanne/7% Marsanne)  ✔$

Jalama Wines 2007 Syrah, Paradise Road Vineyard, Santa Barbara County

Chamisal Vineyards 2008 Estate Chardonnay, Edna Valley  $

Jaffurs Wine Cellars 2008 Grenache Blanc, Thompson Vineyard, Santa Barbara County

Fog Crest Vineyard 2007 Estate Chardonnay, Russian River Valley  ✔

Claiborne & Churchill 2008 Twin Creeks Pinot Noir, Edna Valley

Kenneth-Crawford 2005 Syrah, Purisima Mountain Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley  ✔

Villa Creek 2009 White, Paso Robles (55% Grenache Blanc/35% Roussanne/10% Picpoul Blanc)  $

Alta Colina 2008 Keystone Estate Syrah, Paso Robles  ✔

Vines on the Marycrest 2010 Roussanne, Paso Robles

Margerum 2007 M5, Santa Barbara County (48% Syrah/31% Grenache/10% Mourvèdre/2% Counoise/2% Cinsault)

Jaffurs Wine Cellars 2008 Grenache, Santa Barbara County

Cold Heaven Cellars 2009 Nevertell Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills

Dragonette Cellars 2009 Grenache, Santa Barbara County  ✔

Ojai Vineyard, 2006 Syrah, Santa Barbara County

Liquid Farm 2009 Golden Slope Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills  ✔

Booker 2008 White, Paso Robles (60% Roussanne/40% Viognier)

Dragonette Cellars 2009 Seven, Central Coast (94% Syrah/4% Grenache/2% Mourvèdre)  ✔

Andrew Murray Vineyards 2008 Espérance, Central Coast (60% Grenache/25% Syrah/15% Mourvèdre  ✔

Andrew Murray Vineyards 2007 Tous les Jours Syrah, Central Coast  ✔$

Tablas Creek 2010 Patelin de Tablas, Paso Robles (39% Syrah/36% Grenache/22% Mourvèdre/3% Counoise)  ✔$

Jalama Wines 2010 Clementina, La Presa, Santa Ynez Valley

Tatomer 2008 Kick-on Ranch Riesling, Santa Barbara County  ✔

New Vineland 2008 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County

Jaffurs Wine Cellars 2010 Syrah, Santa Barbara County

Tercero Wines 2008 Mourvèdre, Camp 4 Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley  ✔

Alta Colina 2010 Rosé, Paso Robles (50% Grenache/50% Syrah)

Samsara 2008 Pinot Noir, Ampelos Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills  ✔

Tercero Wines 2007 Cuvee Christie, Santa Ynez Valley (64% Syrah, 18% Grenache, 18% Mourvèdre)

Ken Brown Wines 2004 Syrah, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley

Blair Fox Cellars 2010 Foxy Bubbles (100% Grenache, Sparkling Rosé), Fox Family Vineyard, Santa Barbara County  ✔

Dragonette Cellars 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley  ✔

Anglim Winery 2006 Cabernet Franc, Paso Del Sol Vineyard, Paso Robles

Chappellet 2009 Mountain Cuvee, Napa Valley (56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petite Verdot, 2% Malbec)

Cold Heaven Cellars 2009 Viognier, Le Bon Climat Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley

Lea 2010 Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills

Oso Libre 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles

"Balls-to-the-Wall Wine" Flows at Herman Story Wines

Hedonistic.  Voluptuous.  Masculine.  Age worthy.  These are words most often used to describe winemaker Russell P. From, but they also best describe the opulent and robust Rhône varietal wines bottled under his Herman Story wine label.  Have you ever met Russell?  Doesn't he look like Grizzly Adams?  Come on, maybe just a little?

Earlier this year, From opened a new tasting room in a commercial area on the eastside of the 101 Freeway only a few blocks from Downtown Paso Robles.  Prior to opening the tasting room, his wines were available at various wine shops, restaurants and the Barrel 27 Wine Co. tasting room in Paso Robles.  One of the great things about the Herman Story tasting room is its location.  You can get your car repaired, pick up building materials for a new shed and taste Rhône varietal wines from one of the region's notable winemakers - all on one block!  Russell may even through in an oil change or tire rotation with a case purchase.

Right now you are probably wondering who in the world is Herman Story?  If you look at the blown up photos in the tasting room and winery, you get the sense that Russell's grandfather was a renaissance man from an era were tales and figures loomed large as did the man himself.  As Russell describes him, "Herman Story was a rancher, logger, swapper, banker, philanthropist, a teller of tales, and my grandfather."

Herman Story

Herman Story Wines sources grapes from vineyards in Santa Barbara County, Arroyo Grande and Paso Robles, such as the Larner Vineyard, White Hawk Vineyard, Luna Matta Vineyard, Santa Barbara Highlands and Laetitia Vineyard.  Over the years, Herman Story Wines has received wide acclaim for its wines, which often sell out before the scores are released.  For several years, I have been collecting the Nuts & Bolts Syrah.  It'll knock your socks off and I can't wait to pour a vertical of the '06-'08 vintage in the near future.  So make it a point to drop into the tasting room on your next trip to Paso Robles Wine Country.

Wine Selections
-- Larner Vineyard Grenache
-- On the Road Grenache
-- Larner Vineyard Syrah
-- White Hawk Vineyard Syrah
-- Nuts & Bolts Syrah
-- 239 Days Syrah
-- Casual Encounters Red Rhône-style blend
-- Tomboy White Wine

Herman Story Wines
1227 Paso Robles Street, Paso Robles
(805) 237-2400
Open Thursday-Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Email: thirsty@hermanstorywines.com
Facebook: Herman Story Wines

Herman Story Wines Tasting Room & Winery

Old Glory looms large over the Herman Story Tasting Room