Paso Robles Wine Tasting: Part 1

I haven't made it up to Paso Robles (The VEGAS of California Wine), until this past week. With my Grandmother living within miles of the following wineries, I went to kill two birds and experienced some AMAZING wines! Our first stop was Sculpterra at 5015 Linne Road. I am told this is on the "back roads", but no matter where you are coming from, it's worth the drive!
Not only does Sculpterra have spectacular grounds with breath-taking larger than life sculptures, their wine is to die for!

Don't even think of trying BevMo to obtain their limited release wines...you won't find it. Everything I tasted at Sculpterra however, I LOVED...which is a rare find for any wine lover! From their whites to reds, even the unusual pistachio nuts they have available...I will be thrilled to go back to this winery anytime.

The customer service was impeccable and while their entrance sign says "By Appointment" for Monday thru Thursday, we had no issue with 4 people on a Wednesday to just walk right in and be warningly greeted. Granted, it is the off season for the grape vines but it was on the day this winery was on the front page of the Home & Garden section on the local paper.

Even if you aren't a wine-lover...go for the scenery! A seemingly hidden gem holds so much beauty inside and outside! They have a monthly rotating wall for featured local artists inside along with many trinkets and gifts to purchase and one of a kind iron chandeliers which are so pretty (You have to check out the entrance gate as well...)

 

As for the wine ... there is something for everyone!

I give Sculpterra 5 Stars!

Jaffurs Wine Cellars

Wow. Powerhouse of information for the wine novice! Talk to a guy by the name of Joaquin...he seriously knows his stuff!
After finding this little place among the houses And a pet boarding place, we walk up to what looks like a warehouse. The gentleman greets us and walks us over to a table setup like a garage sale. I don't mind the simple setup and enjoyed learning what the machines all did. Joaquin took us step by step in the entire
Process of winemaking which is all done at this facility.
From where and how the grapes are grown, pruned, picked to the types of barrels, how they are smashed, etc: this guy is the real deal.
Since it was a Monday afternoon, we had the place to ourselves and had to of spent a good hour+ there!
The flight included:
2008 Grenache blanc (good for a
White)
2008 viognier (my new favorite white!)
2007 mourvedre (new to me but we loved it)
2008 syrah, Santa Barbara (didn't care for how sweet it was)
2007 syrah, verna's vineyard (loved!)

While the tasting is $10 a piece, you do get to keep the glass: which I love! I have an extensive collection growing from vineyards around California.
All in all a great little impromptu drive up to Santa Barbara!
Ps: if you want to know about the restaurants in Santa Barbara, go talk to Joaquin! He knows it all and had some great suggestions!!!

Malibu Family Wines: Tasting Room

Saddlerock Cab Sav still ranks up in my top 10 fav all time wines and recently I have spent quite a lot of time up in the Malibu mountains in/around the origins of this fine (newer) wine. A couple weekend ago I visited the ranch, I went to a tasting room less then a mile from the ranch (different wine maker) and yesterday I layed on the well kept grass of the picnic area owned by the Semler Family and known as the Malibu Family Wines tasting room.

This past weekend I enjoyed a lovely (crowded) Sunday afternoon on the lawn of the Malibu Family Wines picnic area. I somehow always end up here when least prepared! I know it gets ridiculasly crowded on the weekends, but coming unprepared seems to enhance the experience. As if I am on the outside looking in on all the families that brought their own chairs, blankets, food, games...I love to people watch and this is a nice change to the beach (just down the street) to do so without getting sand...EVERYWHERE!

There is no fee to enter the gorgeous haven of wine lovers and they encourage you to bring your own spread (which I will someday do), however, making friends with those who DID come prepared is nice too! After brunch and a flight of wines at SIP just north of Malibu Family Wine tasting room, we rolled up around 2pm or so. Parking was difficult to find, but not impossible. We grabbed a shaddy spot of grass toward the back of the lot near the horshoe pits and made friends with a group of females who had cheese, salami, crackers, chips, home made brownies, caprise salad, etc! Lucky for my always hungry friend, they shared.


Live music was a nice touch as well, but with the talent in this area I was surprised at the entertainment they had on Sunday- 2 guitar playing guys who tried to play popular songs in a more mellow fashion but just not hitting the right notes. It was painful at times to listen but I am sure not many noticed as it was not a main event, just background noise.


I will be back in the future and I would recommend to come early and prepared to spend the afternoon. The wine itself is just okay. The chardonay we had a bottle of was a little blan but for a hot afternoon we didn't want to drink a heavy cab, which happens to be one of our all time favs. We wanted to give something else a chance to stand out and while it didnt, we still had a great time. I do prefer the Saddlerock wines to the (more expensive) Semler label they offer. The Saddlerock wines come from grapes grown in Central Cali while the Semler is locally grown malibu grapes. A little misleading if you ask me since the large rock at the ranch in Malibu is known as "saddle rock"...

Sip Malibu Cielo Wine Bar

2598 Sierra Creek Rd

Agoura Hills, CA 91301

(818) 865-0440

Easy to find right off Kanan Rd! (Next to the General Store/Bikers stop)

I had heard about SIP's Sunday brunch from a friend and have wanted to try it for some time now. This past weekend I did just that! $14.99 for your choice of omelette, burrito or scramble with your choices of ingredients along with sides and a mimosa.



I gotta say, they don't skimp on the mimosa either! They made them like I make them at home, which I have never seen anywhere (all champagne with a splash of OJ for color) haha


The live music was nice and mellow and the staff was all very friendly. Their brunch only goes until 12:30 and we had just made the cutoff. Right at 12:30 the music packs up and the place emptied, leaving me and my friend all alone on the gorgeous patio. Both of us surprised it was so empty!

We stayed for a glass of chardonney after breakfast and while it wasn't my favorite, it was refreshing on a HOT June day. (A little too sweet for my liking and no bite)


I would go back but earlier next time! (or later seeing as they have a fire bit and lights strune about. Could be a really chill place!)...They have gravel as the flooring on the patio, so girls: I would be wary of sandals since the pesky pebbels can get lodged between your toes! Not sure what type of shoe would be best though because heels could be tricky on the rocks as well...at least if you fall over you can blame the rubble! ;)


PS: They should change over the brunch to a BBQ during the afternoon to keep patrons there! ;)

Surfrider - Malibu Newton Canyon 2004 Red Wine

If you want to both drink a great bottle of wine and save the ocean, try this local Malibu wine! portion of the proceeds for each bottle purchased goes to the Surfrider Foundation, a grassroots, non-profit, environmental organization that works to protects our oceans, waves and beaches. The wine itself is was a 2004 Malibu Newton Canyon Red Wine. The tasting room is at Rosenthal The Malibu Estates at:

26035 Pacific Coast Hwy Malibu, CA 90265 

There are some amazing reviews of the tasting room here

Going back to the wine itself, it is a bit spicy and bitter up front. The nose (how it smells) is very strong ! But the aftertaste is very smooth. A VERY delicious red wine that made me shiver with delight.

I found there were little to no legs/ It is quite thin in consistency. 

Winemaker Notes: Brilliant ruby glow. Cherry glaze, cedar, vanilla, and violets on the nose. Palette consists of Bing cherry, red raspberry, spice, and a touch of oak. Finish is round and subtle, balanced by firm tannins carried through the ripe red-currant and cedar ($29/btl)

RECOMMENDED, highly!

Maverick's Saloon

While it isn't a winery, it is a great place for hair of the dog!
If you go up to Santa Ynez for wine tasting, chances are you may need to get a room for the night after enjoying several flights at all the different wineries there are to choose from. If you do, you may want to have a bloody mary the following day to help ease your hangover and the ONLY place to go that I would recommend (HIGHLY) is Maverick's Saloon!
Like a scene in an old western movie, this place has so much charm and even better, strong drinks and a sassy bartender!
Best bloody Mary's within hundreds of miles! If you like em spicy, tell your bartender. SO YUM!

They also have ping pong tables set out, which I have never seen in a bar before along with a hunting game, pin ball machine, etc. They also have a large country festival style stage for live bands and I heard the saloon really fills up at night!
Above the bar there are hundreds of dollar bills pinned to the ceiling and I couldn't pass up the chance to deface some federal property and have my mark left here!

Many local good ol' boys were belly up to the bar and I would love to go back sometime to feel like a local and for some live band action.


Bloody Mary= $5


Defacing Federal Property for a chance to be a part of the saloon= $1


Watching a 4foot cowboy who looked like Freddy Krugar challenge my solider-boy friend to a game of hunt, lose severely and blame the fact he had too much respect for a veteran to win... priceless

Bridlewood Estate Winery

It is not common for me to like ALL wines on a tasting flight, but this place had the absolutely best wines in santa ynez! On a lovely Wednesday afternoon I hit up 4 wineries all with excellent service, knowledgeable staff and gorgeous grounds...but there was something incredible about the wine at Bridlewood. My favorite was the "English Pleasure" Syrah (retail for $32/bottle), which is odd for me because I am a Cabernet girl through and through.

This experience with falling in love with Syrah and their whites has opened me up pallet speaking to other types of wines. I can truly say now I am a WINE lover, not just a Cab lover!



We didn't get to really explore the grounds as much as I would have liked to, but I will be back for sure!


I think Sunwood winery was prettier in a more authentic Tuscan sense, but Bridlewood being more modern was setup for larger groups of people and was also very amazing.

Other wineries I visited this day:
Linwood (first image above), Sunwood (2nd image above), and Roblar