Finding Bubbles in Paso Robles

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!

TRYING TO CONCEIVE? DRINK RED WINE!

DEEP THOUGHTS…WITH NICOLE BERTOTTI POPE: STOLO FAMILY VINEYARDS

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

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!

How to Open Champagne Bottles

The unsung Wine Warrior, Tempranillo

Tempranillo 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 similarities 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.

The Wine Season Turns with the arrival of Veraison

Veraison, an annual benchmark in the winegrape growing season, is officially underway.

Known as the onset of ripening, veraison marks the colorful transition from grape growth to grape ripening, resulting in several changes in fruit development.  They not only change color, but they begin to increase in weight and volume as well.

Most dramatically, red winegrapes slowly turn from green to red and purple while white winegrapes change from green to a golden yellow, becoming more translucent. This process occurs over a lengthy period of time and each grape variety ripens at a different rate. Veraison marks an important turning point as the nutrients and fuel for growth shirt from growing vines and roots to growing fruit.

With harvest typically occurring 60-75 days from 50% veraison, growers anticipate that the 2016 harvest could begin as early as September, so keep an eye on the grapes.

During this time of year, other activities are taking place in the vineyard as well. Vine growth is robust and grape growers are actively caring for leaf canopies to prevent sunburn of the grapes and managing the vineyard floor to minimize weeds, vineyard pests, and hold on to the remaining moisture that exists in the soil profile. A variety of methods are used to protect the precious fruit from predators – mainly birds – such as netting, reflective mylar materials, and even good old-fashioned scarecrows!

While there are still several weeks ahead until harvest, and much still depends on the weather between now and fall,  it appears to be shaping up to be another excellent vintage for 2016 her on the Central Coast!

How the Vines make the Wine- the Annual Cycle!

How do things grow from Root to Fruit?

If you’ve ever visited a working vineyard and beheld the vines, you’ve undoubtedly heard the terms bandied about: Bud Break, Fruit Set, Veraison. But how does that seemingly barren chunk of wood you see in December become the fruit laden cornucopia of grape splendor we see in September?  To understand, we look at the yearly growth cycle of the wine vine. Come along!

Dormancy of Vines

From leaf fall to the beginning of growth in spring, grape vines are dormant and consist entirely of woody tissue. Relatively little activity occurs during this period. Root growth can still occur unless soil temperatures are too cold to support growth. Cold hardiness within rootstocks can vary depending on genetics, temperature, and temperature fluctuations. Many of the hybrid grape varieties are created to address the lack of hardiness in varieties of grapes in the species Vitis vinifera. As a result, hardiness varies considerably across varieties. In cold climates, hardy hybrid varieties are necessary for grape production

Bud Break

Bud break

As temperatures warm in the spring, stored starch is converted to sugar and sap begins to move in the vine. This can be seen on warm spring days when pruning wounds begin to “bleed”. As temperatures warm, buds begin to swell, then burst (break). The newly emerged shoots grow very rapidly, and will continue to do so for several weeks in the absence of stress. Soon clusters become visible, usually opposite the third and fourth leaves on a shoot.

Bloom and fruit set

After a few weeks, depending on weather conditions, clusters begin to swell, and soon flowers open. The flowering period can be as short as a day or two under warm, dry conditions, or as long as a month under very cool, wet weather conditions. Grapevines are still mostly reliant on stored carbohydrates from the previous season for their energy at this point. After pollination, the flowers abscise and the newly-formed berries go through a rapid period of development due to cell division. Flower cluster primordia for the following season begin to originate in buds at this time, and will continue to develop until veraison. Leaves well exposed to sunlight during this time will result in more fruitful buds in the following growing season. Once the berries are well formed, cell division largely ceases and further berry growth is mostly due to cell expansion. Many leaves on each shoot are fully expanded, and the vine no longer depends on stored carbohydrates for its energy source. For the next few weeks, shoots and berries grow very rapidly.

Veraison and fruit maturation

Photo of Veraison

Approximately five to seven weeks after fruit set, veraison begins. Berries expand further, begin to soften, and accumulate sugar. The color on red cultivars is readily apparent, while the visual indicators of maturity on white cultivars are more subtle. During the next four to six weeks, sugar, pigments, and other flavor compounds increase in the maturing fruit, while organic acids decrease and change forms. Unless there is an excess of water or fertility, shoot growth slows greatly or ceases. The bark of green shoots begins to turn brown from the base, becoming woody by the end of the period. This process is called lignification. On managed plantings, the veraison period ends with harvest

Post-harvest

After harvest, grapevine leaves continue to photosynthesize until frost if temperatures are warm enough. This is a very important period for the vines to accumulate carbohydrates for future growth. As temperatures fall, vines gradually become more cold hardy, and sugars are converted to starch to be stored for the winter, mostly in perennial structures such as roots and trunks. After leaf fall, vines continue to acclimate to cold weather, but no more carbohydrate accumulation occurs.

Want to learn more about how wine is made? Join us at Breakaway Tours and get a behind the scenes look at how it Root to Fruit, from Grape to Glass! Call or email todaymailto:info@breakaway-tours.com or 800-799-7657.

Be the Host with the Most with a Wine Tasting Party!

So You Want to Host A Wine Tasting Party….

You love wine, and so do your friends. What could be more perfect than throwing a wine tasting party? And then the questions flood into your mental picture: What’s the best format for a wine tasting party?

When you’re hosting your own tasting party there are a couple of things you’ll do differently than a professional trade tasting (sipping vs. spitting) but the basic format is the same. Most wine tastings feature four to eight different wines that have a common theme that ties them together.

Today, we’ll lay out a proven tasting format and a few wine tasting party ideas that are not only useful, but a lot of fun to try!

While there are a myriad of different techniques to decorate the table, if you have well-curated wines it doesn’t matter how the table looks. If you select wines based on a specific theme, people will pay closer attention to what they’re drinking. It also helps if you have wine tasting placemats to write on. You can make your own or find downloads online.

Some Theme Ideas for your Party Can Include:

Regional

This pairing focuses on wines from a specific area. Try 4 wines from Edna Valley or Adelaida District in Paso Robles.

Varietal

An in-depth way to understand a particular grape or varietal. Buy different price brackets of one type of wine grape (e.g. Syrah or Sauvignon Blanc)

New World vs. Old World

One of the classic old world vs. new world tastings is Napa Valley Merlot vs. Right Bank Bordeaux.

Big and Bold Wines

Compare and contrast the biggest and boldest varietals from around the world.

Elegant Wines

Compare and contrast the lightest red wines on earth. Find out what we mean by ‘elegant’

Multi-Vintage

The best way to do this is to ask for library vintages from your favorite winery.

Price Comparative

Crowdsource guests to spend less than $20 on a bottle of wine and blind taste them to determine everyone’s favorite.

Blind Tasting Party

Wrap bottles in paper bags or aluminum foil and test your tasting skills.

How much wine do I need for a wine tasting party

½ bottle per guest.

A little over a half a bottle of wine per guest is ideal. For instance, if you have an 8 person party, plan on having about 5 bottles of wine (each guest will receive a half-glass of each bottle). It won’t be too much, but enough to have a great party. In my experience, its fun to start off with an ice breaker aperitif such as Champagne or Prosecco. Nothing more festive than bubbles in your glass!

And don’t forget the best way to gather bottles for your next tasting party: Hop aboard a wine tour with Breakaway Tours & Event Planning and let the R&D (Research and Drink!) begin!

It’s Viognier or the Highway for Summer Whites!

Viognier: A White Wine for Red Wine Drinkers?

As a self -professed lover of red wine, you may ask: is there a white wine you would recommend for red wine lovers? Something with body and bollocks, that I can enjoy as the days heat up and I need something cool in my glass?

The answer is YES. The answer is Viognier.

In 1965 only a miserable 20 acres of Viognier (pronounced Vee-on-yay) grape existed in its Northern Rhône homeland appellation of Condrieu.

Amazing, since it is believed the grape had grown here for at least 2000 years, possibly transported to the Rhône from its birthplace in Dalmatia by the Romans.

Since 1965 the grape and its wine has steadily increased in popularity and in its quality, elevating it to ‘serious drinker’ level.

Condrieu is at the northern end of the Northern Rhône. It consists of seven communes located on steep terraced hills, where Viognier is the only variety of grape allowed in this appellation devoted solely to white wine. Any bottle originating from Condrieu is 100% Viognier. It is said that low yields, difficult growing conditions and late harvesting contribute to the exceptional, concentrated flavors of Condrieu Viognier.

During the 1990s winegrowers from other parts of the Rhône and further afield in France saw the mounting interest in Viognier. Initially the grape was grown to blend with other whites – and reds, bringing extra character to well know varieties, and softening the Syrah wines of the Côte Rôtie. Temperamental it may be but versatile for certain. In present day vineyards on the Central Coast of California it is increasingly being grown in its own right enlarging the range of pure Viognier wines on the shelves of specialist wine shops and supermarkets alike. Many of these wines are lighter, less concentrated that their Condrieu cousins. Nevertheless they retain something of the distinctive Viognier character of spring fruit and floral bouquet and they sell for around the $20-$30 mark …… well within the price range of most white wine drinkers.

Viognier is a remarkably difficult grape to grow. It is prone to mildew, produces notoriously low and unpredictable yields, and needs to be picked when fully ripe. If it is picked too early it fails to develop its classic aromas and rich tastes. But despite, or perhaps because of, this precariousness fans enjoy the most amazing clear, golden color and the aroma of flowers and fruits in their glass. Many are surprised by the taste; the color and nose hinting at something sweeter but the wine itself showing dry with a variety of nuances both on the palate and finish.
In appreciating the surprising dryness of this wine don’t miss out on the few bottles of late harvested, dessert wines that winemakers are producing.

This is the wine for everyone including the ABCers (Anything But Chardonnay), those are desperate for an alternative white wine that shows some character.

It is best known for its apricot, peach and spice flavors, together with high alcohol (often over the 13% mark) and medium acidity. As with many white wines it is generally best consumed young, although the classic Viogniers of the North Rhône (and increasingly wines from the oldest vines in California and Australia) can develop well for much longer.

You can drink it with many foods or none. Try matching it with spicy Thai cuisine, Chinese takeout, Mexican dishes, medium to strong salty cheeses, strong flavored fish dishes, pork and chicken and fresh fruit.

Call Breakaway Tours today to explore the amazing Viogniers offered right here on the Central Coast! Here are a few we’re especially loving now:

Ranchero Cellars 2013 Viognier, Paso Robles $30

Zaca Mesa 2014 Viognier, Santa Ynez $18

Tolosa 2015 Viognier 1772, Edna Valley $38