Taming the Terroir of Paso Robles

By Lesley Jacobs

The locals of Paso Robles don’t take comparisons lightly.  Most of them will stubbornly state that, no, they are not the next Napa Valley nor do they want to be.  Marketing gimmicks aside, it’s not such a bad comparison. Paso Robles may not have the same climate as Napa or even produce the same wines, but it does have the openness, individuality and fierce pioneer spirit that Napa has left behind since its early years as a sleepy California wine region testing out its wings.  Now, it’s Paso Robles that is learning to soar.
Over the last decade, the region has grown in sophistication and visibility.  Still, the winemakers hold onto the simple ways of life that go with working the land.  Local winemakers tend to believe in the concept of terroir – growing only the sorts of grapes that grow well in the region.  For this reason, Paso can lay claim to being an appellation where great Rhone varietals like Syrah and Viognier flourish.
These are wines that speak of place, that romance the wine drinker with subtle layers of flavor.    Syrah is one of the great varietals, by turns berry-like and smoky, often even leathery and redolent of warm earth.   Viognier, the Rhone’s star white, is equally bold.  Almost perfumed in the nose, it goes down thick and smooth with hints of honey, pear, and sometimes flowers.  These are wines of unique character and, unlike many California bottlings, whose prices have skyrocketed, you generally get far more in quality than the price tag suggests. 
Paso already plays host to many well-established names like Justin, J. Lohr, and Tablas Creek.  But there are also little jewels – the boutique wineries — waiting to be discovered.  For the layman, a visit to these vineyards and their tasting rooms is an education in the determination of the little guy.  It’s very likely “you will meet the winemaker and the family, maybe the family dogs and cats too”, claims Jeff Pipes, owner of boutique winery Pipestone Vineyards.  This sense of family echoes in every facet of daily life.  Indeed, after the 2003 earthquake that devastated some of the wineries, local vintners quickly called one another to offer barrels, equipment and manpower. 
Dan Kleck, winemaker at Silverstone Wines, aptly captures the character of these smaller wineries.  “We are stewards of the land and shepherds of the vine, and the miracle that is wine goes way beyond the ‘winemaker as rockstar’ mentality driving most American wine production.”   Like Kleck, Jeff Pipes sees himself as a caretaker.  His English grandfather used to till the soil based on the timing of the seasons and even the phases of the moon. When Jeff married his Chinese wife Florence, the idea of seasonal growing was taken to a whole new level, applying the ancient art of Feng Shui to the vineyard, winery, and wine tasting room, aligning them to embrace good energy. 
Dan Kleck quaintly characterizes Paso as “a cowboy pit-stop along the western trail that is the Central Coast.”  But it is much more than that.  What becomes infinitely clear is the absolute individuality of these growers and winemakers.  Pipes insists that “our wines reflect the place from where they come.  Our strength is our unique character.”  Like the vintners in the South of France, the locals believe strongly in this sense of place and its influence on all facets of life. Both in its people and its wines, Paso Robles is bold, brash, and determined to make its mark.  And, when it does, like the old Sinatra song says, the locals can say, “we did it our way.”
Lesley Jacobs is the Wine Director at Valencia Wine Company and a freelance food/wine writer.  She is a frequent contributor to Wine Enthusiast magazine and her other articles have appeared in Gourmet, C, Santa Barbara, and Relish.