Issue 5 of Loam Baby: Paso
HELLOOpening LOAMLetter BABY There has never been a more interesting time to visit Paso Robles. This sprawling, diverse region is in the midst of a renaissance across its 11 dynamic sub-appellations. Gone are the days of old, when Paso Robles could be reduced to a facile definition: A hot, dusty, cowboy town, with an east side and a west side, producing mostly big, overly-extracted wines. Today Paso Robles is rightly recognized for what it is deep down: an exceptional, maritime-influenced appellation, capable of growing a much broader range of varieties. Noteworthy wines of refinement are now being produced not only from Bordeaux varieties, but also Italian and Rhone plantings. When I was consulting in Paso Robles many years ago, this region was known mostly for big Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels. While working on this issue, I dined at a few of Paso’s finer restaurants. One evening, I asked a couple seated near me what wine they enjoyed most while visiting Paso. Without hesitation, they both replied, “The Picpoul at Adelaida.” Times have changed. The community of winemakers in Paso Robles is exploring this region’s diversity with great gusto. It’s still possible, and relatively affordable, to experiment with plantings (compared to the Napa Valley, for example, where land prices are so high that few are bold or fiscally adventurous enough to plant varieties that fall outside the Bordeaux paradigm). This is great news for the consumer, as you can try a great number of affordable varietal wines from Paso and decide what you like best.
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