Travels
The Middle Kingdom
Paso Robles - West

TRAVEL - June 17, 2009

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Paso Robles wine country is a rugged, picturesque refuge halfway between two urban goliaths, Los Angeles and San Francisco. El Camino Royale divides the eastern vineyards of this middle kingdom from those located ocean side.

This itinerary fits nicely after a day on the Pacific coast, exploring nearby Hearst Castle or enjoying the beach towns of Cambria, Cayucos, and Morro Bay. Good maps are a must, like the readily available one published through Pasowine.com.

We suggest following the left, right, left turns through remote but glorious hill country at the end of Vineyard Road north of CA Route 46. There the gravel drive of JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery transports you to a world reminiscent of Provence, with blue and yellow awnings, tidy formal gardens, and vineyard dogs lying in the sun. If time and credit limits permit, spend a night at one of its four guest rooms and experience a romantic dinner in the cozy, jewel-box-sized dining room. The famous Bordeaux blend, Isosceles Reserve, helped put Paso on the wine world's radar.

Your next stop is 9,000 miles from possibly the most important appellation in southern Rhône. The legendary Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and Robert Haas of Vineyard Brands, majority partners of Tablas Creek Vineyard, scoured California before settling on this 120 acre site ideal for propagating Rhône varietals grown for centuries in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The corner tasting room carved out of a working barrel room, contains unique French gift items and a splendid collection of wine books. We tasted a wide array of varieties and blends, including palate stretchers like Roussanne, Picpoul Blanc, and Marsanne.

On the way back to Route 46, sample a different bounty reflective of this Mediterranean journey, at Pasolivo Olive Oil. Sampling the fresh extra virgin olive oils from the groves on this property is an educational experience and a welcome respite from wine tasting. We stocked up on oils, as well as lava salt, herbs, lotions and other delights. Like many establishments in this region, it's not open every day, so plan ahead.

End this day with a stop at a small, family-operated winery specializing in Italian varietals, Fratelli Perata Winery. Mom, dad and two sisters (the third is an aeronautical engineer!) produce outstanding, unfined, unfiltered, dry-farmed estate wines. Included in their fairly-priced offerings are Bordeaux blends as well as Zinfandels, Petite Sirahs and a hard to find Montepulciano di Abruzzo.

We rested well at La Bellasera Hotel & Suites, a Tuscan inspired, upscale newcomer, located one stop south of town where CA 46 meets US 101. Three years in the making, its spacious, well appointed rooms with stone fireplaces, silky linens and complete amenities, including complementary internet connections, are a fitting end to a long day in El Paso de Robles ("Passage of the Oaks").

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