My family has this tradition of going wine tasting in Paso Robles, California the day after Thanksgiving. We continued the tradition this year and I’ve included some tasting notes for you.
First stop was Pianetta Winery www.pianettawinery.com who’s very tastefully done tasting room is located right downtown Paso Robles on 13th Street. Tasting was complimentary this day, which is always a pleasure. Pianetta is a family farmed vineyard for the past several generations. They produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah and a Shiraz/Cab blend – we also tried what I believe was a Syrah Rose. The Sangiovese stood out as the favorite among all the others. It’s a concentrated wine with layers of ripe dark fruit, currant and cocoa. The nose wasn’t immediately evident so the amount of flavors was quite a surprise. The winery sells for $26 online. Nothing else we tasted really made an impression, the Syrah was too bubblegum for me.
Next stop was Edward Sellers where we’re never disappointed. First tried the ’06 Blanc du Rhone which was crisp and refreshing, the ’04 Cuvee des Cinq which is the vintage we have here in the store – one of my faves, althou gh a little pricey. The ’05 vintage has also been released. Tried the ’06 Viognier and wasn’t all that impressed, this one was a bit more flat and lacks the character of the ’05 vintage which I think is great. Had the ’05 Le Thief which was part of their Fall club shipment as well as the Syrah Selectionne, Vertigo which is a GSM blend (predominantly Grenache) – The Selectionne is outstanding with loads of jammy fruit (from 6 different vineyards). The Vertigo is a gorgeous Rhone blend with a smooth and silky mouthfeel, a nice mid-palate and long finish in this European-styled wine.