Paso Robles, CA
 

The recent trip to Morro Bay thread has me Jonesing for that area. My wife and I love Solvang, Morrow Bay, Paso Robles...the entire region. When I was stationed at El Toro MCAS and Miramar we went up there many times. Not an absolutely well known winery, but we favor Firestone Wine. (we're not affiliated except as a consumer).

What favorite wineries do you all like in Sonoma Valley?

YEAH SO? Used to live up that way.....

Tabs, RTFQ

Rtfq?????

Read The F'ing Question

Tabs is his own whinery.. :)

Cakebread is good but you need reservations. St. Supery and Peju are excellent and almost next to each other.

Live in Santa Barbara and drink wines from NorCal. If you can't afford SB then look north to SLO.

I don't care for the varietals Firestone excels in but their winery is really nice to tour. Drive down the road to Foxen for some quality reds. Sonoma wines that I recommend - too many to list.

Santa Barbara Winery....

Wow Tabby, after you posted I was cleaning the kitchen and my Wife has a bottle Of Santa Babs 2000 Zinfandel Essence dessert wine on the counter.
harvest sugar: 43%
residual sugar: 27.2%
damn! only 10% ABV
Very good, tastes like a raisin, and I mean that in very good way.

SLO and the area around it is one of about five or six places on this earth that I've been to that I'd move to immediately, without second thought or precondition if given the chance. Yes, I know it's technically in Kalifornia, but there's something about the place that puts Sacramento and its totalitarian regime about as far away as Iran when you're there. It's a wonderful place.

The only problems are (predictably) that there's very little up there in the way of work, the prices (particularly housing) are absurd and the local university (Cal Poly) and its associated alumni "good old boy" system has pretty much locked up the area for opportunities to others. I liken it a lot to Boston/New England - it's IMPOSSIBLE to go far there without being part of the Harvard/MIT alumni crowd. Past a certain level, everyone is former classmates with everyone else - one of the reasons I got out of there and came to the west coast, where people tend to be much more able to make it on their merits, rather than their "old money" affiliations or pedigree.

But that area (SLO/Paso/Pismo) is a simply enchanting area and is very dear to me. The few months that I spent up there were among the best I've had. It's an awesome place and if you can find a way around the few issues I mentioned, I'd jump on the opportunity to go.

Screw the wineries - it's the backroads driving around Paso Robles that's worth the trip!

Here's a great one for you:

Head up to FHL (fort hunter liggett). There are public roads that go thru the base. You will be stopped at the guard shack and must provide proof of insurance. Proceed into the base, take the first paved left. It will take you over the big hills on a windy road and drop you out on the coastal hwy. The road is extremely windy (can't recall the name of it - might be Naciemento) with spectacular views and very little traffic.

angela

Hunter Liggett is awesome - you can camp there or rent on-base rooms that are very inexpensive (I've done this). The personnel you'll meet are among the nicest people anywhere and the setting is fantastic.

Ahhh, yes, forgot to mention FHL. I've spent a while there on a couple occasions on training exercises. The "Hacienda" (Officer/Enlisted Club/ temporary quarters) is one of W.R. Hearst's former hunting lodges; very cool. I've ridden the road you speak of Angela on a Hyabusa, before my purchase of 911. One day, I'll carve that road in my car.

So true...I used to fly into FHL in the 80's...jacking up the coast from San Diego, looking up at Route 1.

I think I need a cigarette:cool:

Of course taste in wine varies greatly,

For Paso Robles I really like Opolo, It is a small winery that you can't find in stores.

Concannon is good too and big enought that you can find it in stores.

Hopefully I will add some new winery's to my list this trip!

I'm a big fan of Justin Vineyards out in Paso Robles http://www.justinwine.com/

i dont drink wine, but i work at concannon vineyards in the livermore valley. they have some award winning wines and also bottle for other wineries.
www.concannonvineyard.com

I live there. The roads are great. I don't drink much wine beyond champipple though. BTW, it's Morro Bay

I thought they closed Fort Hunter Ligget...? The roads around there are great indeed!