A Little Gravel In My Travel

Special thanks to the 3 country music stations that cranked out hit after hit while we put dust on the tires cruisin through 94 miles of Paso wine country. I can't decide if Rascal Flat's, "Banjo," or Rodney Atkins, "Take a Backroad" should be crowned "Anthem for the Weekend," so I'll call it a tie. Both were fitting for roads with faded center lines that may or may not ever be repainted.

Great trip. Lots of good wine, some new wineries. Lots of swirling, sipping, a little spitting, but always splitting. That's key for us; no matter the tasting fee or how good a place's wine is, we split a tasting. There's no way either of us would make it through the day(s) without it.

Day 1 - Eastside Loop:

J Lohr (Always free, always nice pourers, always good/affordable bottles)

Silver Horse (Cool new place. excited to try a bottle from there)

Tassajara (Connected to Silver Horse)
Ranchita Canyon (Eh. Great 1 man band- owner/maker/pourer
J & J (Boo)
Pear Valley (Pretty, but, boo)

Tobin James (Over it)
Derby (Blah)

Day 2 - Westside Loop:

Adelaida (Nothing special but they open at 10!)

DAOU (Gorgeous)

Whalebone (Just aight)
Villa Creek (Best sips we had on the trip. Love tasting in the barrel room)
Manassian-Young (Awesome)

Calcarious (Beautiful. Really good too, took fantastic bottle of their Zin to dinner)

Jada (Probably the snootiest vibe I got all weekend)
Proulx (Cool new place. Awesome pourer/CDM grad)

Zenaida (I liked everything we tasted. Cool place too)

West side Paso > East side Paso. For sure. Not really even close.


What I learned:


I learned that someone's trying to take this blog down. This can't happen. Long live Purple Tooth!

I learned prices are coming down. A few places offered free tastings, but the majority waived their tasting fee with a purchase. I bought a little more wine than I normally would have, but also spent less than $20 on tasting fees. I approve of this trend.

I learned that some good wine is being made in cement barrels. They cost the same as a wooden barrel but can last like, forever. Sounded kinda cool.

I learned that wine from the James Berry Vinyard is delicious but getting to try anything from Saxum is a pipe dream. Saxum's James Berry Vinyard 2007 was given a 98 point rating and named Wine Spectator's 2010 Wine of the Year. Robert Parker gave the same bottle a perfect 100 point rating. Even if I could afford it, it's nearly impossible to find. They made only 320 cases a year which are sent to members only.
Thankfully, other wine makers buy grapes from the James Berry Vinyard (Villa Creek) and it is damn good.

I learned that DAOU has the most beautiful tasting room and grounds I've ever been to. Their wines were unimpressive though.

I learned Silver Horse gets my vote for favorite new winery. Proulx takes 2nd place.

I learned Di Raimondos Italian Market makes and sells the best bread/baguette I've ever tasted. Their cheese is pretty phenominal too. I think I love midday picnicing almost as much as a day of wine tasting.

I learned I don't ever need to go back to Tobin James or Pear Valley.

I learned I need to go to Zenaida again, but not as the last stop of the day. It's good enough to be an early stop.

I'm excieted to drink what I brought home, and write about it. So the mission of jump starting the blog, accomplished.