In Search of Great Wine and Great Value California’s Central Coast Delivers California wine country is a phrase that, for most wine enthusiasts, clicks on one image—Napa Valley. True, there’s no place like warm, sunny Napa for the mighty Cabernet Sauvignon and oaky Chardonnay. But there are other great grapes and exciting growing regions in the state; and among the more interesting, less congested and less pricey, the Central Coast stands out as a force with which to be reckoned. With a trusty GPS and a sense of adventure, we recently set out on a week-plus tour of the Central Coast wine country. And we came back with a clearer picture and appreciation of the region’s wines, as well as quite a few cases. In fact, we found quality and value in good form all the way from San Jose south to Santa Barbara. Central Coast wine travel takes a bit more preparation. Wineries are not lined up side by side as they are in Napa Valley, nor are they as opulent in style. But, the trade off is a more personal tasting experience, where often you’ll be able to talk with the owner or winemaker, who is sometimes the same person. Here lies amazing serenity in the expanse of ocean and mountain scenery. Far more cattle are to be seen from the highway than you’ll see in rural Missouri. We were glad we brought our jackets, for the coastal vineyards and the cool mountain trails found mornings in the 40’s, though daytime in some areas were a nice balmy 70. And that’s part of the great environment for grapes. The fog and cool air rolls in late in the afternoon, dropping the temperature, and it doesn’t roll out until morning. The cooling of the vineyards translates to the grapes retaining their natural acidity. It also lengthens the growing season, or the “hang time” of the grapes, resulting in more interesting and complex wines. Among red varietals, Syrah rules in this region; but, many vineyards boast “GSM’s” as well. In civilian, that’s Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, blended to imitate the same blend and style as you’d find in the southern Rhone region of France. But don’t think of Central Coast Syrah as the same as Australian Shiraz. Although it is the same varietal, it’s not the same animal. Australian Shiraz can be a big, lumbering, blueberry bombshell. Central Coast Syrah is more of a finesse wine, more French-inspired. You’ll find essences of big dark berries, but they’ll be balanced with multiple layers of flavor-- a little gaminess, some smoke, and sometimes some earth and minerality. The taste is still rich, but not so heavy, and much more intriguing. Zaca Mesa was one of our favorites. Pinot Noir should be in heaven here, and it commands strong interest. But, honestly, it took us four days to find one we liked. We hit paydirt at Ampelos and David Bruce, where the Pinot’s were bright, yet smoky and smooth, earthy and complex. Their strong varietal character was the beckoning call we could not resist. As far as trip highlights are concerned, these Pinot’s even surpassed being seated next to Bo Derek and John Corbett at a local eatery. Producer after producer told us that after the movie “Sideways,” too much manipulated Pinot Noir was produced to fill demand. It seemed to us this was still the case. As the winemaker at Ampelos told us, “To make good Pinot Noir, you just need to put it in a barrel leave it alone.” Cabernet Sauvignon has some stars here. It can be quite complex, with layers of herbs and cedar to balance the berries. In good years, the big tannins are tameable, and you won’t have to lay the wine down forever to enjoy it, however five years would not be asking too much. To our surprise, value-minded J. Lohr, located in the warmest pocket of the area, Paso Robles, produces a very small production of high-end Cabernet’s and GSM’s. They were on our buy list, as the “high-end” part was more in reference to quality than price. And Ridge Monte Bello, a famous name in Bordeaux-style Cabernet blends, certainly lived up to its reputation. Their lofty Santa Cruz mountaintop location is a challenge to reach, but the wines and the view of Silicon Valley are breathtaking. What about whites, you ask? Viognier stands out as a peach-essenced crowd pleaser, with Zaca Mesa and Fess Parker producing some of the best. And Chardonnay, the most prevalent of the whites, is thankfully being produced by almost everyone in a light-on-the-oak style, showing more fruit, minerality and bright crispness, making it a better food-pairing wine than the Chardonnays for which Napa Valley is so famed. For Riesling lovers, the watering holes are pretty far apart, but several wineries produced serious late-harvest (dessert style) Rieslings. With their crispness and acidity, they came across as sweet/sharp, instead of sweet/sticky. As for the value winner, we were impressed with Hahn, located in the Santa Lucia Mountains on the western side of the Salinas Valley, which offered solid Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah at under $15. Be prepared to do some driving, and call ahead to the wineries to make sure they’re open on the day you plan to visit. Like us, you might be pleasantly surprised at how the Central Coast shines. By the way, Bo is still at least an eight point five.
