paso robles wines
2022 Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – A Value Driven and Solid Wine
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The word Daou definition can mean two different things: In Arabic a colloquial term meaning “light or illumination” and as a surname denotes nobility, derived from the word datu, which means “chief or chieftain”. I have enjoyed Daou Vineyards and Winery wines for many years.
The wine possesses a dark ruby color in the glass with a medium to medium-heavy viscosity. Intense aromas waft up to the nose of blackberry and raspberry, along with plum notes. On the palate raspberries and red cherries fill the mouth with delight. The finish is a nice balance of tannins, fruit and acidity and persistent tannins.
A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon with 23% Petit Verdot. Aged 16 months in 50% new French oak and rated 95 points by James Suckling. This is the current vintage and sells for $60/bottle.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photos ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a Nebraska ribeye steak. Seared at 1500 degrees to a medium rare inside. Accompanied by a fresh garden salad with freshly cooked bacon, cherries tomatoes and green onions. Also, a half of a Yukon Gold potato with butter and halved roasted Brussel sprouts.
This was an excellent wine and food pairing.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
One Holiday (Labor Day), Two Wines and a Simply Delicious Meal
Background
We decided to BBQ this weekend and invite those family members that were in town for dinner.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We started off with a 2023 Culmination Sauvignon Blanc. This is no ordinary Sauvignon from Livermore Valley as it is Barrel Aged. This is made by the Wood Family Vineyards and this label represents their higher end, boutique and artisan wines being produced.
The specific Acacia wood barrel and stirring of the lees makes the wine feel creamier and much broader on the palate. This is exactly the taste and texture Wood Family Vineyards targeted for this wine. Still the same basic flavors of the stainless steel but some slight nuances. The 2023 Barrel Aged Sauvignon Blanc picked up besides textural qualities, it also mellowed out or tempered the stronger notes of the grapefruit and citrus. The aging also provided a secondary aroma and herbaceous flavors not found in the stainless steel. Present was more lemon grass and a tinge of vanilla on the finish which was so refreshing and contrasting to the citrus qualities. The wine ends up being refreshing, high in acidity, complex and creamy. This is precisely the qualitative difference Rhonda Wood was striving to make showcasing the barrel aging offering. This came in at 13.6% alcohol with only 75 cases being produced.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Today they produced this barrel aged Sauvignon Blanc under their new designation called Culmination. The grapes come from the historic Louis Mel Ranch that was established in 1884. Mrs. Mel was friends with the Marquise of Chateau d’ Yquem and was able to secure cuttings from there. This is the second release of Rhonda Wood’s Sauvignon Blanc aged in barrel. The wine is fermented in three barrels with one being an Acacia barrel aged for 7 months. The other two barrels were aged in neutral French oak. They were kept separate until tanked for bottling and aged on the lees and stirred every two weeks. The 2024 Culmination is listed at $50/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Doing some research found out Sauvignon Blanc is a recommended wine with Guacamole! The reason for this is that the piercing acidity and herbal undertones mirror the lime juice and green onions. This was the truth and while enjoy Sauvignon Blanc by itself, this added a wonderful pairing dimension. The Guacamole dip besides avocadoes including green onions, cut cherry tomatoes, diced jalapeño peppers and tobacco sauce.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Another appetizer for the evening was a new salsa that was recommended. It is called Mateo’s Gourmet Salas Medium and provides a pleasant roasted tomato and pepper taste with a zesty and chewy finish.
We then moved on to dinner with two delicious homemade salads being prepared. The first was my wife’s potato salad that consisted of Russet potatoes, chopped onions, celery, hard boiled eggs, mayo, mustard and cider vinegar.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The second salad was a refreshing fruit salad with pineapple, blueberries, bananas, pears, oranges, peaches and possibly many other fruits by my sister. I was eating so quickly, I unfortunately did not take the time to identify all the ingredients!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The main entrée for dinner was a simply BBQ’ed burger. The meat was from a newly found butcher shop where he makes Brisket burgers. We were shopping there last week and decided to give it a try as it was noted as a customer favorite by the clerk. While we all enjoyed the much heavier consistency of the beef, think we will go back to our regular ground chuck for BBQ-ing. We all discussed next time going with Bison burgers which they also sell. A few Italian pork sausages were picked up and grilled on the stove.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Plenty of food for everyone and this was paired with a 2021 Copia GSM called “The Cure” from Paso Robles. It is 45% Mourvèdre, 28% Grenache and 27% Syrah. This was a perfectly matched wine for the flavorful burgers with the fruit from the Syrah enveloping each bite and the Mourvèdre and Grenache adding both flavors, freshness and subtle spices to the meal. A solid GSM and perfectly matched with the food.
From my previous review of the 2021 Copia Vineyards and Winery “The Cure” written in 2025:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the eyes, this a dark and brooding ruby red and medium-heavy viscosity. Once placed under the nose to gain an insight to what was to come, aromas of mocha, dark French coffee and floral notes wafted into the senses. Then on the palate this wine exploded with dark chocolate, depth of the three varietals not commonly found in a GSM. Blackberries and blueberries bounced joyfully in the mouth beckoning yet another sip! At the finish, a plushness of black fruit, along with a smoky quality and spice notes provided ample time to savor each sip. Additionally, beautiful and elegant, yet surprisingly perfectly appropriate tannins were present. The chocolate finish provided a great counterbalance making the textual chewy finish that was elegant and memorable.
This wine received ratings of 95 points from The Somm Journal, 95 points from Wine Enthusiast and 94-96 points from Jeb Dunnuck. This is a pedigree of quality represented in this GSM.
We all left the table stuffed enjoying each morsel served this evening.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://arizonawinesandwineries.com
Two Excellent Wines Enjoyed in June From Dracaena Wines and Absolution Cellars
Background
Having enjoyed various wines in June, I did not have enough time to fully present a story on many wines. However, these two wines stood out as worthy of attention. While not doing a lengthy review, I have previously noted the high quality of wines produced by Dracaena Wines in Paso Robles.
Dracaena Wines
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Each year this Bordeaux style blend changes with the mix percentages. For the 2021 Cinnabari, it is comprised of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot. All three combine dark and luscious fruit with a complex structure and finish. The tannins, which are present, are kept in check with the softening touch of Merlot. One of my favorite Bordeaux style wines. Their convenient and friendly tasting room is located at 1244 Pine Street in downtown Paso Robles. Their current vintage, 2023 goes for $48/bottle.
Absolution Cellars
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Dirk Neumann, owner and winemaker, makes this wine and the 2021 provides the softer side of Cabernet Franc, with just a hint of pyrazines flavor. Dark cherry is abundant on the first sip and enjoyable with or without food. Absolution cellars prides itself on limited artisan wine with over 20 varieties in production. The tasting room is at the Waterside Tasting Lounge on the embarcadero in Morro Bay. The current vintage is 2023 and goes for $65/bottle.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2020 Ancient Peaks Winery, Pearl Cabernet Sauvignon – Smooth, Silky and Stunning
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
Ancient Peaks Winery is LARGE, consisting of 14,000 acres with 1,000 acres under vine.
As it turns out Santa Margarita is the only vineyard in the Santa Margarita Ranch AVA in the most southern portion of the AVA. Some of the more interesting factoids of the vineyard are:
- Five separate soils are intermixed and found on the property, shown on one of their labels.
- The vineyard is only 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean and draws the fog onto the property
- It is the coolest sub-AVA in Paso Robles AVA.
- Being the coolest region, they are often the latest in full maturing of the vineyards. This helps in providing a slower ripening process (often with challenges) but the reward is flavor, structure and with the varying soil types provides unique character to the grapes.
- They average 29 inches of rain with the surrounding Santa Lucia mountain range.
- Their sustainability practices have earned them SIP Certification (Sustainability in Practice).
- The owners of the winery are Karl Wittstrom, Rob Rossi and Doug Filipponi, all local wine growing and ranching families in Santa Margarita.
- Santa Margarita was originally settled by the Franciscan missionaries around 1770. In 1889 the area was part of the Mexican Alta California land grant.
- It is named for Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia, an Italian saint.
- A rich and detailed history can be found on Santa Margarita and is fascinating reading. https://santamargaritahistoricalsociety.org/
Today they have the Oyster Ridge event building/site which is an ideal spot for weddings, corporate retreats and private events overlooking the vineyards and ranch. Additionally, they provide a host of activities in the agritourism business on the 14,000 acres including vineyard zip lining, wildlife tours and horseback trail rides.
The label called Oyster Ridge comes from so many oyster bed fossils found about the property. Here Mike Sinor is holding one fossilized oyster cluster.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Learned that their wines have three distinct labels/branding going to market which are: Ancient Peaks, Oyster Ridge and Pearl. Many of the varieties are offered with all three labels/branding. Their white wines consist of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. The red wines offered are extensive with Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Zinfandel. We found many we enjoyed and purchased.
Tonight’s wine was the 2020 Pearl Cabernet Sauvignon. The words in the title of this story only begin to frame how delicious this wine tasted. They chose specifically cultivated blocks and then aged the wine in 100% new French oak barrels for 23 weeks. The resulting wine was nothing short of spectacular. The current release is 2021 and lists at $72/bottle. They consider this their ultimate expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from the vineyards.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes a deep ruby color with medium to medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose ripe blackberry and smooth earthy notes wafted up to the senses. On the palate, lush and textured flavors of plum, cherries and caressing blueberries swirled about in the mouth. Secondary flavors arose of caramel, and vanilla completed the tasting experience. A spectacular wine with structure, complexity and yet simply impactful. A brooding and sophisticated wine to be enjoyed sip after sip.Top of Form
The wine came in at 14.6% alcohol and consisted of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Only 956 cases were produced.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
With the wife out of state, I ventured off to pick up a few items at a local fine food market. A simple meal this evening with Wagyu hamburger and asparagus wrapped in bacon. Both were BBQ’ed and served with the wine. While the meal was good, it was not evenly paired for this excellent wine, as the Cabernet Sauvignon really needed a ribeye or filet mignon!
This wine will make my annual list of Best Wines Tasted in 2026 that comes out in December. While tasting some 1500 to 1800 wines a year, roughly only 2-3% make the list.
I hope this article provides you with an incentive to check out their gorgeous property and quality wines.
Sláinte,
Michael
2022 Donati Family Vineyards Petit Verdot – Strong, Bold and Flavorful
Background
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Donati generally means “gift” from the Latin “Donatus”. Their wines are truly gifts for wine connoisseurs.
By Eric 先魁Hwang – https://www.flickr.com/photos/travelwitheric/4008426871/
Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grapes classically used in Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than other varieties in Bordeaux, so it was not cultivated to the extent in other portions of the world. The key to Petit Verdot is that it adds tannin, color and flavor when used in small amounts for blending. In the “new world” it has taken off as a standalone varietal. It is speculated that Petit Verdot predates Cabernet Sauvignon, yet the origins are unclear. First records of it appear in the eighteenth century. It is known for much hotter climates, making Paso Robles perfect for this grape!
Per the latest Grape Harvest report by the USDA, Petit Verdot was less than .0077% of the total red wine grape harvest with most going for blending. The AVA’s responsible for 76% of the total Petit Verdot production was Napa, Yolo County, Santa Barbara, San Joaquin and Riverside/San Diego areas.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
This wine is 98.5% Petit Verdot, 1.1% Petite Sirah and .4% Malbec. It is currently slated to be released in late Spring 2026 with only 76 cases being produced. The grapes come from the Bordonaro Vineyard, and the price is slated to be $56/bottle. Donati Family has been producing this as a standalone varietal since 2008! This vintage was allowed to age gracefully for 27 months in barrels. 25% of the barrels were brand new Eastern European oak and the balance of 75% was used more than once. When released it will have been bottled for over one year.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine, when poured into the glass possessed a dark and mysterious magenta color with a medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose, aromas of black fruits of blackberry, plum and violets rise up into the senses. On the palate, this intensely layered wine provides the aforementioned fruits, coupled with a mellow earthiness. Key characteristics are vanilla and hazelnut counterbalanced by lavender and dried herbs. At the end, this is an inky and bold wine with layers of enjoyment. Personally, I believe this to be a wine to be enjoyed with food as opposed to be a standalone wine.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine was chosen this evening to be paired with a stir-fried flank steak. The beef was thinly sliced, tossed in Chaka sauce with Dark & Smoky Flatiron Peppers, kosher salt, black pepper and stir fried on the stovetop. Served with white sesame seeds. Added to the stir fry were broccoli and slices of red pepper. Accompanied with homemade cauliflower rice with egg, onion and pork.
The wine being bold was able to cut thru the meat and yet provide just enough fruit to envelop the lightly spiced meat. Another very good food and wine pairing dinner
The Winery
Photo from Donati Family Vineyard
We met Briana Heywood, the winemaker, two years ago while in Paso Robles. They had won the Best of Class and Double Gold for their Cabernet Franc at the 6th International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition and wanted to understand other wines they produced. Her background prior to joining the Donati Family was at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines for almost 10 years as an enologist and previous experience with a variety of wineries. She is engaging and energetic with a personality that you just love listening to!
The winery produces both a larger scale commercial wine offering and very small artisan & boutique wines for direct customer purchase and their wine club with approximately 600 cases produced for DTC. They are located at 2720 Oak View Road in Templeton, California. Their tasting room is quaint and inviting and more like a family room atmosphere. Many of their other wines are for commercial and mass production with approximately 7,000 cases for the wholesale market. They are moderately priced for the consumer and a welcome change!
While not one of the “big major names” in Paso Robles AVA, they are getting noticed by wine aficionados and discerning wine drinkers. FYI, Briana will be pouring her wines at the Cabernet Franc Wine Stroll (Cab Franc and many others) on March 28th https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2026/02/03/7th-annual-cabernet-franc-and-many-other-wine-varieties-wine-stroll-on-march-28th/
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2024 LXV Blanc De Franc – An Elegant and Layered Beauty With a Subtle Message
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Our Friday Night Wine & Dine group met last Thursday evening to enjoy a meal at Verona18. Their special this evening was a blackened salmon, and I decided to pair it with this wine.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes, a pale light-yellow color. On the nose, floral aromas that changed throughout the wine temperature. On the palate, flavors of white peach and pear were dominant. Secondary flavors of minerality and a touch of vanilla. Most notable was the weightiness of this wine in the mouth due to being aged 10 months on lees with constant stirring in French oak barrels. The finish was a bit abbreviated, which only beckoned another sip. Each sip was contemplative trying to unlock the secret code to this graceful and delicate wine.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Besides the wine being mysterious and hiding nuances of subtle enjoyment, so the label is similar. Notice the label has writings in Sanskrit references sections of the Bhagavad Gita. The answer is straightforward with the upper portion referencing “earth, water, fire, ether, mind, intellect and ego” referencing components of material matter. For LXV, Neeta explained that this “speaks beautifully to terroir” the elements that give wine its character.
The second reference, being the lower portion, states “the one who knows the truth thinks I do nothing at all”. This about the ego-less actor referencing the winemaker who as Neeta states “is fully engaged in the world yet knows the true self is untouched and the winemaker acts, but nature does the work”.
Truly both reference the wine grounded in terroir, the elements of earth, and speaks to effortless ego-fee creation (minimal intervention) that LXV strives for in their winemaking.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Had chosen this wine assuming raspberry and strawberry flavors would counterbalance the blackened salmon with its flavors and the acidity cut through the salmon. Upon reflection the blackened salmon flavor was a bit too much for this refined wine, nevertheless the food and wine were both tremendously enjoyable.
LXV Wines and Wine Tasting Experience
LXV provides a unique tasting experience located at 1306-B Pine Street, Paso Robles. They were rated one of the Top 10 tasting experiences as rated by USA Today. LXV, besides holding regular wine tastings, also provide an optional spice pairing. The spice pairings are far reaching with Peruvian, Mystic Orient, Smolder Notes, Turkish Shores, Shmeli Suneli and many more spice packets. One is whisked away with their varietal and proprietary blends to capture the adventures of different cultures and culinary treats.
Photo of Neeta Mittal from their website
The idea of exotic spices started with Neeta’s mother in a town south of Mumbai. Her mother would regularly visit the spice markets to purchase fragrant herbs and spices to go with their handmade Tandoori Masala. One of the goals of spice tasting is to open the confined discussion of pH and acidity of wine to a broad horizon of international flavors. Today they offer besides a variety of “Bordeaux influenced wines”, others like Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Syrah and many more. Their wines receive ratings from 97 points to 99 points!!
Kunal and Neeta Mittal are the driving force behind their love affair with Cabernet Franc offerings. Currently they offer Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from France, Saint Émilion and their Willow Creek estate in Paso Robles. As they state “Maison Mittal, exists where Bordeaux and Paso conspire – two continents speaking one language of stone, discipline and time. We arrive not as a luxury, but as a reminder that wine can still be a practice of place, spoken with global fluency and crafted with unapologetic precision. The wines we leave behind will outlast the moment they were made.”
Photo of Kunal Mittal from their website
To read more about their journey, how they found Paso Robles and they quest to make Paso Robles the Cabernet Franc capital in California read the following links:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2023/12/26/lxv-wines-presented-cab-franc-day-paso-robles/
and
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A few other wines were enjoyed this evening with each person or couple bringing a wine of choice from their home.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2022 Donati Family Vineyard Malbec Reserve – A Gift to Wine Connoisseurs
Background
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Donati generally means “gift” from the Latin “Donatus”. Their wines are truly gifts for wine connoisseurs.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Malbec as a grape possesses an inky dark color and robust tannins. This purple grape is also one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wines. This thick-skinned grape needs more sun and heat than other known varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Paso Robles is great location for this varietal. Besides ripening mid-season during harvest, it provides a plum flavor characteristic to wines in blending or as a standalone varietal. The key to Malbec is its rich, dark and juicy fruit.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine is 97.5% Malbec with 1.7% Petit Verdot, and .8% Petite Sirah to top off the wine in the barrels. The grapes come from the HuerHuero Vineyard that is sustainably farmed and certified (SIP). The wine was first fermented in stainless steel and second fermentation in barrels. Barrel treatment was 33% new Hungarian oak and 67% used barrels one or more times. The wine was aged for 27 months in barrel and aged in the bottle for just over one year. It is scheduled to be released to Wine Club Members in April 2026. Only 60 cases were produced.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine, when poured into the glass possessed a deep mysterious dark and magenta hue with a medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose, aromas of black fruits and earthiness wafted into the senses awakening the imbiber. Once on the palate, blackberries, blueberries and black plums were the dominate and rich flavor profiles that swirled about coating the mouth. Secondary flavors of exotic spices of cloves paired with a distinct earthiness. On the finish, light toasted wood with present tannins yet smooth and silky with decided juicy dark plums. Very well-balanced and structured layers of enjoyment.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine was chosen this evening to be paired with a stir-fried flank steak. The beef was thinly sliced, tossed in Chaka sauce with Dark & Smoky Flatiron Peppers, kosher salt, black pepper and stir fried on the stovetop. Added prior sauteed snap peas, mushrooms and garlic into the stir fry. The Udon noodles were combined and the previous mentioned items with more Chaka sauce and stir fried. Accompanied with a fresh green garden salad.
The wine was very smooth, and with the juiciness of the wine, paired wonderfully with the slightly spicy meat. Another very good food and wine pairing.
The Winery
Photo from Donati Family Vineyard
We met Briana Heywood, the winemaker, two years ago while in Paso Robles. They had won the Best of Class and Double Gold for their Cabernet Franc at the 6th International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition and wanted to understand other wines they produced. Her background prior to joining the Donati Family was at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines for almost 10 years as an enologist and previous experience with a variety of wineries. She is engaging and energetic with a personality that you just love listening to!
The winery produces both a larger scale commercial wine offering and very small artisan & boutique wines for direct customer purchase and their wine club with approximately 600 cases produced for DTC. They are located at 2720 Oak View Road in Templeton, California. Their tasting room is quaint and inviting and more like a family room atmosphere. Many of their other wines are for commercial and mass production with approximately 7,000 cases for the wholesale market. They are moderately priced for the consumer and a welcome change!
While not one of the “big major names” in Paso Robles AVA, they are getting noticed by wine aficionados and discerning wine drinkers. FYI, Briana will be pouring her wines at the Cabernet Franc Wine Stroll (Cab Franc and many others) on March 28th https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2026/02/03/7th-annual-cabernet-franc-and-many-other-wine-varieties-wine-stroll-on-march-28th/
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2022 Donati Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon – “Gifted Wines” & Velvety Tannins
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Donati generally means “gift” from the Latin “Donatus”. Their wines are truly gifts for wine connoisseurs.
We met Briana Heywood, the winemaker, two years ago while in Paso Robles. They had won the Best of Class and Double Gold for their Cabernet Franc at the 6th International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition and wanted to understand other wines they produced. Her background prior to joining the Donati Family was at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines for almost 10 years as an enologist and previous experience with a variety of wineries. She is engaging and energetic with a personality that you just love listening to!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine is 99% Cabernet Sauvignon with .4% Petite Sirah, .3% Merlot and a smidgen of Petit Verdot to top off the wine in the barrels. The grapes come from the Aline’s vineyard that is sustainably farmed and certified in Paso Robles. The wine was fermented in 25% new American oak and 25% in new French oak with the balance of 50% being 2018 or older barrels. They were aged 27 months in barrel and once bottled, held for 10 months before being released in October 2025. Only 123 cases were produced and sold for $58/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes a radiant purple and magenta sheen with medium viscosity. On the nose, reserved fruits of blackberries and plum. On the palate, this wine bursts forth with the aforementioned fruits with the addition of black cherries, then coupled with subtle leather and sweet pipe tobacco. On the finish, raspberries burst into the taste buds with a modicum of vanilla and dry earthiness. The tannins were velvety and polished, soft and rounded yet present.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine was chosen this evening to be paired with a Cross Rib Roast. This was the first time that we had a Cross Rib Roast. The recipe was for a Garlicky Herb Cross Rib Roast, a cross rib roast also goes by the names of beef shoulder, chuck, Boston cut or English cut. The Cross Rib Roast was brushed with balsamic vinegar after inserting whole cloves of garlic into the roast. A paste then was applied consisting of minced garlic, thyme leaves, rosemary leaves, kosher salt, black pepper and olive oil.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Accompanying the meal were sauteed seasoned small halved red potatoes and Brussel sprouts. A very good food and wine pairing. The wine was so smooth, it is one of the few Cabernet Sauvignon wines you could enjoy with food or simply by itself.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The winery produces both a larger scale commercial wine offering and very small artisan & boutique wines for direct to customer purchase and their wine club with approximately 600 cases produced for DTC. They are located at 2720 Oak View Road in Templeton, California. Their tasting room is quaint and inviting and more like a family room atmosphere.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Many of their other wines are for commercial and mass production with approximately 7,000 cases for the wholesale market. They are moderately priced for the consumer and a welcome change!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
While not one of the “big major names” in Paso Robles AVA, they are getting noticed by wine aficionados and discerning wine drinkers. I will look forward to a return visit on the next trip to Paso Robles AVA.
Sláinte,
Michael
Two Dracaena Wines Cabernet Franc’s – 2019 Classic and 2021 Reserve, Both Are Winners!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
It is often stated that “success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently”. No truer words sum up what Dracaena Cabernet Franc has done over the last ten years! Seven years ago, at the first International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition, Dracaena won Best of Show (overall) with the Professional Judges. They have consistently won awards every year since and we are now beginning the 7th Annual event. In addition, they have won Gold, Double Gold at SF Chronicle, 93 points by Decanter, won top 30 picks of wines from Paso Robles and too many others to list here.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Michael & Lori Budd were the force behind getting December 4th on the calendar as International Cabernet Franc Day. Lori, besides having a food science background and a graduate degree from UC Davis in the winemaking program, is a published author, award winning blog writer and podcast producer/host for Exploring the Wine Glass.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2019 Classic wine came from the Plummer Vineyard in San Luis Obispo County. and it is described as filled with “aromas described as spice and plum. The long finish is framed by structure tannins”. A key point not to be lost is that this wine winning awards at the International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition comes from judges all from the northern California region. It shows the quality of their product and the impartiality of the judges. Ditto for the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition with judges from various regions. Competitions are blind tastings so truly their wines stand out!
The wine possessed a beautiful dark chocolate on the finish and solid defined tannins. The 2019 Classic had eight percent Petit Verdot providing both great coloring and body to the wine. The current Classic vintage is 2023 and goes for $42/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2021 Reserve is 100% Cabernet Franc from the Plummer Vineyard. This wine fills the olfactory senses with dark fruits from the first smell. What follows are black cherry and dark chocolate. The finish is softer and mellower than the Classic but providing enormous mouth filling enjoyment. The current vintage is the 2023 Metz Vineyard Reserve and is priced at $55/bottle.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with seasoned and seared ribeye steak. Seasoned with applewood salt, mesquite seasoning, Woodfired garlic seasoning and Flatiron Pepper Company Hatch Valley Green (Hatch Green Chile, Jalapeno and Habanero peppers). Seared at 1500 degrees and served medium rare. Accompanied by fresh sauteed green beans and short and long brown rice (not shown).
A beautiful food and wine pairing. The 2019 Classic Dracaena Cabernet Franc with its stronger tannins interacted with the meat to soften the fat for a smooth flavor. The fruit of 2019 also helped in surrounding some of the heat from the spices.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Dracaena Wines is in Paso Robles with a tasting room located at 1244 Pine Street Suite 101B, in downtown Paso Robles. This is a dog friendly and comfortable setting to sip and interact with Lori and/or Mike on their wines. They currently produce, besides their two Cabernet Franc wines, Chenin Blanc, Rosé, Picpoul, Blanc de Franc and Cinnabari (a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cab Franc and 5% Merlot). I have tasted all but the Picpoul and each of the wines are delicious and solid representation of the varietal or blend.
A portion of their tasting room in Paso Robles Photo ©Michael Kelly
Previously I wrote a story comparing Dracaena Wines as a David verses Goliath story as a small winery making a big mark in the industry.
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/01/14/dracaena-wines-a-david-verses-goliath-story/
This small boutique winery is definitely getting noticed besides their Cabernet Franc awards, they have also won at the 2022 Los Angeles Invitational Wine and Spirits Challenge a Gold Medal and Best of Show for their Chenin Blanc.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2020 Ancient Peaks Pearl Merlot – Paired with a Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans and Pork Chops
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
Ancient Peaks Winery is LARGE, consisting of 14,000 acres with 1,000 acres under vine.
As it turns out Santa Margarita is the only vineyard in the Santa Margarita Ranch AVA in the most southern portion of the AVA. Some of the more interesting factoids of the vineyard are:
- Five separate soils are intermixed and found on the property, shown on one of their labels.
- The vineyard is only 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean and draws the fog onto the property
- It is the coolest sub-AVA in Paso Robles AVA.
- Being the coolest region, they are often the latest in full maturing of the vineyards. This helps in providing a slower ripening process (often with challenges) but the reward is flavor, structure and with the varying soil types provides unique character to the grapes.
- They average 29 inches of rain with the surrounding Santa Lucia mountain range.
- Their sustainability practices have earned them SIP Certification (Sustainability in Practice).
- The owners of the winery are Karl Wittstrom, Rob Rossi and Doug Filipponi all local wine growing and ranching families in Santa Margarita.
- Santa Margarita was originally settled by the Franciscan missionaries around 1770. In 1889 the area was part of the Mexican Alta California land grant.
- It is named for Santa Margarita de Cortona Assitencia, an Italian saint.
- A rich and detailed history can be found on Santa Margarita and is fascinating reading. https://santamargaritahistoricalsociety.org/
Today they have the Oyster Ridge event building/site which is an ideal spot for weddings, corporate retreats and private events overlooking the vineyards and ranch. Additionally, they provide a host of activities in the agritourism business on the 14,000 acres including vineyard zip lining, wildlife tours and horseback trail rides.
The label called Oyster Ridge comes from so many oyster bed fossils found about the property. Here Mike Sinor is holding one fossilized oyster.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wines by Ancient Peaks – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Learned that their wines have three distinct labels/branding going to market which are: Ancient Peaks, Oyster Ridge and Pearl. Many of the varieties are offered with all three labels/branding. Their white wines consist of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. The red wines offered are extensive with Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Zinfandel and of course the wine we sought out their Cabernet Franc. We were offered to taste “all the wines” but practically speaking it would be too much unless we camped overnight in the tasting room! We did taste many but not all of their wines. A second or third visit is forthcoming to taste their Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir and Petit Verdot.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This Merlot was extraordinary in “mellow-ness” yet provided ample flavor and character. First on the eyes, a beautiful deep red coloring and aromas of black plum and oak. On the palate, there are intense flavors of black cherry and blackberry. The finish was silky smooth with caressing tannins and a tinge of vanilla and cinnamon. The wine was aged 24 months in French oak barrels providing an almost perfect integration of the wine with the tannins. This wine today goes for $54/bottle and on the website today shows it on sale for $43.20/bottle, definitely a wine to be sought after!
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a new wintertime “comfort food” called Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans and pork chops. The Cowboy Beans consisted of ground beef, chopped bacon, baked beans with pork, kidney beans, lima beans, chopped onions, ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Flatiron Peppers Company Calabrian chili pepper was added. The pork chops were seasoned with Flatiron Pepper Company BBQ Rub and sauteed in a cast iron skillet on the stove. Accompanying the meal was a fresh garden salad.
The wine with its fruit and mellowness was a perfect compliment to the beans and pork chops! A very good food and wine pairing this evening.
So glad we picked these wines (and others) from our visit last December. Wine Advocate summed up Ancient Peaks in a quote “keenly priced, high-quality wines that deserve to be better known”.
I hope this article provides you with an incentive to check out their gorgeous property and quality wines.
Sláinte,
Michael