Saturday, December 27, 2008

3 New Paso Robles Wineries

When many of us hear the word “new,” a product or movie released within the last month often comes to mind. When visiting the Paso Robles area of California, you will find that new takes on a whole new meaning.

The early 1900s brought the planting of vineyards in Paso Robles. Although many of today’s wineries were developed in the mid 1900s, new wineries and vineyards starting popping up years later, towards the turn of century. While 1990 or 1995 may seem like a different time and world for you, wineries and vineyards that opened to the public around this time are still considered to this day as being “new.”

When planning a wine tour, you may wish to visit the well-known and already established wineries. Yes, this is a good plan to have, but don’t limit yourself. Although some of Paso Robles’s wineries may be classified as ‘new,” they have mastered the process of producing fine, tasty wines.

Doce Robles

Doce Robles planted their first vines in 1996. Planted were a wide array of vines, including Cabernet, Merlot, and Zinfandel, just to name a few. As for what makes Doce Robles wine amazing, it is the fine attention paid to the growing of their fruit. Which is something that the winery take great pride in.

The Doce Robles Winery is conveniently located just off of Highway 46 on Twelve Oaks Drive. Their tasting room is open daily from 10:30am until 5:30pm. In addition to a large selection of wines available for tasting, you can browse and purchase gifts and gourmet packaged foods.

ABJ Vineyards

ABJ Vineyards got its start in 1993. According to their official website, Syrah and Viognier were first planted. Zinfandel and other vines were planted in following years. Although the vineyards got their start in the early 1990’s it wasn’t until 1999 that their winery opened to the public. It was also around this time that adjacent land was purchased, leading to a promising expansion.

The tasting room at ABJ Vineyards is open only for weekends and the holidays. If you are not only looking for a winery to visit, but also a place to stay, examine the Hilltop Hacienda, which is a luxury vacation home rental. It is located on the property of ABJ vineyards. You also have the option of staying at the Vineyard Suite, which is located above the tasting room.

Anglim Winery

If you thought the two above mentioned wineries where new, you haven’t seen anything yet. The owners of the Anglim Winery starting making wine in their home, simply as just a hobby. It was until 2002 that the Anglim Winery was established.

The Anglim Winery is occasionally referred to as unique because it does not rely on estate vineyards. Instead, they partner with local growers. Although considered unique by some, this is a common practice in the area, especially for new wineries who are limited on space.

Although the Anglim Winery is “new,” its location isn’t. Its wine tasting room is located at the old and historic Paso Robles train station. It was opened in 1887 and served as the main station until 1980. As for the tasting room, it is open from 11am to 6pm, expect for on Sundays when hours are reduced from 12pm until 6pm.

As previously stated, many wine enthusiasts consider Doce Robles, ABJ Vineyards and Anglim Winery to be “new,” but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth the visit. In fact, that makes them a must see. Stop by and see what these three wineries have created in such little time.

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