AMERICAN WINE

Bob Tillman searched for several years for the site where he could plant a truly world-class vineyard. After the family moved to the Central Coast of California and tasted the wines coming out of Paso Robles, they knew they found the right region! In 2003, Bob found this beautiful hilltop property on Adelaida Road that would become Alta Colina. All the grapes on this property are organically farmed, and the fruit is so amazing that other Central Coast producers such as McPrice Myers, Sans Liege, and Paydirt get fruit from Alta Colina.

This is an insane value from Curt Schalchlin; the owner and winemaker of SANS LIEGE. After several years learning from and working for some of the Central Coast's most sought-after producers, Curt decided to go his own way. The wines he puts under the Sans Liege label have received lofty praise from other winemakers and consumers, and his Groundwork label is on the way to becoming one of the best values in California's Central Coast! This bottling of Grenache Blanc comes from a variety of vineyards in Paso Robles to increase complexity.

white peach skin, river rock minerality, lychee, quince, green tea, citrus hard candy, lemongrass

Fresh and lively, this beauty offers aromas of stone fruit, honeydew melon, balsam fir, and white rose. The mineral-laced palate pulses with flavors of Meyer lemon, quince, and botanicals, while the finish perfectly balances richness and tension. Fermented and aged for 4 months in concrete tanks.

Tablas Creek was founded by the Perrin family of Chateau de Beaucastel and their importer, Robert Haas. The goal was to produce California's best examples of southern Rhône varietals and Chateauneuf-du-Pape style blends. The partners chose a 120-acre property in the hills of westside Paso Robles for its similarities to Chateauneuf-du-Pape: limestone soils, favorable climate, and rugged terrain.

Tablas Creek's "Patelin" series of wines is very unique. There are several vineyards in the Paso Robles region that were planted with cuttings sourced from Tablas Creek's own selections of budwood. Some of these vineyards had unclaimed grapes, and since the quality was high, Tablas Creek stepped in and began to produce this "hometown" bottling.

The Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Blanc is a blend of six white Rhone varietals: Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Clairette Blanche. The wine incorporates fruit from eleven top Rhone vineyards in Paso Robles, each vineyard selected for its quality. Like many white wines from the Southern Rhône, it is based on the crisp acids and rich mouthfeel of Grenache Blanc, with Viognier added for floral, tropical aromatics, and small additions of Roussanne and Marsanne for structure.

ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 91 POINTS - "Vivid straw-yellow. Fresh, mineral-tinged honeydew melon, pit fruits and white flowers on the intensely perfumed, focused nose. Densely packed and supple in texture, offering juicy peach and melon flavors that show sharp clarity and a touch of back-end spiciness. The floral and mineral qualities carry through the penetrating finish, which hangs on with very good tenacity."