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So with that in mind, please eat something beforehand, take your time, and
Gaetano
don’t feel bad about pouring or spitting. They have an extensive list, and the last thing you want to do is burn out your palate (or your tolerance) on one winery. I mean, c'mon, you’re in Paso!
TIME VISITED: 02/03/2017, 12:00:00 PM
Tobin James Cellars-
It’s a staple of Paso Robles; the gateway to wine country if you are coming in from the east on the 46 Hwy…..some say a must stop, and I’m not one to argue. What you need to know before going to Tobin James is that it’s a complimentary tasting (rare, yes) and they have a lot of wine. A lot of wine. Did we mention a lot
*BONUS CONCOCTIONS:
2015 "Dream Catcher Moscato" Sparkling Wine & "Dream Weaver" Sparkling Wine
2012 "Liquid Love" Late Harvest Zinfandel & "Dream Weaver" Sparkling Wine
What we bought:
2013 "Black Magic" Petite Sirah
2012 "Silver Reserve" Zinfandel
2012 "Silver Reserve" Syrah #NTflightfavorite
"Dream Weaver" Sparkling Wine
2013 "Fatboy" Zinfandel #MBflightfavorite
What we tasted (and there were still several wines that we didn't taste, if you can believe that?!):
Our guy was Gaetano, an ever so charming gentleman with a great accent! He’s a long-term transplant from Sicily, who’s been working in the tasting room for nine years. We tasted at the center bar, a large rectangle in the middle of the room surrounded by tons of wine swag! This was just one of three bars in this tasting room, all of which are a pretty good size! Gaetano walked us through the normal tasting list, where we tried a few things… and then he switched gears to the reserve list. This is where it got interesting, and we had some really good juice, my friends. We particularly liked the Silver Labels and the Reserves.
of wine? And when you see everything that we tasted, you'll understand our overemphasis!
It's one of the very few tastings ever, that we actually dumped some wine. Not because it was bad, but because there was just too much! Too much wine? Who are we?! Oh, that's right...
What I didn’t know was that Tobin was not only the owner, but also the winemaker! He started making his own wine in 1985 when an extra six tons of grapes fell in his lap (not literally of course) and his first Zin, Blue Moon, came to fruition. Eight years later, and many, many wine medals later, he built the winery that is now Tobin James. Not too shabby!
The only rule in their tasting room is--- have fun!!!... and we did! It was an enjoyable experience and we had a great time. As mentioned earlier, we did pour out a lot of the wine, even though we had eaten a good breakfast. It was, however, the first stop of the day and pacing yourselves is always the best option, IMO. #NoRookieMistakesHere
The winery is eight miles east of downtown Paso, and a bit away from a lot of the other wineries (although there are several in this area too), so plan accordingly. You may also want to spend a little bit of time in their swag areas, as they have a ton of stuff- wine isn't the only thing in
abundance here!
2014 "Sundance" Sauvignon Blanc
2014 "Radiance" Chardonnay
2014 "James Gang Reserve" Chardonnay
2014 "Paradise" Syrah Rosé
2013 "Primo" Sangiovese
2013 "Made In The Shade" Merlot
2013 "Ballistic" Zinfandel
2013 "Black Magic" Petite Sirah
2012 "5" Bordeaux Blend
2012 "Private Stash" Meritage
2013 "James Gang Reserve" Grenache
2012 "Silver Reserve" GSM
2012 "Silver Reserve" Syrah
2013 "Dusi Vineyard" Zinfandel
2013 "Fatboy" Zinfandel
2012 "Silver Reserve" Zinfandel
2011 "James Gang Reserve" Port
"Dream Weaver" Sparkling Wine
#wineproblems