Lohr Vineyards and Wines is the creation of Jerry Lohr, a South Dakota farmboy turned land developer who became one of the founding fathers of the Central Coast wine producing region in California. Lohr did extensive research before assembling land in the Monterey and Paso Robles regions on which he planted grapes in the early 1970s.
Nestled about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles lies the city of Paso Robles, or more correctly, El Paso de Robles (the Pass of the Oaks). And while most people think of Napa and Sonoma as the hotbed of California wines, Paso is quickly gaining notoriety amongst wine lovers as an area not only for producing great wine but also for providing an unpretentious wine country experience. Cass Winery perfectly embodies this spirit of relaxed yet quality living.
One of the great things about travelling to wine country is the accommodations. Wine’s agricultural roots mean small cozy towns, wide open spaces, rolling hills and usually proximity to water. The hotels, B&Bs and rental houses more often than not reflect their surroundings with their own wine country charm. On our recent trip to Paso Robles we had a terrific stay at the Olive Cottage B&B at the Alta Cresta Olive Orchard.
2014 Cass Marsanne
Medium in body, this wine had honey and melon aromas backed up with flavours of apple and a hint of something spicy. With medium acidity and a lovely minerality it is a well balanced wine that was a perfect accompaniment to sitting outside on a warm, sunny afternoon.
Very Good+ (USD $25 at the winery)
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One of the first things you’ll notice when you arrive at Tablas Creek Winery’s tasting room is the directional sign that stands outside the front door. It points to the vineyard itself (9 yds to the left) and then in the opposite direction toward its partner, Domaine de Beaucastel, 9009 km away–a symbolic representation of its partnership with the Perrin Family of the prestigious winery in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And when you decide to partner with such a respected house to establish a winery on US soil, not only are expectations high, but the inevitable comparisons tend to follow. Robert Haas, importer and founder of Vineyard Brands did just that in 1989 with the Perrin family and the result is Tablas Creek, a winery making impressive wines that more than stand on their own merit.
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