By Rick VanSickle

PASA ROBLES, Calif. — There is a wild-west spirit in this exciting wine region and that's exemplified in the renegade exuberance of the winemakers who have staked their claims here. In Paso Robles, halfway between the two main California metropolises of Los Angeles and San Francisco, there has been a reawakening fuelled by grapes and the magic juice that's gently squeezed from their plump orbs.

New plantings of vines — particularly Rhone varietals — have been planted at an alarming rate as wineries try to keep up with demand for these brave new-style wines. It's a surge spurred by funky new wines being made by passionate, in some cases, quirky, young winemakers who have dared to be different. Located along California's famed Central Coast, the Paso Robles grape growing region's climate is perfect for the production of premium wines. A long growing season of warm days and cool evenings give rise to vibrantly ripened fruit with dynamic flavour profiles.

The region has 26,000 acres of vines, producing more than 40 wine grape varieties — from Spanish to Italian, Bordeaux to Rhône, including the area's heritage variety zinfandel. The styles of wine are diverse in this very distinct region.

Any trip to Paso Robles should include time to stroll the historic downtown, shop and dine. Boutique stores, wine country cuisine and tasting rooms fill the blocks surrounding Paso Robles' downtown City Park. Neighboring Paso Robles along the coast are the towns of San Simeon, home to Hearst Castle on the north, and the fishing village of Morro Bay to the south. In between you will find Cambria, Harmony, and Cayucos. All are within a short drive and worth exploration.

But it's the wine that is getting the most attention in Paso Robles. It is a standout region for Rhone varietals along with the California staples of cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and zinfandel. One of the most recognizable names in Paso Robles is J. Lohr, a winery that looms large over the entire region. As we roar through the perfectly pruned vineyards at Lohr, our ATVs home in on a plaque that reads: Hilltop Vineyard. It is here, looking down the gentle slopes of row after row of cabernet sauvignon, that we see the vastness of J. Lohr's empire. A lonely, sprawling live oak provides a little shade in an otherwise hot, dry spring day in Paso Robles. It can approach 38 C in the daytime and plummet to 10 C at night. And that's just about perfect for J. Lohr's specialty, cabernet sauvignon. Here, in this coveted spot, which only represents 80 acres of the 2,000 vineyard acres in the J. Lohr holdings in this region, the famed Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon is grown. This cherished piece of land is located on the highest plateau for miles around. The combination of limestone and red gravel with shallow topsoil produces small berries with intense flavours, which is the hallmark of J. Lohr Hilltop cabernets. J. Lohr is the second-largest wine producer in Paso Robles, second only to Meridian Vineyards.

There is something for everyone in the J. Lohr portfolio, from entry level to the ultra-premium wines to the cuvee series named after regions in Bordeaux and are blended in a similar manner. But my favorite from J. Lohr is the Hilltop cabernet, always gorgeously ripe and spicy wine with that distinctive violet, dark cherry and vanilla profile.

Availability note: The LCBO and Vintages stocks a decent selection of J. Lohr wines. Check the website for listings.

While J. Lohr is a long-established winemaker, a pioneer in the region, many have followed, each with their own vision for making wines in the "new frontier." Here are few others making remarkable and exciting wines in Paso Robles.

TABLAS CREEK: Mix together a successful French family from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, one esteemed American importer, one Brit winemaker and the terroir of Paso Robles. Stir gently. Result: One of the most exhilarating brands of wine in the region.

The Perrin family, owners of Chateau de Beaucastel in the Rhone Valley, joined forces with U.S. importer Robert Haas to create Tablas Creek Vineyard. While the dream to craft Chateauneuf-style wines began in 1979 it wasn't until 1987 that it began to take shape. It started with a 120-acre parcel of land in the western region of Paso Robles. All the cuttings for Tablas Creek came from original rootstock at Chateau de Beaucastel. It's uncanny how similar the Paso Robles wines are to the French version. Winemaker Neil Collins, originally from Britain, says the focus is on terroir, yet the wines are exactly like those in France. The result is stunningly terroir-driven wines so unlike anything else California is making.

Availability note: Vintages stocks bottlings from this winery. Check the website for listings. Prices start around $25.

L'AVENTURE: Stephan Asseo is a blending freak. An adventurer with roots in Burgundy and Bordeaux saw his future in America's newest rising star, Paso Robles. "I just fell in love with this place," he said. "You get the best of both worlds here — maturity and ripeness." Asseo turned the former 127-acre horse ranch into a sprawling vineyard and winery in 1998. His philosophy is to blend grape varieties: "Blending two premium wines increases the authenticity and the complexity of the creation as a whole." L'Aventure uses only French oak barrels made by a variety of master coopers and avoids the "over oaky" toasted flavours that rob grapes of their natural fruit.

While Asseo makes outstanding blends, one couldn't help but be awed by his single varietal syrahs. A Rimrock Syrah we tasted out of barrel blew us away with its depth of fruit, raw meat power and savoury bits of smoke, tar and roasted coffee beans.

Availability note: Vintages gets rare bottlings from this winery from time to time. Check the website for listings. Warning: These wines are very rare and expensive.

TREANA: In the barrel room of this family-run winery the young and passionate winemaker, Austin Hope, proudly presents his wines. I was there even before a proper tasting room had been built (one has since been opened with stunning views of the Hope Family Vineyard.). The Hope family was just building its portfolio of wines with Treana and Liberty School, a second label, first out of the gate and receiving critical success from the very beginning.

Today, the Hope family — owner Chuck Hope and son Austin — makes four different brands with Austin Hope and Candor labels added to the portfolio. The Treana label symbolizes a trinity of natural elements -- sun, soil and sea — the elements that make Paso Robles a prime region for premium winemaking. The Treana Red is a cabernet sauvignon blend while Treana White is a Rhone-style blend. Treana's second label, Liberty School, consists of only varietal wines — cabernet sauvignon, syrah and chardonnay — and is a brand founded on quality, consistency and value. They are made in a traditional style: fruit-driven, barrel-aged and crafted to reflect true varietal character.

Availability note: LCBO and Vintages stocks both Treana and Liberty School wines. Check the website for listings.

Enjoy! winesniagara@gmail.com

05/10