Paso BD Trip...Part 1...The 3 "W's"...Winemakers, Wines, Wineries

So many (great) wineries....We'll try to keep this brief and succinct....but since I recently kissed the blarney stone...I now tend to ramble.......so says the wife

Our experience with Scott Hawley (Torrin Wines----SEE PIC ABOVE) was nothing short of amazing.  No finished product to pour....but Scott had just laid out about 30 glasses or so of wine juice and initial blends....to start working on his 2010 release.  And we were SO privileged to be there, get some great wine education, sip and throw in our 2 cents worth on what will eventually be another banner release for Scott....simply an amazing highlight of our trip to be in on the beginning process of creation...with just one of the nicest guys you would ever want to meet...and drink with.  One of my favorite Torrin wines is "The Maven"...and Scott may not realize that he really named that wine after himself...because Scott IS a Maven.

No Paso trip would be complete without seeing Anthony Yount (Kinero/Denner)...."Alice" has left Wonderland to reside in my house....supple, structured, lingering and teasing...and best on a warm summer day or evening.  But....Anthony's newly released Chardonnay......well....from someone who is not particularly a chardonnay fan...THIS one is (to use a well known phrase):  Indescribably delicious!  I'd suggest you get some before he runs out...which he will.  SOOOO much fun to follow Anthony's progress with his own Kinero and the Denner brand....certainly one of the youngest, best and brightest of the Paso elites.......Cheers Anthony!

And when God created the Universe, and said "Let there be Wine" he created wonderful land and vines...and we were lucky to have a long and detailed vineyard tour by Bob Tillman and his daughter Maggie, owners of Alta Colina.  A 90 minute fascinating education of  their history, the terroir, vines, grapes, plantings, sun, weather, and in a nutshell......everything that goes into getting the grape from the ground into the bottle.  After the vineyard tour (highly recommended for any of you wine people when you go up to Paso), we of course, then tasted (and purchased) some of the wonderful Alta Colina finished product.  Bob and Maggie are just the nicest, most gracious people, but then again......we seem to find that a very common thread among the Paso wine community.

And not enough can be said about Daniel Daou and Daou Vineyards.  This is another fairly new on the Paso winery scene wine guru .....hitting home runs from bottle #1!  Daniel Daou is a wonderful, humorous, friendly Frenchman (as I have always found the French to be)....his excitement and passion for what he is doing is reflected in every sip of every wine he makes.  Wanting nothing more than to bottle liquid perfection....he is pretty much there....especially judging from all the "sold outs" on his wine list!  His "Celestus" and Zinfandel (which makes the pallet and heartstrings go zing...and clang clang clang goes the trolley) is just an incredible experience and reflection of his quest for liquid nirvana....not to mention his (sold out) Syrah.  You will find it quite a treat if you have a chance to sip anything Daniel is putting out....obviously....great things to come here...and we can't wait.

The always gracious and wonderful Lynne Teckman of Per Cazo....certainly leaves nothing "to chance" (Per Cazo meaning "by chance") in either her hospitable home wine tasting setting or with her sooo sipable creations.  Each wine is paired expertly with easily found cheeses or chocolate covered almonds.  My personal favorite is "Epi Telos"....yummmmmmmmy.  Lynne is so in tune to making your wine tasting experience one of perfection, she always arranges for you to watch the deer and rabbits play in her back yard as you sit and sip by her pool.....with the breeze from the Templeton Gap playing music in the trees.

Finally was a new meet and greet for us:  Jacob Toft OF Jacob Toft!  Just "another" of this elite group of young, passionate, fun and friendly winemaker superstars.....who just wants to put smiles on every ones face as they drink his wine.   His current wines are sold out, so if you happen to make an appointment to see him, be certain to sign up on his email list.  Jacob will regal you about his history and how he lovingly names each wine in a special way.  "Elizabeth's Cuvee" being the one that danced on my tongue....a special wine named after a special woman.  But..if you want to know more about the women and wines in his life...do yourself a favor.....call up Jacob and meet and sip with him.

and so....this ends Part 1 of 2 parts of my Paso BD trip.....watch for Part 2.....having to do with:  Food....and Wine!
Cheers!

Comments and emails always welcome.
don