Cayucos Cellars (Cayucos)

While driving through the center of Cayucos, we spotted this tasting room. We weren't sure how long until we'd end up this far north again, so it seemed a good opportunity to try another Central Coast winery on our list.

First Impressions:

This is the only tasting room in Cayucos, and they are located right on the main street in Cayucos, so they are hard to miss.
It was a small room, but only one other couple was there tasting. There was one staff member pouring, and he was very friendly and knew a lot about the winery. It had a low-key and casual atmosphere.
It's a local family vineyards, with an interesting history in the area. There were pictures of the family and other local photography on the walls.

These were the wines available for tasting:

2007 Chardonnay
2007 Pinot Noir
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (New Release)
2004 The Rustic One
2007 Syrah
2005 Devils Gate Zinfandel
2003 Late Harvest Zinfandel

(Library wines available for purchase)

Wines we tried:

2007 Chardonnay ($24)
The description from the winery was "...the promise of apple cider", and that is the best description
of this wine. It was a bit too much apple for us.

2007 Pinot Noir ($32)
This wine had a lot of flavor and tartness. It was jammy, and full.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (New Release)  ($32)
Very woody wine, and too much oak for me.

2004 The Rustic One ($25)
A blend of Cab, Zin, and Pinot. It was fruity and a little sweet, almost like a candy. I really liked it.

2007 Syrah ($30)
Flavors of plum and quite good. Didn't like it enough for the price though.

2005 Devils Gate Zinfandel  ($42)
This wine reminded me of the 2007 Syrah, but with more tartness.

2003 Late Harvest Zinfandel ($25)This was their desert wine selection. It reminded me of Honey wine. It smelled a little like cocoa, and was excellent with chocolate (they had some samples at the counter). Very sweet and rich.

Take Note:

Tasting is $10 per person, and waived with purchase of wine. We didn't end up purchasing anything that day. They have a wine club with 20% discount on all wine purchases.

Edna Valley Vineyards (San Luis Obispo)

Edna Valley Vineyards is a well known winery in the San Luis Obispo area, so we decided to spend part of a Sunday tasting their wine.

First Impressions:

Their large parking lot was crowded, and inside at the tasting bar it was even more crowded. The staff working that day were very friendly and helpful, and greeted us right away. They helped us find a spot at the wine bar, despite the crowd.
 The bar was facing a large picture window, showcasing a stunning view of the vineyards. They had 5 wines available to taste, which included mostly reds with two whites.

These were the wines available for tasting:

2010 White V Blend
2009 Reserve Chardonnay - Edna Valley2010 Pinot Noir - Edna Valley
2009 Syrah - Edna Valley
2009 Meritage - Paso Robles

Wines we Tasted:

2010 White V Blend ($20)
Well balanced wine, with citrus notes, and a mineral finish
 
2009 Reserve Chardonnay - Edna Valley ($30)
A sippable wine, with oak flavors

2010 Pinot Noir - Edna Valley ($22)
A delicious, very smooth wine, and light on taste. It would do better with foods not too strong in flavor.

2009 Syrah - Edna Valley ($18)
A complex wine that would be perfect with steak.

2009 Meritage - Paso Robles ($28)
We were told this wine might remind us of a cherry jolly rancher, and they were not kidding!
A tasty and interesting wine. 

Take Note:

Our overall impression was that they had earned their reputation for good wine.

We brought home 2 bottles of the white wine we tasted. The 2010 White V Blend and their 2009 Chardonnay.

Their website boasts that their Tasting Room is consistently voted the best in San Luis Obispo by locals in the annual newspaper poll.
They have seating inside and outside of the tasting room, where you can enjoy the view with a glass of wine.

Tasting is $10 per person, and one tasting is waived for every purchase of 2 bottles. They have a wine club, and they also sell a small selection of cheeses.

Wonderful!

Saucelito Canyon Vineyard (San Luis Obispo)

We happened to be in Edna Valley already, right down the road at Edna Valley Vineyards, so we thought we'd make a stop at Saucelito Canyon Vineyard.

First Impressions:

The tasting room is a cute, small cottage with covered seating outside with a cafe feel. The room was busy today, and small. But they allow you to sit outside under the covered porch to taste. The two staff members were friendly and knowledgeable, and the tasting room had a comfortable atmosphere.

These were the wines available for tasting:

2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($18)
2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($22)
2010 Zinfandel Estate ($32)
2010 Zinfandel Dos Ranchos ($32)
2010 Tempranillo ($28)

Wines we tried:

2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($18)
Very clear color, and smells grassy, and like a sweet bell pepper.

2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($22)
Would be good with white fish, or something not too overpowering. If I got it
at a restaurant, I would be happy.

2010 Zinfandel Estate ($32)
I was told this represents what they are known for. The wine comes from their
~140 year old vineyard. It has a bright finish, a little tart yet vibrant. It is
surprising, and I would definitely enjoy again.

2010 Zinfandel Dos Ranchos ($32)
This wine was fruity, spicy and less tart then the estate wine.
It was my favorite of the tasting. I think it would hold up to a variety of foods.

2010 Tempranillo ($28)
An interesting combination of fruit and oak.

Take Note:

Tastings were $8 for five wines, and they allow two people to share.  Overall the red wines were better than the white. They have a club membership available, with reasonable pricing.

Clesi (San Luis Obispo)

We recently attended the fifth annual Wine and Grill event in San Luis Obispo. It's a wonderful event with great music and wine tasting provided by local winery's, and it's all to benefit the Transitions-Mental Health Association. The event was held at the Clesi winery, so we decided to stop inside to do a tasting.

First Impressions:

The tasting room was popular that day. Despite the busyness, the staff were friendly and attentive to us. The tasting was held in the large barrel room, and it was fun to see where the magic happens. I'm not sure if tastings are typically held in the barrel room, or if that was done because of the event. The tasting counter was small and did not have any seating. It isn't a tasting room where you could sit with a glass of wine and chat, but purely for tasting. The winery is conveniently located on the historic Filipponi Ranch, which contributes to it's ranch feel, with golden hills and oak trees. The winery is just off the highway in San Luis Obispo, but there don't appear to be any other wineries near by.

These were the wines available for tasting:

2011 Malvasia Bianca - San Bernabe, Monterey
2009 Dolcetto - Juan Nevarex Vineyard, Paso Robles
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - Paso Robles
2009 Sangiovese - Paso Robles
 2009 Barbera - Siletto Ranch, San Benito
 (I skipped the wines that were just for the special event, and the Wine Club only selections)

Wines we tried:

2011 Malvasia Bianca ($20) This was the wine Clesi entered into the tasting event, to be judged by the public. We ended up voting it as our favorite. It was a beautiful white, a bit dry, and very good. I don't normally like dry wine, but I enjoyed this.  

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon ($28) A dramatic cab. It would do well with food, and has a nice clean finish.

2009 Sangiovese ($28) This wine is very strong on the palette. It was a bit too rough for me, but I would imagine others would enjoy it.  

2009 Barbera ($26) Another astringent wine, but really fruity

Take Note:

Tasting is $10 per person, and waived with a purchase. Clesi does have a wine club, where members pay less for wine (15%-25%). They also sell their own stemware.