RV Road Trip to Paso Robles
With our newly retired friend driving his new RV, we headed out from Phoenix to Northern California via Paso Robles. Of course, we needed to stop part way for the night, so why not go to a wine tasting hub between South and North? Paso Robles has rolling hills with vineyards and different areas with wineries and tasting rooms providing a multitude of varietals. We stayed at Wine Country RV Park, which is on the same road as a few of the wineries including J Lohr, Eberle Winery, and EOS.
On the 46 on the way into town, Eberle has a great vineyard view and a wide range of varietals for tasting. Using only Paso grown grapes, wine lovers can enjoy 5 different wines of choice for complimentary tasting. The tasting room is warm and the staff are knowledgeable and friendly. As our first stop in Paso, this was a great place to start our wine trip.
2014 Estate Chardonnay: Lots of green apple on the front end and a smooth bit of oak as you finish. This is a staple of the Eberle winemaker and with no buttery flash it drinks well with or without food. Be sure to try the 2013 Zinfandel too – lots of fruit with a cocoa and slight peppery ending.
On our return trip from Napa, we stopped again in Paso and decided to try the winery next door to the RV park – EOS. This is one of the Fuller properties, of which there are 14 in CA and OR. The tasting room is very cool and the staff is fun and informational. There is a $10 tasting fee that is waived with joining the wine club. We found out that Paso is a test market for UberWine – a VERY affordable way to visit wineries with a professional driver. Next trip, we are leaving the car we brought and using Uber!
2012 Chardonnay: With a light oak finish, this slightly apple and pineapple chardonnay is very affordable. Only 4500 cases were produced and aged mainly in stainless. At $14 retail, this is a nice white for chicken or fish dishes. We were fortunate to arrive on a 50% off sale day for this varietal, so of course we left with two cases!
2013 Petite Sirah: Heavy on blackberry at the start, this smooth sirah finishes with a slight hint of coffee and chocolate. Probably best with food, but definitely a nice red for the winter months. One case found its way into our car for the ride back to Phoenix.
