Sip the Good Life » paso robles

Wild Weather Wine Tasting

Beth — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:48:00 +0000

Snow in Paso? NBD. It is not like we were all standing outside in the freezing weather gawking at the little snowflakes as they touched down…and immediately melted.

Stormy Aftermath

But I suppose that any day is a good day for a little wine tasting. We had a nice trek on the East side starting in Templeton to taste at Clavo Cellars then off the Wild Horse (hence the inspired “Wild Weather” phrase), and a final stop at Sculpterra. If you have not been to the latter, you must make a trip! I had heard tales of sculptures in the gardens around the tasting room but had not imagined how striking these pieces would be in real life. There are numerous large, no, huge sculptures around the property and when you get in side there are miniature replicas to pour over!

The Cat's Meow

The Little Mermaid

Despite, or maybe because of, the weather a good time was had by all trying out a few new wineries. With so many wineries here in our backyard I look forward to trying a few new places on the next trip.

September Farmers’ Market in Paso

Kate — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 17:31:45 +0000

Fall Veggies

September seems like an interesting time in the world of agriculture, especially on the Central Coast where the lines between seasons are often blurred. On this late September day it feels like summer but there are signs of fall in the air. (The weather on this day can fluctuate easily between the two seasons. Record high for September 21st: 106 degrees, record low: 38 degrees.) So, I decided to head to the Paso Robles Farmers’ Market, held each Tuesday in the City Park downtown from 3-6pm to see what is being grown locally this time of year.

Gourds

At the market, the types of produce offered turned out to be just as mixed as the day’s weather. The stands lining the sunny park under the slowly-turning trees offered everything from summer berries and watermelons to fall squashes. And, this sampling of the Central Coast has everything in-between.

Lemongrass

One friendly local farmer posed with lemongrass, and another explained the process of turning squashes into hardened gourds: let the squash sit until it gets moldy, scrape the mold off, let it sit until dried then scrape skins off and let it dry some more. Each gourd is finished with a coating of polyurethane and some shoe polish to bring out the color.

A quick inventory of the fruits and vegetables available at the market would put most grocery stores to shame:

melons
dry farmed watermelons
lemongrass
beets
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes (red, yellow)
lettuce
carrots
lemons
limes
prickly pears
asian pears
avocados
squash
zucchini
strawberries
raspberries
walnuts
almonds
grapes
onions
greens
cabbage
bell peppers
peppers
plums
peaches
eggplant
sweet potatoes
garlic
winegrapes

Winegrapes

Looks like the Central Coast is the place to shop for produce in September.

Harvesting Veggies with Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery

Annie — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:55:46 +0000

What better way to start your morning than in the garden? Beth and I headed out of the office for a morning of vegetable harvesting at Steinbeck Vineyards’ Vineyards Growing Veggies project site. We met with Cindy Steinbeck Newkirk of Steinbeck Vineyards and Winery and, after a quick tutorial, we were off to work!

Straight off the vine - Beth's got a zucchini and a squash

Mmm...nothing says summer more than a juicy cantaloupe!

These winter squash will make a hearty dish!

Hunting for tomatoes!

Steinbeck Vineyards and Winery is a multi-generational sustainable farm boasting 500 acres of vineyard property and producing 2,000 tons of fruit each year. In 2008, Steinbeck Vineyards introduced the Vineyards Growing Veggies program to their farm. A one acre plot was set aside for a variety of fruits and vegetables and has been producing ever since. All the vegetables go to the local food bank, a whopping 8,000 lbs annually! When Beth and I went out, Steinbeck and its volunteers were harvesting zucchini, squash, watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, and tomatoes. Steinbeck Vineyards and Winery welcomes volunteers who want to get involved and are especially looking for volunteers to help tend the garden (picking, planting, transitioning, and weeding) and start plants.

But wait, Steinbeck does even more to promote a healthy environment and community… they recycle natural, non-synthetic wine corks! Currently, there are 250,000 corks in use around the vineyard and winery. The corks help keep moisture in the soil and prevent unwanted weed growth.

These natural corks have found a second life!

Corks can be mulched or remain whole as seen here.

For more information on the Vineyards Growing Veggies project, visit the following sites…

www.urbanfarming.org

www.winerymusicawards.com

www.steinbeckwines.com

For more information on wine cork recycling, visit the following sites…

www.recork.org

www.steinbeckwines.com

www.vineyardteam.org

10am, Cass Tasting Room:

Beth — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:45:19 +0000

As I arrive at Cass Vineyard and Winery at 10 am Friday morning, it occurs to me that it is a bit early to be visiting a tasting room. I approach the bar and meet a petite, energetic woman with bright eyes and spiky red-brown hair; she is not opening wines, but rather gathering rolled up foam mats. Yes, I am off to do yoga in the vineyard.

We walk with our instructor into the vineyards settling in the shade of a large oak tree. After laying out our yoga mats the class begins. Our teacher leads a fantastic class beginning with a breathing exercise (which involves sitting still something that, in my opinion, is the most difficult part of yoga), a slow warm up and then moving into more challenging moves (balancing on left index finger and left big toe…not really). While attempting my back bend, I briefly struggle with the blinding morning sun as it peers through the tree, I adjust (twice) and resume my focus on channeling energy, and, uh, not holding my breath. Finally we end the routine resting on our backs, closing our eyes, enjoying the open air. Ah…another hard day at the office…

Was That the Winemaker on Bass?

Kris — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 03:25:36 +0000

I thought I knew the D’Anbino Vineyards & Cellars folks. But my “aha” moment happened when my family’s three generations enjoyed the party at their Paso Robles tasting room – complete with a comedy act (long time friend Tony Russell who also handled some lead singing), fabulous cabs and syrahs, and a special appearance by the D’Anbino Family Band.

Carmine Rubino (half the name sake of D’Anbino) played bass and doubles as the winemaker. John Andrea (other half of the D’Anbino namesake) played a fab sax and puts his creative carpentry skills into place for various vineyard projects. Michael (John’s son) jammed on keyboards, and together with wife Sharon (who doubles as soulful singer), conceptualized and decorated their beautiful tasting room. Robert (Carmine’s son) handled percussion, and Grant (Carmine’s son-in-law) added his funky guitar skills to the band.

I would expect their wines to be great because I know Kathy Andrea’s personal commitment to creating a holistic farm system where all the workers are engaged in the farming decisions. Between soil conservation practices and clever biological additions to improve their soil quality, their innovative techniques epitomize sustainability in practice and has landed them a prestigious place as a pilot grower in the certified sustainably grown project. (And you should see the lovely gardens where the workers and their families grow their own food.)

But how is the D’Anbino Family band so great? With a couple of Grammy’s and Emmy’s in the case, a gold record from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, and recording/producing history with the likes of Sarah Vaughn and Joe Cocker, I was reminded that these guys were musicians first, playing a part in musical Americana over several decades.

I’m guessing that this unique family venture is a local, undiscovered treasure. But enjoying the party with my own family and smiling so much that my cheeks hurt, reminded me to take time to slow down and groove to the music more often.

Fabulous Wines, Innovative Farmers, and Family Fun –– the D’Anbino clan defines A+ SIPpers..

So support the D’Anbino’s. Visit their tasting room to check out the fun music-themed wine ware and memorabilia and enjoy their wines, and set a date for one of their parties. They have special guests scheduled throughout the year, but make sure to check out the D’Anbino Family Band’s return on October 18. (Check out a clip of the band with long-time friend Tony handling lead vocals.)

Working for the Central Coast Vineyard Team, Kris O’Connor scours the region for members’ wines and stories, trying to taper off her technology addiction. She’s always looking for a fun excuse to break away to enjoy experiences with friends and family that don’t require an internet connection.