Paso Robles: Taming the Beast 

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | SEPTEMBER 29, 2016

Recent vintages in Paso Robles have been exceptional, quality-wise, but an extended drought has slashed fruit yields between 25% and 50%, resulting in a classic “good news, bad news” situation that is driving producers and wine lovers nuts. 

A third consecutive year of drought in 2014 extended Paso Robles’ losing streak for production, with yields off by up to a third of normal. Happily, quality was excellent, for both white and red varieties. The vines got off to a fast start following a warm, dry winter and then stayed ahead of their normal maturing cycle through the summer and harvest. Both clusters and berries were small, making for high skin-to-juice ratios and thus even more concentration than normal. Because of the uncommonly early budbreak, the grapes enjoyed an exceptionally long growing season, depending on grape-growers’ whims regarding harvest times. Fans of full-throttle wines will find plenty to like from Paso Robles in 2014, although sourcing the wines may prove to be more of a challenge.

Much to the dismay of growers, 2015 also yielded a short crop. Production in yet another drought vintage was down by 50% of normal, in some vineyards even more, according to John Alban and Jason Haas of Tablas Creek. So don’t expect the most sought-after wines to become any easier to find in what is increasingly an overheated market for the best Paso Robles wines. 

Hillside plantings of Zinfandel in the Willow Creek District

The Pursuit of Finesse