San Luis Obispo: Solidifying an Identity

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | APRIL 14, 2020

The best-known region within San Luis Obispo County is, of course, Paso Robles. However, most wines that carry the San Luis Obispo designation bear little resemblance to those from that AVA, emphasizing elegance and energy over ripeness and strength.

Blessed with a varying topography of rolling hills and exposures, San Luis Obispo produces a range of wines.

A Large and Varied Region, Roughly Defined

While hot-climate varieties feature heavily in the wines of Paso Robles, at the northern end of San Luis Obispo County, cooler-climate grapes, especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, take center stage in what’s generally referenced as “San Luis Obispo.” That’s especially true for the two most famous AVAs of the area, Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande, as well as those wines made from fruit grown in what’s becoming known as coastal San Luis Obispo. That particular, markedly cold region which has some vineyards planted just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean, can produce some of the most emphatically taut, racy Pinots and Chardonnays made anywhere, while Syrah is increasingly being thrown into the mix.