If you’ve been following us for the past nine months, there is no doubt that you’ve read about our adventures at Castoro Cellars in Paso Robles Califormia.  A quick check confirms that tonight’s blog wine represents the fifth wine from this winemaker to be reviewed!  Okay, first things first—did you notice the label?  Yes, yes, we KNOW it’s from Castoro Cellars.  What else did you notice?  Yes, yes, it’s a Pinot Noir. . .what else did you notice?

Every once in a while, a winemaker goes above and beyond the art of wine making.  They create a perfect blend of grapes, chemistry and timing.  They completely understand the task that is in front of them—which is to create a beautiful wine.  Tonight’s blog will be short, sweet and to the point– the 2008 Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County.  It’s a nice wine, but not one that we would probably buy on a regular basis. . .it’s nose was a bit caustic–missing the ususal fruitful goodness of a true Pinot and the taste, while full of flavor just didn’t hit the bell with us.  And, while coming off of last night’s bigger, bolder Pinot Noir, this one just seemed to come up short, we felt a little cheated.  Typically, when you open a bottle of wine that is five years old–or older–you would think you’re getting a pretty special wine, and unfortunately, this wasn’t the case tonight.  While it did get better as it was opened and had a longer opportunity to open up, over all, we were left a little disappointed.

In the months since we’ve visited Paso Robles, we’ve had a huge number of readers tell us about tasting wine in this great California town.  It’s amazing that–in the middle of the state—there is a community that still thrives on good old fashioned family values.  Paso Robles is becoming the “Napa Valley” of the millenium and we couldn’t be more excited for the town.  Now, the folks who live there may not necessarily agree with the assessment, but as believers in building community, they are heading in the right direction.  When you combine a number of high quality wine makers—like Castoro Cellars, Eberle, Robert Hall, etc..—along with a true feel of americana, you have a perfect combination for building business.

We hope t hat you’ll at least try this wine–or for that matter wines from Paso Robles–because it’s a community that’s going to be a game-changer.  As you sit down to enjoy your favorite wine, please do so responsibly and remember to recycle whenever possible.