California Gold: Going SLO to Paso Robles

The vineyards of JUSTIN

Text and photos by Jason McKenney

“Take it SLO in San Luis Obispo.”

Few truer clichés were ever coined. The Central California town lies roughly three hours north of LA and a dozen miles inland from the coast. The quiet refuge is home to Cal Poly State University, close to some beautiful coastline views, and serves as a launching pad to the grand wineries of Paso Robles to the north.

I have a great affinity for small California towns due to their wild juxtaposition to the energy of San Francisco and the glamour of Los Angeles. At the same time, many of the smaller Central Coast towns take full advantage of the natural benefits of lying near the state’s coast: amazing weather, beautiful natural surroundings, and a rich history of various groups of people passing through and contributing their two cents to the local heritage.

For my birthday, I took the family to SLO for a three-day weekend in hopes of finding some relaxation, visiting a few wineries, and sharing time with my wife and daughter. Two friends of ours, another couple from LA, were also making the trek north to celebrate. We talked them into skipping a large hotel and renting a room in the same quaint Heritage Inn B&B where we were staying.

Pretty in pink.
Bathroom at Heritage Inn

Who cares if the complimentary cheese and crackers in the front room consisted only of cheddar lunch slices and Ritz? Never mind finding a spider or two in your sheets. SLO is surrounded by the woods. It’s to be expected. Plus, the wine on hand was locally made and quite pleasant. The manager and her daughter were very friendly and curious about life in LA. The bed was comfortable, the shower had good pressure, and little Francesca slept like an angel. As a parent on a road trip, what else can you ask for?

Heading north on the 101 out of SLO, it takes about thirty minutes to reach the small town of Paso Robles. Swinging west on the 46 will take one past several great wineries that are open for visitors: Vina Robles, Eberle, Broken Earth, and Bianchi  to name a few.

Our friends had a desire to visit JUSTIN which was located east of PR along a seemingly endless length of bobbing side roads that led past miles of vineyards, orchards, and beautiful farmland. We found a table on the back patio and purchased a sampler of their reds plus one token white. Hiding in the shade of our small cabana we swirled and sipped, described flavors like snooty sommeliers, and found ourselves growing more relaxed by the moment.

Quiet escape of SLO

The Mediterranean patio overlooked an outstanding stretch of the vineyard where rows of grape vines covered the rolling hills beyond in perfect lines of green and brown. The air of the Central Coast is dry and clean. The sun shines brightly, baking the earth during the day while it grows considerably cooler at night. This consistent oscillation in temperature is one of the factors that give the grapes in this region their distinctive flavor.

Although the ISOSCELES Reserve was touted as a medal winner and tasted fine, I’m not such a huge fan of blends. I prefer my wines to be as pure in their composition as possible. JUSTIN’s Tempranillo and Cabernet Reserve were my favorites.

Stop blocking the name!

Many of the wines produced in California, whether Paso Robles, Napa Valley, or Sonoma County, can stand up to the best wines from anywhere in Europe. The Tempranillos here do justice to their Spanish ancestors, providing full body and tasting of bright red fruits. The Cabs are as robust and rich as their French counterparts, pairing perfectly with lamb or rib eye. The California terrain and weather are perfect for growing grapes. The skills learned over generations of being in this trade are evident in every bottle (at least nearly every bottle…as in any region there are some stinkers that can still be found).

Wines purchased on this trip: 

JUSTIN

• Reserve Tempranillo
• ISOSCELES® Reserve
• Cabernet Sauvignon

Lusso Della Terra Cellars 

• Cabernet Sauvignon

A mad tea party

On our last evening in SLO, we gathered at the Gold Rush Steakhouse in the Madonna Inn to celebrate my birthday. The Madonna Inn (certainly NOT named after the fading pop star) is a California landmark known far and wide for its variety of room designs and for its very kitschy yet very magical restaurant. It’s like a German bier hall designed by Walt Disney and then handed over to Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol for final touches.

A big band played ballroom favorites from the 1920s while couples, both young and old, strutted on the dance floor. A large tree (Maybe fake? Maybe real?) grew right in the middle of the dining hall, covered with garish lights while long limbs stretched overhead. The beers were large, the steak was larger. Sparing no calories on this night, we ordered a German chocolate cake that nearly leveled all of us in its sumptuous decadence.

It was a wonderful evening placing a big, fat, tacky exclamation point on a weekend trip to one of California’s quietest little towns. Wine, sunshine, and the Madonna Inn. That is how to take it SLO.

BONUS STOP: Firestone Walker Brewing Company Restaurant off the 101 in Buellton. A wonderful watering hole.