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Forbes article highlights spirits, disc golf and drought in Paso Robles 

Halter Ranch Vineyards

Water monitoring systems have been implemented in Halter Ranch Vineyards. Photo courtesy of Assistant Viticulturalist/Cellar Worker Nick Painter.

Writer praises innovation in Paso’s tourism market

Forbes Food & Drink’s Cathy Huyghe recently published a story about new trends redefining Paso Robles – hard spirits, disc golf and water monitoring systems. Huyghe reported that although they did not jump immediately to mind as the hottest, most trend-setting innovations in the California wine industry, they were exactly what’s helping to redefine Paso Robles as a forward-thinking, responsive, and hospitable region elbowing its way onto the wine tourism map.

“Not that Paso is new to California wine. Quite the opposite, in fact: some of the oldest vine plantings in California are in Paso, and you’ve probably drunk more wine than you realize from grapes grown there. That’s because Paso, on California’s Central Coast, has long been a major producer (consider its long-held “anchor” wineries like J. Lohr, Gallo and Tablas Creek) and some of that juice was shipped north to blend into wines from Napa and Sonoma. Labeling laws provide some leeway for 15% to 25% of a wine’s final blend, and don’t require the source of that percentage to be identified,” she said in the article. “Those labeling laws allow winemakers to be creative with their blending choices, but it also means that credit isn’t always given where credit is due — to grapes grown, for example, in Paso Robles.”

She said, it’s time to see Paso for what it is: a top wine region that’s both rooted in heritage and stretching outward. “It’s home to some of the oldest and proudest vines in California, that are currently being “revisioned” as stand-alone wines rather than blends. And, instead of taking itself too seriously, it embraces what’s quirky and unusual — integrating a disc golf course into the vineyard landscape, for example, and repurposing what used to be the waste by-products of wine production into something profitable and in-demand.They each bring attention to Paso, which is long overdue.”

The three innovations listed as redefining Paso Robles for both its wine and tourism identity and a destination of choice are:

Disc-golf-castoro

Disc golf a hot trend at Castoro Cellars.

Disc golf at Castoro Cellars

The Whale Rock Disc Golf Course at Castoro Cellars is an outdoor state of the art, premier 18-hole disc golf course over a two-mile course through the vines. The story reads it is the brain child of Luke and Max Udsen, sons of winery founders Niels and Bimmer Udsen. The course is a way to get patrons of Castoro out in the vines to experience a true Paso Robles Ranch. The website says the course is located near the tasting room facility, on HWY 46 West, and suits all levels, from the never thrown a disc before novice to the Boss-ripping expert. Set amongst rolling hills of old growth oaks and vineyards, this scenic course is fun yet challenging. Open drives on a mix of short, long and technical holes dare you to go for birdie. Elevation changes paired with the vines considered out-of-bounds test players to tighten up their drives and trust their upshots. Whale Rock Disc Golf Course is designed to be enjoyable for kids and beginners while challenging the expert.

Fighting drought through technology

The story reads that, innovations have also emerged in response to California’s multi-year drought. Huyghe spoke to Halter Ranch Vineyard Manager Lucas Pope, who said viticulturalists are searching for insights into how much or how little water is absolutely necessary to grow premium wine grapes.

The story reads, Pope is implementing two separate monitoring systems: a sap flow sensor that tracks the amount of sap (or water) that’s flowing in a vine, and a calibrated thermocouple that tracks pockets of warm, humid air above the vines’ canopy in order to measure the amount of water being used. Both systems determine the vine stress level to determine how much stress, and how little water, is needed by the plant.

Huyghe said as Paso, and California overall, heads into the fifth year of its drought, the implementation of water monitoring and management systems is imperative. It’s innovation, at exactly the right time.

Craft spirits: wine waste, redefined

The story reads, winemaker Alex Villicana didn’t set out to be a distiller of vodka and gin, he and his wife Monica who have 13 acres of vineyards and have been making quality Bordeaux and Rhône-style blends since the 90s. However Villicana took a close look at the life cycle of his grapes and turned an unused resource into a high-end, artisanal commodity.

Huyghe reported that it starts with saignée, the percentage of free-run juice that’s “bled” from red grapes before fermentation. It’s often used to make rosé wine, or it’s thrown away. In Villicana’s case, the saignée amounts to 30% of the juice at harvest, which is equivalent to 150 tons of grapes. Rather than discard it, Villicana ferments the saignée then triple distills it into Re:find Handcrafted Vodka and Re:find Handcrafted Gin. Re:find spirits, under the Paso Robles Craft Distilling company, is another example of out-of-the-box thinking that has breathed fresh life into Paso’s already-thriving wine industry.

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About the author: News Staff

The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.