The Royal Nonesuch Farm tasting room now open
– A visit to Anthony Yount’s newly opened The Royal Nonesuch Farm* tasting room is no con game. But it is the next stop on Anthony’s journey, the culmination of a dream that started in 2006, when winemaker Anthony Yount was first “breaking” into the Paso scene. I have known Anthony since “the beginning,” watching and tasting his progress with Chris Cherry of Villa Creek, then as head winemaker (for the last 12 years) at Denner Vineyards, purchasing his vineyard property, creating two respected labels, and recently opening his tasting room and winery for The Royal Nonesuch Farm.
In the early days, Anthony’s first label was Kinero Cellars, with 2008 marking Kinero’s initial vintage. Initially, the winery produced two elegant whites and a rosé. Anthony’s reputation grew at Denner, and concurrently, his Kinero label was establishing a reputation. Then, in 2016, Anthony launched The Royal Nonesuch Farm label.
More recently, when the opportunity arose with a change in operations at Denner, Anthony grasped the adage “carpe diem” and seized the day. Marc Goldberg’s Windward Vineyard and tasting room became available. Anthony purchased the property, remodeled it, and last month (June), The Royal Nonesuch Farm tasting room opened.
Explore and savor the following, small-production, Royal Nonesuch wines. These are estate-grown, from the Yount Family York Mountain Vineyard:
- White (100% clairette blanche)
- Red Blend (73% grenache, 17% syrah, 8% graciano, 2% clairette blanche)
- Hokum (100% grenache)
(Note: all wines are subject to availability.)
In addition, during your tasting, you may be treated to a few Kinero whites (Kinero currently produces five different whites, plus a rosé).
As any winemaker will tell you, it takes great grapes to make great wine. For his Kinero brand, Anthony sources from select vineyards. For his York Mountain estate wines, The Royal Nonesuch, Anthony has an advantage most winemakers don’t: his wife is Hillary Yount, a fifth-generation member of an esteemed wine-growing and vineyard management family.
Anthony’s new tasting room is comfortable and welcoming, whether you taste inside or on the inviting patio, with vineyards spread in front of you.
Tasting the wines of The Royal Nonesuch & Kinero, you will understand why Anthony describes himself as a “peddler of pleasure,” and that’s the truth.
Anthony comments about the whimsical name as “being a reminder never to take ourselves too seriously.” However, his wines are serious, as you will discover.
Cheers and congratulations to you, Anthony. What a fun journey it has personally been to taste and watch as you have grown, putting your mark on Paso Robles’ and California’s wine industry.
Plan a visit to Anthony’s new tasting room soon, and please make reservations in advance. Cheers!
*The Royal Nonesuch refers to a fraudulent theatrical performance in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Referencing a great tragedy, Twain’s story is about “a con game.”
Don Sonderling is a freelance writer covering California’s (and areas beyond) unique lifestyle culture of Wine, food, adventure, and hospitality. He may be reached at: donsonderling@gmail.com
