“Wine Tasting at the Depot”, is the catch phrase for this unique boutique winery that specializes in vineyard designated Rhone style wines.
Located just a few blocks south of Paso Robles City Square, the storefront tasting room is only a few feet from the quaint Amtrak train station. The revitalized “Depot” area includes a restaurant and specialty retail shopping.
The cozy pale yellow building was the original 1890’s train depot and still exudes the historic nature of the place with its antique hardwood floors, and large windows looking out toward the train depot and tracks. The stylish tasting room has some small inlaid tile tables, a granite tasting counter and a few ceiling fans. There is a small outdoor patio where you can sit and enjoy your tasting.
The winemaking is done at their nearby Paso Robles winery. To make the reds the fruit is gently crushed to retain 60-70% whole berries, and then fermented in open topped fermentors where the resulting “cap” is punched down by hand three or four time per day during the month long fermentation process. The finished wines are generally bottled unfined and unfiltered to retain the full flavor and complexity of the fruit.
The whites are whole-cluster pressed and then fermented in stainless steel or French oak cooperage. Wines are aged on the “lees” for up to half a year to develop complexity. The wines are made from grapes sourced from various premium vineyards in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Wines made include the Rhone style, Syrah, Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache, as well as distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel Port. A fruity Syrah Rose is also produced.
