{"id":22188,"date":"2024-08-16T12:18:48","date_gmt":"2024-08-16T16:18:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winetraveler.com\/?p=22188"},"modified":"2025-01-02T12:45:52","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T17:45:52","slug":"edna-valley-wine-tasting-san-luis-obispo-wine-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winetraveler.com\/california\/edna-valley-wine-tasting-san-luis-obispo-wine-country\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Go Wine Tasting in California’s Edna Valley & San Luis Obispo Wine Country"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Edna Valley wine country is compact, with 13 of about 30 total wineries within a few miles of downtown San Luis Obispo. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was June of 2024, and I could feel the momentum of Edna Valley wine country, located about halfway between L.A. and San Francisco. I was sitting on the tasting patio overlooking the vines of The Language of Yes<\/strong><\/a> winery. There, in the shadow of a voluminous contemporary tasting room that could easily have been plucked from a Napa hillside, my wife and I were tasting the utterly novel, skillfully crafted wines created by Rhone-style<\/strong><\/a> visionary Randall Grahm, like his nearly ethereal red made from Cinsault grapes<\/strong><\/a> air-dried for three weeks before fermentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tasting
Tasting at The Language of Yes. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This lovely piece of ground is precisely where Jack Niven, the founding father of Edna Valley winemaking, established his operation in 1973. The Niven family sold this part of their holdings to E&J Gallo Winery in 2011. By 2023, that global wine colossus had established this avant-garde project here — demonstrating a clear interest in the future of winemaking in this long-overlooked slice of California wine country<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And by July it had been sold to yet another winery, yet unnamed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clearly, little Edna Valley is in motion — catching the eyes, the talent, and the money of California winemaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"The
The contemporary tasting room of Edna Valley Vineyards, owned by E&J Gallo Winery, stands on the site of the valley\u2019s first grape plantings by grocer Jack Niven in 1973. Today it hosts the tastings of avant-garde Language of Yes wines. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Edna Valley AVA, established in 1982, is about five miles from the Pacific Ocean, whose breezes ease through mountain gaps and create a terroir perfect for cool-climate grapes like Chardonnay<\/strong><\/a> and Pinot Noir<\/strong><\/a>, adaptable Rhones like Grenache<\/strong><\/a> and Syrah<\/strong><\/a>, and some less common varietals like Albari\u00f1o<\/strong><\/a>, Viognier<\/strong><\/a>, and Gr\u00fcner Veltliner<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Morning
Edna Valley wine country lies just outside San Luis Obispo, tucked around and just outside a row of volcanic plugs that provide opportunities for world-class viticulture and outdoor recreation. Image Courtesy of Brittany App for Visit San Luis Obispo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You could strike Edna Valley wine country from the hills above San Luis Obispo<\/strong><\/a>, a charming historic town thrumming with the energy of California Polytechnic State University, with a powerful shot from a trebuchet. And the vineyards are just 15 minutes from some lovely beach communities. So unlike nearby Paso Robles<\/strong><\/a>, that hoppin\u2019 central coast destination focused exclusively around wine, Edna Valley presents a traveler with a long weekend or happy week offering eclectic pleasures: the food and frolic of a lively small city, a day at the beach, and visits to any of dozens of wineries ranging from 40-year-old outfits run by self-taught vintners to some enterprises near the forefront of California winemaking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan a visit today, and ten years from now…who knows? You may be able to brag to your friends about how you went to Edna Valley before it was the next big thing.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting to Edna Valley<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

San Luis Obispo<\/strong><\/a> — if you\u2019re trying to impress locals, call it \u201cSLO\u201d or, better, \u201cslow\u201d — has a small airport<\/strong><\/a> served by American, United, and Alaska Airlines. Direct flights come from San Francisco, L.A., Portland, Seattle, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, and Las Vegas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Map
San Luis Obispo is about equidistant from San Francisco and Los Angeles. Map courtesy Visit San Luis Obispo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, and more affordably, you can fly into Los Angeles<\/strong><\/a> and rent a car<\/strong><\/a>. It\u2019s a sometimes-scenic three-hour ride up the 101. You can stop over in Santa Barbara County<\/strong><\/a>, that famed land of vineyards that the movie Sideways<\/em> put on the wine travel map 20 years ago. Unfortunately, the Pacific Coast Highway<\/strong><\/a> tracks inland in that part of California, so you can\u2019t wind your way along the ocean to SLO. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re coming from San Francisco it\u2019s a three-hour straight shot south, but you can indeed curl down the Pacific Coast Highway part of the way (check for closures). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or if you\u2019re feeling up for the picturesque shake-and-rattle, Amtrak\u2019s Surfliner<\/strong><\/a> runs between Oakland and San Diego with a stop in SLO.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In any case, you\u2019ll need a car. Unlike places like Napa and Sonoma<\/strong><\/a>, there are no organized wine tours to get you around. Like I said, Edna Valley\u2019s still in the shadows. For now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED: These Are Some of the Top Wineries to Visit in Napa Valley This Year<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edna Valley Terroir<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most Edna Valley vineyards are planted on gently rolling terrain, and from practically any location you can spot what locals call the \u201cNine Sisters\u201d (or the \u201cMorros\u201d), a chain of volcanic plugs that both attract outdoor enthusiasts and contribute to the area\u2019s diverse, productive farmland. The sea covered the area millions of years ago, producing a marine layer; the volcanic stubs contributed magma and ash, and have been eroding into the surrounding landscape for over 20 million years. Today the composition of the land can vary by plot and hillock, comprising any combination of marine fossils, porous stone, sand, and rich humus, loam, and clay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Edna
Edna Valley\u2019s vines thrive in a terroir dominated by cooling Pacific breezes that slide through mountain gaps, and slowly eroding volcanic plugs that have been feeding the soil for millennia. The land is perfect for cool-weather grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Image courtesy Courtesy of DeFrisco for Visit San Luis Obispo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The ocean brings not only cool temperatures but clouds, which roll in most mornings and slide off in the evenings, meaning sunshine and diurnal variation are more moderate than they are in, say, Paso Robles. But the growing season in Edna Valley is one of the longest in California, allowing slow ripening and a later harvest, producing grapes from which the right hands can coax more complex, nuanced flavors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The AVA is about 35 square miles, and about 1,500 acres are planted with grapes. (For context, Paso Robles has about 40,000 acres under vines, Napa about 45,000.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neighboring AVAs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Things can get a bit complicated as you start to navigate wine country in the nearby parts of the Central Coast. The Edna Valley AVA is tucked within the sprawling San Luis Obispo Coast AVA<\/strong><\/a> (recognized only in 2022), a cool-weather zone that reaches from Monterey in the north to Santa Barbara County in the south. Edna Valley AVA shares borders with the Arroyo Grande Valley AVA<\/strong><\/a> to the south. And just a few miles inland, to the east and north, is the commanding Paso Robles AVA. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"San
Map credit San Luis Obispo Coast Wine Collective.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s a lot of distinctive terroirs within a fairly small range. Which is to say: You have many good reasons for multiple visits to this lovely expanse of California, so full of natural beauty, worthy attractions, and diverse wines.     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The History of Edna Valley Wine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the early 1970s, former grocer Jack Niven and restaurateur Norm Goss sought the advice of viticulture experts at UC Davis and Fresno State to determine where to buy farmland to grow grapes and which varieties to grow. In 1973 the Nivens planted the original 547 acres of Paragon Vineyards, and in the same year, Goss established Chamisal Vineyard on 80 acres nearby. They mostly grew Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They sold their grapes to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1980 the Nivens created Edna Valley Vineyard and Winery and started making wines themselves, and Goss did the same at Chamisal. Jack Niven became the driving force behind getting Edna Valley its American Viticultural Area designation, the first in San Luis Obispo County and only the 10th in the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wines built a reputation pretty quickly. The Nivens\u2019 Chardonnays were regularly served at the White House during the Reagan Administration. In a 1982 blind tasting hosted by Steve Spurrier — the same guy who put together the famed 1976 Judgment of Paris blind tasting, which resulted in American wines gaining parity with their French counterparts — the Nivens\u2019 Paragon Chardonnay tied for first place with a Napa one. Chamisal\u2019s 1986 Chardonnay scored 91 from Wine Spectator<\/em>, a peak for Edna Valley wines at the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t long before Niven Family Wine Estates had expanded to include five labels, Chamisal had been sold to an ambitious tech executive, and dozens of wineries were in operation around SLO, ranging from small, family-run operations like Kynsi, begun by an engineer-turned-self-taught-winemaker, to outfits like Corbett Canyon, which made bulk wines advertised on TV. Some of the winemakers diversified into more obscure varietals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few Edna Valley operators established environmentally sound practices, putting the valley on the early map for sustainable winemaking, a position it continues to occupy today. Valley winemakers were among the prime movers behind creation of the SIP (Sustainability in Practice)<\/strong><\/a> designation, the nation\u2019s most rigorous certification of sustainable and ethical winemaking practices. It was launched from the Central Coast and is now adopted by dozens of wineries across California and the American West.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Management of the Niven family business eventually transitioned to the second and third generations, and, well, you know how that can go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2011, the Niven family sold their share of Edna Valley Vineyard to E&J Gallo Winery but retained ownership of their other wine operations. Until 2020, that is, when they sold their four wine labels and tasting room to WX Brands<\/strong><\/a>, a company with an international portfolio of wines. Other holdings are now farmed by Paso\u2019s estimable Daou<\/strong><\/a>, which makes a $70 Eden Valley Pinot Noir (and Daou itself has recently been bought, by the Australian Treasury Wine Estates, for a reported $1 billion). Chamisal was purchased by a Napa-based brand owner. A former CEO of Raytheon bought another one of Edna Valley\u2019s pioneering winemakers and has given it the Full Napa treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>
\"\"<\/figure>
\"\"<\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Edna Valley historic transformation sites: The Jack Niven Hospitality Center, owned by E&J Gallo Winery, pays tribute to Edna Valley\u2019s pioneering winemaker; Chamisal, another early area vintner, is part of Napa-based Crimson Wine Group; today Center of Effort, owned by a former corporate CEO, operates in the space once occupied by Corbett Canyon, Edna Valley\u2019s first mass-market winemaker. Images courtesy Craig Stoltz<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, money’s moving in, things are in flux, and everybody seems to be waiting to see what Edna Valley\u2019s next chapter holds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Edna Valley Wine Tour<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Edna Valley wine country is very approachable, offering about 30 wineries, most within a 20-minute drive of downtown San Luis Obispo. I\u2019ve selected six that take you from the O.G.s of the valley to the latest high-spending entrants doing the most extravagant vinting in the region. (I had to omit the Language of Yes at Edna Valley Vineyards, now closed. Its successor had not been named by the time this story went live.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note that not many wineries in Edna Valley offer food or entertainment, though some bring in food trucks and music once a week. (Bocce seems to be a thing.) While a few places offer charcuterie or even more extravagant food, as noted below, for the most part you should expect unadorned tastings.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most wineries open at 11 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. A good plan might be to hit one or two visits before lunch, head back to SLO for a midday meal, and then make one or two more visits in the afternoon. There are some fantastic restaurants with excellent wine lists in SLO, so your wine and food adventures can continue well into the night. Recommendations for wine, food, and lodging in SLO appear below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with all self-guided wine tours, it\u2019s best to make reservations or at least call ahead to make sure a drop-by within a certain time window will work. That will also give you a chance to find out if any food, activities, or tours are available. Some of these places are small enough where you could wind up with unexpected face time with the winemaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baileyana Winery<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

5828 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

805-269-8200<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recommend you make this roadside tasting room, a converted 1909 schoolhouse, your first stop. It\u2019s the outpost of the wine operations of the Niven family, the pioneers of Edna Valley wine. (It\u2019s all owned by WX Brands, but the original team and vibe remain in place.) The Baileyana<\/strong><\/a> labels draw heavily from the family\u2019s longtime vines, but they also source from Paso Robles and the San Luis Obispo Valley AVA to diversify their offerings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baileyana comprises four brands: Baileyana, Tangent, True Myth, and Zocker. The wines reflect the nuance and balance that come from working the same land and varietals for 40 years — and of winemaker Rob Takigawa, who has been hands-on with the wines for 20 of them. There wasn\u2019t a clinker in the bunch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our tasting included four Baileyana offerings, including a \u201cHalcon Rojo\u201d Pinot that had lovely, light cherry tones. Another standout was the S-BAR Chardonnay, harvested from select blocks and rows. While it was barreled in French oak the fruit came through beautifully, all pears and lemons with small background notes of vanilla. It was the most expensive bottle in the tasting at $45.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was also a Tangent \u201cClone 530\u201d Sauvignon Blanc, geekily named after its Loire cutting, and a red blend under the True Myth label, a mix of 50 percent Cab, 42 percent Syra, and 8 percent Tempranillo. Sadly there was nothing else on offer from its Tangent bottlings, a screwcap line of Albarinos, Pinot Gris, and one aggressive blend of six whites it calls Ecclestone. Forty years on, the Nevinists are still going places, even if they are no longer the owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During your visit, expect little more than the wine. There\u2019s a bocce court and a beautiful view of the vineyards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Center of Effort<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

2190 Corbett Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande<\/p>\n\n\n\n

805-781-9463<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Center
Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

No matter how jaded you are from your visits to extravagant modern temples of wine, prepare to mutter \u201cWow\u201d when you approach the Center of Effort<\/strong><\/a> in humble Edna Valley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vision of former Raytheon Company CEO (and Cal Poly graduate) Bill Swanson and his wife Cheryl, the Center of Effort campus includes an expansive contemporary visitors center and tasting room backed by a kitchen whose design alone is worth a Michelin star, a broad patio and lush lawn overlooking vines of Pinot, Chardonnay, and GSM varietals, an orchard, a putting green, an oyster-shell bocce court, and a pristine wine production facility. It\u2019s set up not just for tastings but for corporate hospitality, and way off in the back somewhere is the place they make bulk wines for clients they won\u2019t name (Swanson clearly didn\u2019t lose his business chops when he retired). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Center
Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I strongly recommend going for the $65 per person tour and tasting, which includes paired small plates. It was the tasting highlight of our trip. Unlike some wineries, Center of Effort brings out the good stuff: Everything we tasted had earned at least a 93 from Wine Enthusiast<\/em>, and three of the five were priced at $60 per bottle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wines were beautiful. There was a GSM estate Ros\u00e9 fermented in concrete; the fruit seemed to float from the surface of the glass. By contrast the Arrivo 2020 Pinot Noir, which spent 19 months in half-new French oak, was of the deeply \u201cmasculine\u201d variety, and very smooth — like forest wrapped in a silk sachet. Winemaker Kevin Bargetto, a Cal Poly grad who got a lot of his wine training in Australia and New Zealand, is clearly on his game.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each wine was skillfully paired with a dish of meticulous, creative tweezer food nearly worth the $65 tab by itself. And the tour of the impressively clean and efficient winemaking facility includes a visit to see the concrete \u201ceggs\u201d where some of the most creative vinting takes place. (We learned from the guide that \u201ccenter of effort\u201d is a sailing term referring to a point on a sail where all the forces come together and act as one).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Center
Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In a way, Center of Effort tells the entire Edna Valley wine story. The property was originally farmed by Jim Lawrence, one of the first to see the potential of the area. But he soon sold the operation to Corbett Canyon, maker of the sort of wine displayed at knee level at the liquor store. And now Center of Effort has become a standard-bearer for Edna Valley\u2019s next chapter of premium winemaking, even as it produces volume products in the background. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reservations are absolutely necessary. Build your trip around this one visit if you must. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kynsi Winery & Vineyard<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

2212 Corbett Canyon Road, Arroyo Grande<\/p>\n\n\n\n

805-544-8461<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kynsi,
Kynsi, owned and operated by an engineer\/inventor-turned-self-taught-winemaker, occupies a former dairy farm. Image courtesy Courtesy Kynsi Winery & Vineyard.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For a taste of way back Edna Valley, pull in at Kynsi. The vintage tractor by the entrance sets the mood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don Othman, trained as an engineer, invented a piece of equipment in 1986 called the Bulldog Pup, a device useful in transferring wine (but particularly delicate Pinot Noir) from one vessel to another to remove sediment, a process known as racking. It\u2019s been widely adopted in the industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since he\u2019d spent a lot of time with winemakers observing their techniques, in 1995 Othman followed the path of many hopeful and inspired amateurs and founded Kynsi (the word for a barn owl\u2019s talon). He was joined in the business by his wife, and now a daughter and son-in-law.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tastings are hosted in an old ranch building adjacent to a defunct dairy barn, and everything is kept very simple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pinot Noir has been the operation\u2019s focus, but our $25 tasting also featured a fun Harvest Cuvee, described as \u201cbuilt for barbeque,\u201d blending 75 percent Pinot and 25 percent Syrah. A playfully fruity \u201821 Grenache Jespersen Vineyard is sourced from one of the coolest-temperature parcels in the AVA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2020 Syrah Kalanna, dry and rich with dark fruit, is the project of the Othman\u2019s two daughters, Kala and Anna. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Language of Yes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

2585 Biddle Ranch Rd., San Luis Obispo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

866-609-0397<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This distinctly odd name — it\u2019s a translation of \u201cLanguedoc,\u201d the center of Rhone winemaking — is a project of Randall Grahm<\/strong><\/a>, an eccentric, legendary master of creative Rhone blends in California. (Wine Spectator<\/em> once made him their cover boy as \u201cThe Rhone Ranger,\u201d and the nickname stuck.) When we visited, the conversion of the massy, glassy Jack Niven Hospitality Center into the Language of Yes<\/strong><\/a> tasting room was about six months old. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The service and presentation are worthy of the elevated product. Glasses are suspended on elegant tabletop wire loops. A grassy slope overlooks the vines. The only disturbance is the occasional widebody aircraft roaring overhead as it eases into the SLO airport, the price of the region\u2019s progress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tasting notes provided are both precious and precise. About the 2023 Les Fruits Rouge, a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, and Tibouren, this is said: \u201cWith varietals native to southern France this wine offers mimetic notes of the red stone fruits that are often grown nearby.\u201d (I had to look up \u201cmimetic.\u201d It means mimicry.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2022 \u201cLe Cerisier\u201d Pink Wine (not a Ros\u00e9, please<\/em>), a blend of Tibouren, Cinsault, and Grenache: a \u201cvoluble fragrance\u201d is \u201cjumping out of the glass,\u201d with a \u201ccreamy\u201d result. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t know about all that, but all the wines struck me as unusual, even arresting. The challenge was to find a reference point for them. When you taste a Pinot or a Sauvignon Blanc or a GSM blend you know approximately what to expect and you look for details, differentiation, surprises. Each of these wines seems to speak a delightful foreign language you\u2019ve never heard before. The language of yes, one is tempted to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biddle Ranch<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

2050 Biddle Ranch Road, San Luis Obispo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

805-543-2399<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Biddle
Biddle Ranch, one of Edna Valley\u2019s smaller operations, offers an approachable, pleasant tasting in its courtyard. The property was indeed a ranch, and some of the trappings have been preserved. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A project of four area families who literally bought the ranch, Biddle<\/strong><\/a> is a small operation — 17 acres of vines, a pleasant shaded tasting patio, and a 3,100-square-foot Vineyard House<\/strong><\/a> it rents out for overnight stays or events. (It\u2019s Edna Valley\u2019s only on-vineyard overnight accommodation.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Biddle
The 3,100-square-foot contemporary Vineyard House at Biddle Ranch, popular with groups and families, is the only on-vineyard accommodation in Edna Valley. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The wines are made by Ryan Deovlet<\/strong><\/a>, a Central Coast up-and-comer. Our tasting included a pleasant estate Chardonnay and a lovely SLO Coast AVA Ros\u00e9 of 60 percent Pinot Noir and 40 percent Syrah. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2020 Cab, sourced from Paso Robles\u2019 Denner Vineyard, was a monster of fruit, acid, and tannin. A few more years in the bottle and it\u2019ll make a great glassful next to your ribeye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chamisal Vineyards<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

7765 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

805-541-9463<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chamisal
Chamisal, one of Edna Valley\u2019s original wineries, is now in the hands of a Napa-based operator of boutique wineries and a talented young winemaker. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Just 10 miles from SLO, this property<\/strong><\/a> was among the first to be planted in Edna Valley, in 1973, and its 82-acre estate vineyard is beautiful and mature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years it\u2019s come to focus more on Chardonnay, and the one that blew me away was the 2022 SLO Estate Coast Chardonnay, with sharp aromas of apple, a marked acidic bite, and a lovely throughline of minerality. The Malene Estate Grenache Ros\u00e9 was the best we tasted in Edna Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Vineyards
Chamisal, one of Edna Valley\u2019s first vineyards, provides many micro-climates and soil types that vary by block. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The wines are the work of winemaker Brianne Engles, another Cal Poly grad. She has trained in Paso, Napa, and Australia, and brings a geeky eye for detail in terroir and winemaking to her efforts. She earnestly discusses the three kinds of loam on the property, and describes how the micro-climate just beyond the swale over there affects the flavor of the grapes. The vineyard is rimmed by a mountainscape that\u2019s luminous in the late afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chamisal
Winemaker Brianne Engles displays one of her remarkable estate Chardonnays. Chamisal is known for its focus on this varietal, which thrives in Edna Valley in general and Chamisal\u2019s property in particular. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

All this and a great environmental record: Chamisal was one of the first wineries to achieve Sustainability in Practice status, and it generates a quarter of its power from rooftop solar. It brings in sheep to control weeds, and is adopting some biodynamic practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It hasn\u2019t been a straight line to success for Chamisal. The property went into decline under its founders in the late \u201880s and was revived in the \u201890s by Silicon Valley silicon chip man Terry Speizer, who renamed it Domaine Alfred, invested heavily, and built it into a premier Central Coast Pinot house. In 2008 he sold to Napa\u2019s Crimson Wine Group<\/strong><\/a>, which owns five other boutique brands on the West Coast. The name Chamisal has been restored, and the historic Edna Valley operation is at the forefront of area winemaking again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chamisal has a gorgeous property, and it has one of the more developed food and events programs of the places we visited. The charcuterie is a knockout.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wolff Vineyards<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

6238 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

805-781-0448<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Third
The author and his wife toured Wolff Vineyards\u2019 125-acre property via motorcycle sidecar, an adventure offered a few places in California\u2019s Central Coast wine country, including Paso Robles, but not so much elsewhere. Image courtesy Third Wheel Tours.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are many notable things about Wolff Vineyards<\/strong><\/a>, but one of the most important is that you can take in its 125-acre property via motorcycle sidecar. My wife and I had the pleasure of getting a tour provided by a large, deeply tanned fellow with a gray fu manchu. The two of us were in the sidecar, me in front, she behind. Our guide stopped to point out features like the ingenious forms of drip irrigation, owl boxes, varietal plantings, and … well, I\u2019m not sure about the rest, because I wasn\u2019t taking notes and it was a wild hoot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(It appears vineyard tours by motorcycle sidecar are a thing only in the Central Coast, mainly in Edna Valley and Paso. Who knew?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, back in the tasting room I said hello to Jean-Pierre Wolff, one of the most through-and-through geeks of the wine world I\u2019ve had the pleasure to meet. And I mean that in the most flattering way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has a degree in engineering, an MBA, and a PhD. He\u2019s done nuclear research and taught at universities. He told me he wound up doing the wine thing in San Luis Obispo because he applied a \u201cdecision matrix\u201d to the problem, accounting for things like price of land vs cost of grapes per ton, distance from a university where he could teach, a cool-weather terroir, and so forth. All signs pointed to the then-55-acre, 1976-vintage winery 10 minutes from SLO and Cal Poly that he bought in 1999 and has since expanded and built his artisanal winery upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Vines
Wolff has installed moisture sensors and irrigation pipes along the length of each grapevine, allowing the vineyard to use half the water of traditional drip irrigation. Image courtesy Wolff Vineyards.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The geekery has continued: He has installed thousands of sensors along the length of his vines\u2019 roots, and as needed irrigates underground, using half as much water as the standard above-ground drip method. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He practices dry farming on his old-vine Chardonnay rows. Half his property is conserved for wildlife habitat and livestock, which do some weeding. He was on the advisory committee during the creation of the Sustainability in Practice designation. In an experiment he\u2019s conducting with the University of California, drones buzz his vineyards and release beneficial insects that eat mealybugs infecting his vines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Caption: Wolff has set aside half its land for wildlife and livestock, which do some weeding and add natural fertilizer to the land. Image courtesy Wolff Vineyards.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The wine itself is small production; he sells a lot of his grapes to others. Wolff draws on his European heritage and grows some varieties less common in the valley, like Rieslings. But he also sources grapes from elsewhere on the Central Coast to offer more common varietals, like his Cabernet Sauvignon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I tried a lovely Alsatian-style Riesling, bone-dry and high with fruit. The estate Chardonnay, unlike many others in Edna Valley I tasted that apply finicky New World tweaks to the grape, was a straight-on Burgundian, its grapes from 45-year-old vines, its methods strictly traditional. It was rich with fruit and toned with oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wolff
Wolff Vineyard\u2019s Teroldego. No, I hadn\u2019t heard of it either. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I also had a grape entirely new to me, and probably to anyone who tries it: a Teroldego, a red rarely seen in the U.S., primarily grown in a part of Italy so far North a lot of the people there speak German. It was one of the inkiest beverages I\u2019ve ever seen, full of dark fruit, and spicy like a Zinfandel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wolff also grows Petite Sirah — also rare in these parts, as it\u2019s usually a warm-weather grape more likely to be grown in climates like Paso Robles\u2019. But he got it to work down here and others in the area now come to him for the grapes.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I told Wolff it appeared he\u2019d managed to see around a few corners in his long wine career, and asked him what he saw coming next. He didn\u2019t pause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know everybody\u2019s saying silly things about it, but it\u2019s AI,\u201d he said. \u201cSee this tablet?\u201d he asked, grabbing a small iPad. \u201cWe get so much data — wind speed, humidity, temperature, soil temperature, moisture…it\u2019s too much to track.\u201d But computers are getting smart enough to digest it all and tell growers when to water, cover, and crush, or even automate those processes. \u201cIt could really be neat,\u201d he said with a geeky smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wouldn\u2019t it be cool if the Next Big Thing in winemaking came from right here in Edna Valley?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staying in San Luis Obispo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Any visit to Edna Valley is inevitably a visit to San Luis Obispo, and that\u2019s a very good thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"San
San Luis Obispo is a historic agricultural community repurposed as a charming tourism center and college town. Image courtesy Brittany App for Visit San Luis Obispo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The old town, the location of one of California\u2019s many 18th-century Spanish Missions, was once the core of an agricultural community. It\u2019s matured into an eclectic small city, notable for its well-preserved 19th-century architecture repurposed for 21st-century urban play, a sophisticated ecosystem of farm-to-table restaurants, the energy and economic dynamism of Cal Poly\u2019s students, faculty, and spin-offs, its nearby access to two fine beach communities just twenty minutes away, and of course its close connection to a slice of California wine country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outdoor enthusiasts love its \u201cNine Sisters<\/strong><\/a>\u201d or \u201cMorros,\u201d volcanic stubs that provide plenty of hiking, biking, and climbing opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A word about parking: <\/strong>Downtown, it\u2019s a bear. Street spaces are at a premium. There\u2019s a hectic central parking garage with horrifying geometry and blind sightlines that I\u2019m still having bad dreams about. If you stay in a downtown hotel with easy in-and-out access to your car, your visit will be a happy one. If you stay farther afield, driving out on your wine adventures will be a breeze, but you may want to count on Ubering downtown to avoid parking grief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hotels in San Luis Obispo <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a home base for your wine visit, I can\u2019t recommend strongly enough a boutique hotel called Petit Soleil<\/a><\/strong>. Think of it as a small European hotel, but with enough electrical outlets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Petit
Petit Soleil, a small European-style hotel<\/strong><\/a> just outside the downtown core, bills itself as a \u201cbed, breakfast, and beverage,\u201d offering an afternoon happy hour. Image courtesy Craig Stoltz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our room was tidy and bright and full of lovable Parisian touches like lively patterned wallpaper, fabrics with touch-me textures, snazzy lighting, and a cleverly curated minibar. Located a 10-minute walk from the pleasures of downtown, the hotel offers 17 rooms arranged around a small courtyard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It bills itself as a \u201cbed, breakfast, and beverage,\u201d to play off SLO\u2019s wine connections, and it hosts a free happy hour daily with selected pours, aperitifs, and small bites. A delightful French-style breakfast is included, offering sweet or savory options. Service is efficient and on-point — and friendlier than you\u2019ll get in France too. Parking is free and easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for other overnight options, here are two places we didn\u2019t stay but come highly recommended by locals. They\u2019re both right in the downtown core. Check on parking policies, just sayin\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n