We are unabashed fans of the wines from the Paso Robles region in California. Cool nights coupled with the warm daytime temperatures create an environment where grapes ripen but retain acidity.
Peay Vineyards runs counter to what many Americans look for when purchasing wine today. Many American consumers look for bold, extracted wines that don’t require much thought as to their flavor profile. Tasting Peay wines is not for the faint hearted. These wines demand scrutiny and patience to unspool their charms.
Wine, etc : Summer is a good time of year to explore white wines | COMMENTARY capitalgazette.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from capitalgazette.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Winemakers often talk of terroir; they also say, “wine is made in the vineyard.” If they aren’t presented with quality grapes, they can’t make truly distinctive wines.
While terroir encompasses the totality of the climate influences, soil, as the medium in which grapes grow, reflects the influence of all those elements while supplying its own the components of the dirt.
Consider Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. While there is a generally recognized “Napa style” pronounced fruit, lavish oak, richness, concentration, firm but supple texture there are different expressions attributable to Napa’s different appellations.
Generally, Napa appellations can be understood by distinguishing between the valley floor and the hills and mountains. Those mountains are the Vaca Range to the east and the Mayacamas to the west. Then we can differentiate among the 16 official sub-appellations.