Barton Albarino 2011

We went to Paso Robles for wine tasting the first time two years ago. We had heard some really good things about the wine, but also that the wineries were a lot of fun to visit and lot like how Napa Valley used to be. I've never actually been wine tasting in Napa (!!) but from what I've been told, it's not necessarily a good time anymore. The roads are congested with buses and limos and drivers of questionable blood alcohol levels, the tasting rooms are crowded, and the tasting fees are high. Again, just what I've heard. Paso Robles wasn't like that at all. We had a pleasant experience at every winery we went to.

One of them, Grey Wolf Cellars aka Barton Family Wines, was a recommendation by some dear friends, and it was a great one. We liked it so much that when we returned to Paso in December, we went back to try it again. They have some of the best white wines in Paso that I've tried. This bottle was the 100% Edna Valley Albarino. The color is very pale yellow, and the nose is of green apples, watermelon, and lemon blossoms. The taste is apples, tropical fruit, and a touch of sour candy. It was sweeter than I remembered. It was also a little hot from alcohol - a whopping 14.6%, which is huge for a white wine.

It made a perfect drink for Memorial Day afternoon with some grilled chicken. I prefer white wine a little on the sweeter side, so this was one I really enjoyed. Also, it's completely unoaked which I like because I think too much oak in white wine can be overwhelming. We only had one bottle, but we've still got a bottle of Roumours, a marsanne/rousanne blend, which I look forward to opening sometime this summer. I'm sure we'll get back down there this year to stock up on more.

Other wineries in Paso Robles that I recommend:

• Ranchita Canyon - one of my favorites anywhere
• Still Waters - great wine, nice people, beautiful view
• Tobin James - a little commercial, but they have something for everyone, and they're fun
• Dunning - long drive to get there, but the wine is worth it
• Graveyard - quirky wines, lovely people