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Quixote Winery / Photo © Alice Joyce
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A confident elegance and exquisite attention to detail enhance every aspect of Kenzo Estate Winery. It’s an ambiance that’s immediately apparent in the interweaving of owner Kenzo Tsujimoto’s refined Japanese aesthetic in harmony with the clean lines of the property’s Modern California architecture by Howard Backen (Backen, Gillam & Kroeger Architects).
 Kenzo Estate Landscape Photo © Alice Joyce The same subtle beauty manifests in the surrounding landscape designed by Lawrence Reed of the SWA Group, working with Shimoda Design International. Perched at 1,550 feet in a pristine Napa Valley setting where the air invigorates, the breathtaking property features an allée of mature olive trees in consort with a grassy meadow: An ordered example of the ways in which Reed’s design exhibits sensitivity and respect for the site.  Kenzo Esate - Vineyard Landscape View Photo © Alice Joyce Of the estate’s 4,000 acres overall, the vineyards total some 3 % of the land under the owner’s stewardship.  Kenzo Estate Tasting Room Photo © Alice Joyce Guests are greeted with a glass of the winery’s refreshingly crisp Asatsuya Sauvignon Blanc, taking its name from the morning dew that appears like sparkling gems adorning this landscape on the slopes of Mt. George.
 Dewdrops on Grass Meadow Photo © Alice Joyce
The Kenzo Estate tasting experience offers tantalizing food pairings from Bouchon, adding to your enjoyment when sipping the winery’s distinctive Rindo, Murasaki, and Ai wines.  Kenzo Estate Wines
You’ll discover the luscious reds Kenzo produces, while taking in the winery’s singular design; from the tasting room to the stunning caves, to thoughtful touches like the names of the wines etched on the glasses, and the creative foil closures at the top of each bottle — imprinted with the names so you’ll never need to lift a bottle once set in the wine rack.
Tasting the newly released 2008 wines revealed a quality of excellence to be savored. Kenzo’s delectable Cabernet blends are crafted by winemaker Heidi Barrett, from grapes grown in vineyards managed by David Abreu. The ‘08 Murasaki – named for the royal ‘Purple’ in Japan– is a classic that will doubtless be all the more muscular when aged. Boasting a brilliant nose and color, it’s a racy blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with a soupçon of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.
I expect I’ll be dreaming about Kenzo Estate’s Ai. The tasting left me with the memory of an unforgettable young Cab that can be tucked away and awaited with anticipation as it ages. Boasting an assured smoky tobacco balanced with rich bold fruit, the structure of Ai’s Cabernet Sauvignon blend is impressive.
Setting up a tour of the Paso Robles AVA with The Wine Wrangler opens up a world of choices for tasting the region’s panoply of varietal wines.
 Cass Wine Tasting Room On my personalized tour with Coy Barnes who operates The Wine Wrangler with finesse, a visit to Cass Vineyards & Winery placed high on my wish list. Cass being one of the only area wineries where wine and food pairings are available on weekdays, I’m delighted that Coy made it happen.
 Cass Winery Vineyards A love of wine goes hand-in-hand with my foodie cravings, so a sandwich or picnic lunch is generally not my first choice to enhance a day of wine tasting. When Coy mentioned that Cass has a Winery Café on the premises, a stopover added an important element to our itinerary of tastings, spanning the morning to late-afternoon.
A goal of mine, to become familiar with Paso Robles byways presented a challenge, with some 200 wineries spread across the AVA. Visiting Cass proved satisfying on many levels. The Cass kitchen is presided over by Chef Jacob Lovejoy, and after sampling the delectable crab cakes and smoked chicken salad the Café is rightly known for, I knew I’d want to return here on my next trip to Paso. We tasted wonderful wines paired with a Cheese Course, another enticing offering when visiting Cass. It’s a chance to taste the winery’s Truffled Fresh Goat Cheese produced by their Paso Robles Cheese Co. I savored the Cass 2010 Rousanne, a crisp, fresh wine boasting a lovely balance between flavorful floral and fruit notes – served with Central Coast Creamery’s Holey Cow cheese. Impossible to imagine a wine more perfectly matched to a sunny summer day on the Cass patio, where visitors relaxing at the surrounding tables were clearly feeling no rush or desire to leave.
 Cass Winery Vignette Rosé wines are always in on-hand in my own kitchen throughout the summer months, where many a Rosé from Paso Robles grapes accompanies a meal. My tasting at Cass proved gratifying in this respect, when a luscious 2010 Oasis Rosé arrived in consort with Bravo Farms Western Sage Cheddar - a memorably zingy combination! The savory cheddar played off the delicate yet lively wine, its enticing aroma and creamy melding of strawberry and melon notes a delicious counterpoint to the cheese.
 Cass .. Paso Robles
Paired with their own Truffled Goat Cheese, the Cass 2009 Grenache boasts a ‘wow’ factor. The wine’s excellent backbone, upfront rich cherry, and jammy yet acid finish left me wanting more. There really wasn’t enough time in our day to taste all the wines I’d hoped to, or to relish the wine & cheese pairings at a slow pace. Next trip to Paso, I’ll plan a leisurely visit to this tranquil vineyard setting. You can peruse a current Café menu here.
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