California Wine Country

Cass Winery: Wine & Food Pairings

Cass .. Paso Robles

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

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Foodie Havens

Paso Robles Prospects

Thomas Hill Organics [Photo: Alice Joyce]

During an all-too-brief trip to bask in the low-key ambiance of summertime in Paso Robles, I enjoyed the pleasures of palate-tingling wine tastings and foodie havens deserving of lavish accolades. In addition to meandering on my own, I explored the region for two full days with Coy Barnes of The Wine Wrangler, a knowledgeable, resourceful tour guide who put together an itinerary encompassing wine and food pairings at Cass Vineyard & Winery, wine tasting at Le Vigne Winery – where winemaker Jac Jacobs treated us to enticing barrel tastings, and an unforgettable tour of the historic Ancient Peaks Winery Santa Margarita Ranch, in the company of co-owner Doug Filippoini.

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Landscape Architecture

Darioush Winery Gardens

Darioush Photo © Alice Joyce

The Darioush Winery gardenscape surrounds a 22,000 square foot winery building, in a setting that celebrates Persian culture in myriad references to Persepolis. Wine lovers enjoy tasting the Bordeaux-style wines. Recently the 2007 Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon featured among the QRW Best of the Best in their Annual Blind Tasting. The winery’s delectable Cabs are wines to be savored. The ornate symmetry of the architecture, and the estate’s myriad artistic details demonstrate a joyful celebration of owners, Darioush and Shahpar Khaledis’ Persian heritage. Welcoming cast stone seating at the entrance offer a place for visitors to take in the scenery before entering the visitor center building.

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