Wine Each Week ~ Eberle 2018 Syrah

If you are Gary Eberle, you have a lot of firsts next to your name. One of those was that he was one the first to plant the Syrah grape in Paso Robles, even though grapes have been in the ground in Paso since the 1880s. And he was the very first to produce a 100% Syrah. For many years Gary has sourced his Syrah from the Steinbeck Vineyard. This Syrah straddles that warm climate, cool climate where you get a little bit of both vibrant dark black and red fruits blackberry blueberry boysenberry red raspberry, but also some of those dark earthy notes saddle, leather, slight bacon smokiness. Just under 2% Viognier is co-fermented then aged for 15 months in both French and American oak. There is also plentiful acidity making this a fine red wine for a diversity of foods.

1,418 cases.

ORIGIN: Paso Robles, California

ALCOHOL: 14.6%

PRICE: $32 (750ML)

SCORE: 91 POINTS

EBERLE

Most Likely to Succeed - Boozehoundz’s Most Popular of 2015

As a writer I certainly have my favorite articles out of the myriad number of I’ve written throughout 2015 - witty, urbane writing, or so I lead myself to believe. Yet every year I am surprised by which articles you, the reader, actually prefer to read. So here are Boozehoundz’s most popular of 2015 as chosen by readers from across the globe. So read up, and drink up!

Summer Sauvignon Blanc

Far and away the single most popular wine article I wrote for all of 2015 across multiple venues. Originally penned for The Hollywood Reporter, I suppose the unrelenting summer heat helped propel this one to the top of the rankings. What’s ironic is that Sauvignon Blanc is one of my least favorite wines. Go figure.

http://www.boozehoundz.blogspot.com/2015/08/sipping-summer-sauvignon-blancs-to-beat.html

Boarish: Gary Eberle’s Big Ass Award

I’ve known Gary Eberle for many years, judge with him at wine competitions, have written about him and his wines and have been a part of his Winemaker’s Cook-off each August as a guest judge in Paso Robles for a number of years (incidentally the coolest wine event all year – get you some tickets). So when he won a big award, well, no surprise, and no surprise that this article placed Number 2.

http://www.boozehoundz.blogspot.com/2015/03/when-boars-fly-gary-eberle-gets-big-ass.html

Drink Like an Irishman

St. Patrick’s day is always a booze fest and this article of all thing Irish, also originally written for The Hollywood Reporter, took the Number 3 spot and why not? Killer Irish whiskey, Irish Cream, Irish Coffee, even Irish Cheese – this is your one-stop Emerald Isle in a bottle sort of thang.

http://www.boozehoundz.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-pluck-of-irish-what-to-tipple-for.html

When Boars Fly: Gary Eberle Gets a Big-Ass Award

Before I ever knew anything about wine I was working at a Murder Mystery event in Paso Robles for a private party. I think I got killed early in the evening and was probably dead while the guests finished their catered dinner. There was wine on the table, some label I didn’t know because I didn’t know anything at that point. It was a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Eberle Winery. Since I was a scavenger and poor, when the party ended I absconded with a half empty bottle of wine, when home and promptly drank it. Thus began my man-crush on Gary Eberle and a turning point into a world of wine I could never have imagined. Now as a professional wine writer and wine judge, I still recall that most excellent wine crafted by Gary Eberle. So when the California State Fair (they run a large wine competition which I have judged at) correctly decided to honor Gary Eberle with their Wine Lifetime Achievement Award it was like, what took you so long? Gary Eberle has been called the Father of Paso Robles wine, the Godfather of Paso; it really doesn’t matter because he is one of the two most important men (including Jerry Lohr) in the history of the Paso Robles wine.

Dinner in the vineyard with Gary, August 2014

Eberle Winery is one of the most awarded wineries in the nation with literally thousands of awards and accolades. Originally from Pennsylvania, Gary found wine at an early age. “I suddenly discovered what James Bond was talking about,” he told me. “I was young and stupid and went from drinking Boone’s Farm to Chateau Latour.” Fresh out of U.C. Davis, he and a few investors bought 160 acres in Paso back in 1973 when the place was mainly large tracts of dirt. He started by heading his family’s Estrella River Winery. In 1980 he co-founded the Paso Robles Appellation and in 1983, Gary opened the doors to his own Eberle Winery with the premiere of his 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon. Eberle Winery’s Cab was the first wine to place the Paso Robles AVA designation on its label. Gary was also the first to plant Syrah on the Central Coast, and the first to make a 100% Syrah varietal wine in the United States.

Judging with Gary at the San Diego International Wine Competition

As if that wasn’t enough I placed Gary at #43 on IntoWine.com’s Top 100 Most InfluentialWinemaker’s list; the winery was the recipient of the “Winery of the Year” as voted by the wine judges at the CentralCoast Wine Competition in 2014 (caveat #1: I am a wine judge here too). But Gary, ever modest, takes his milestones in stride instead preferring to promote Paso and his love of red wines (“A wine’s first obligation is to be red,” he recently told me), specifically Cabernet. “If you want to know how good Paso Robles Cabernet is,” Gary once told me, “have a blind tasting of Napa Cabernet and a Paso Robles Cabernet. We may not always come out on top, but we can compete against Bordeaux and Napa first growths.” And having started my wine writing/judging career on the back of his wines, I know he’s right. “We have the potential to have the same reputation as Sonoma or even better.” Well, that may still be a ways off, but if Paso focuses its energies collectively, the region will be able to stand its own ground. And much of that is do to Gary as a believer in the region and a fighter for better quality wine from the region.

I love being on the Eberle property, almost as much as I love the wines.

A visit to the Eberle tasting room off Highway 46 East begins with the bronze statute of a boar sitting out front of the main doors, a replica of an original from 1620 that sits in Italy. Eberle in German means “little boar,” and it’s considered good luck to rub the boar’s nose and toss a coin in the water. All money collected at the Eberle boar fountain is then donated to local children’s charities. The winery offers a free 30-minute tour of their facility, discussing the entire winemaking process and if you’ve never taken a tour, this is a great crash course on wine education. And if education seems too formulaic, consider another of Gary’s nuggets of wine wisdom. “The difference between wine and children is that you can sit down and reason with a bottle of Cabernet.” See, this is why I like the man. The winery also has a beautiful picnic area overlooking the vines and a bocce ball court. And Eberle is heavily involved in the community, most notably being the founder of the long running Winemaker’s Cook-Off held each August (caveat #2 – I am one of the judges at this fantastic event too), which raises money for local charities. The annual event pulls in 30 winemakers who personally grill up their best dishes to match their wines. It’s a feast of food and wine with live music and has raised nearly $500,000 for local high school charities. Damn!

So, if you don’t care that someone was a warded a lifetime achievement award, that’s okay, in spite of the fact that Gary Eberle is the most deserving person to get this award. What’s not okay is to bypass Eberle Winery when you visit, or drive through, Paso. Check it out for yourself, rub the boar’s nose and enjoy the wine. It’s that simple. Eberle Winery - 3810 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles. They are open everyday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone (805) 238-9607.