$100 Flights of California Wine Tasting Land in Paso Robles
What is your comfort zone when paying for a flight of estate wine tasting? Is it $20, $30, $50 or higher? Alpha Omega Collective’s tasting room in Paso Robles is pushing the upper limits of central coast wine tasting with flights starting at $50.
They stand on the pinnacle of wine tasting price points here on the central coast with a flight of three wines for $100. Yes, that’s right, that’s 1 with two zeroes. $100.
Three wineries in one tasting room. These premium wines must really be good. Let’s go find out.
A group of us, eight Paso Robles wine aficionados well-versed in California wine, descended upon Alpha Omega Collective on a quiet Monday afternoon. One other group was tasting, and we had the wine host Chris’ complete attention.
He was well-versed in their wines from Paso Robles, Napa and Spain. He was gracious and knowledgeable as you would expect. Their newly opened location across the street from downtown’s central Park was well decorated and appointed with beautiful crystal wine glasses.
We chose to share two tastings, the $50 tasting and the $75 tasting, between the two of us. This gave us a broader sample to taste. The other couples did exactly the same thing.
So, here’s what we tasted:
2020 Alpha Omega Chardonnay, Napa Valley $86 ✰/✰+
2019 Toloso Pacific Wind Pinot Noir San Luis Obispo $74 ✰
2016 Perinet Red Blend Spain $75 ✰
2018 Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon (a cab blend primarily Cabernet with Cab Franc, Merlot & Petite Verdot) $137 ✰+
2020 Tolosa Poletti Chardonnay Edna Ranch San Luis Obispo $94 -✰
2019 Tolosa Apex Vineyard Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands hundred and $135 ✰+
2018 Perinet Pendents Carinyena (Carignan) Spain $122 ✰
2019 Alpha Omega Cordes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $300 ✰+
Amongst the four couples, we can honestly say we were underwhelmed by Alpha Omega’s offerings. These bottles of wine range from $74 to $300 retail. We should have been overwhelmed. We should have been ranking these wines with ✰++ all day long.
It was disappointing. One couple purchased one bottle. Nobody joined their club.
So, the big question is whether or not a downtown Paso Robles tasting room charging premium tasting fees can survive and thrive while generating a profit for its owner? We’re sure every winery in town is watching with keen interest. Because if Alpha Omega can pull off these premium prices, every winery in the county will be raising their prices as well.
Price elasticity of wine tasting fees have been stretched to their limits recently and we’ll see how far estates can stretch their premium pricing….perhaps until the consumer breaks or the winery flops.
Some notes on our wine ranking system.
Bill & Erin Hodge write about California Wine, the estates & winemakers producing them and educational information about Vino. Living in California Wine Country provides a front row seat to the places you want to visit the most here in the Golden State.
– -✰ means -What’s next on your list of wines
-✰ means -Not liking it too much
✰ means -We’ll drink this wine, especially if it’s hosted!
✰+ means -You’ve got our attention and we might buy this wine.
✰+ + means -We’re hooked and we’re going to buy this wine.
When you see -✰/✰+ with a slash, it means we disagree.
