California Wine On Highway 1 – PCH (Pacific Coast Highway)
California wine is found in many isolated areas. Like Harmony Cellars right off California’s infamous Highway 1. Sitting west of Paso Robles this coastal town named Harmony hosts a total population of 18 plus the winery.
As you journey north on Highway 1 from Morro Bay or West from Paso Robles on your trip to see the North American Elephant Seal rookery or tour Hearst Castle in San Simeon you’ll find Harmony Cellars. It is perched in the contours of coastal wave like hills leading to the Santa Lucia Coastal Mountain Range peaks. They’re a mirror image of the Pacific Ocean waves pounding the shoreline.
As you look up the small hill hosting Harmony Cellars these waves grow into bigger hilly waves peaking atop the Santa Lucia Mountains. Highway 46 West crests the ridge top at 1,762 feet. Tall enough to see the stacks at Morro Bay to Point Piedras Blancas Light Station. Tall enough to have an occasional dusting of winter snow.
Harmony sources grape from Monterey to Santa Margarita and of course Paso Robles just 22 miles to the east. Their attractive tasting room and garden facility is a lovely place for lunch time picnic you may bring into the winery.
Tastings are $18, in advance. It’s one of three places we’ve ever suffered through advance payment. We’re not fond of it. You never know how a tasting will fare. We prefer to judge their hospitality, wine and facilities during the tasting before we purchase or flee. Paying tasting fees at the end just seems like the right thing since it’s standard operating procedure in most wineries and incentivizes the selling of wine.
What did we taste?
2021 Reserve Pinot Gris $27 ✰+
2021 Chardonnay $28 ✰+
2021 Vibrante (white blend) $25 ✰++ 90pts
2019 Grandpa Barlogio (Zinfandel blend) $32 ✰++ 90pts
NV Repertoire (Zin blend) $27 ✰++ 91pts
2018 Robusto (Sangiovese blend) $27 ✰++ 91pts
2019 Tannat $35 ✰+
2019 Petite Sirah $32 ✰+/✰
Winemaking in Harmony isn’t new. Co-owner Kim Mulligan’s great-grandfather, Giacomo Barlogio, a founder of the old creamery cooperative in downtown Harmony, made homemade wine in his basement. The winery sits on a part of Giacomo’s original land holdings; land that’s been in the family four generations.
While you’re there spend little time in the town itself, a short blocked road with pottery and blown glass retail studios. Of course there’s an opportunity to purchase ice cream. If you want to make (or remake) your wedding vows, a small chapel in the back end of town awaits your presence.
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.
