CreatingTasty Wine In The Creston District of Paso Robles-26 Years And Counting
Exploring Wineries Outside Paso Robles’ Core AVA Districts
Wineries come and go, popping up, then disappearing in every region California wine is created. So it’s no surprise Château Margene Winery disappeared from the west side several years ago. We thought it vanished with the ebb and flow of businesses opening and closing in the rolling hills of Paso.
We tasted at their west Paso Robles tasting room several years ago and lost track of their winery. But, they’re not missing to us any more. We were surprised to find them pouring at the Garagiste Wine Festival in Paso Robles. Stopping by their booth we hoped to taste their 2021 Mooney Family Pinot Noir.
It was delicious.
We need more winemakers like them creating Pinot Noir wines even though Paso dosn’t grow great Pinot Noir grape. We need more variety. There are plenty of appellations within shipping distance growing this cool weather vine. Places like Santa Barbara, Lompoc and Monterey grow easily obtainable grape.
Reaquainted at Garagiste Festival
Like many wineries pouring at Garagiste Wine Festival Saturday, Château Margene was offering Club Member for a Day privileges on Sunday, the day after. There were 34 local wineries offering similar deals. We had to visit this winery, trying wines we had not sampled in 15 years.
It was a great visit. A tasty sampling.
2023 Mooney Family Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands) $58 ✰+
2021 Mooney Family Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) $80 ✰++
2021 Cabernet Franc Signature Series $90 ✰++/✰
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Michael’s Vineyard (4% Merlot, 4% Malbec) $100 ✰+
2019 Cask 4 – 50/50 blend Cabernet Sauvignon & Cab Franc $200✰+
2014 Beau Melange (Cabernet/Merlot/Cab Franc) $215 ✰++
| ‘During your next visit to Paso, remember to explore the outer regions of the AVA, whether that’s Creston, El Pomar, Estrella, Santa Margarita or Geneseo Districts.’ |
2010 ROXO Cellars 15 Year Tawny $80 ✰+
Michael and Margene Mooney planted their vineyard in 1997, creating their first wine in 1999. Their estate, about 10 miles east of Paso Robles, resides in the Creston District of the Paso Robles AVA. It’s home to their vines growing on 9.8 acres producing just shy of 3,000 cases of wine yearly.
They’ve had numerous tasting rooms on the Central Coast including Morro Bay, Solvang and of course the west side of Paso Robles near Opolo Winery. All are closed now since they’re selling 90% of their bottles to club members enjoying their vino.
Their son Jon was the face of the winery this weekend, hosting us at the Garagiste Wine Festival and then at the family estate. Juggling four other groups tasting wine he was stretched thin but always made time to chat about his family and the wines they make.
While the wine is a little on the expensive side it is quite tasty and well worth a purchase. We went home with a bottle of that Pinot Noir we enjoyed so much at the Garagiste Festival.
During your next visit to Paso, remember to explore the outer regions of the AVA, whether that’s Creston, El Pomar, Estrella, Santa Margarita or Geneseo Districts.
There are plenty of consequential wineries creating tasty wine. Don’t miss them.
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.
