Show Me a Sign!

May 27, 2013

Since updating our labels a number of months ago, we have continued updating and refreshing as many things as we can and let me tell you . . . there are a lot of things! Most recently I have been working on updating all of our signage to reflect our new logo and commitment to sustainable farming. Before taking on this project I really had no idea how many signs we had, and now I know we have a lot! From billboards and vineyard signs to “staff only” and “Live Music Today” signs we’ve got them all.

From the outside it probably seems like a simple task but there are a lot of factors involved in making quality signage. First you need a quality design, which in itself can take a lot of time to refine. Once you have the design you need to choose materials, size how it will be installed/is our current system reusable or in need of replacement?

After a few weeks of tweaking designs and looking over materials I am very happy to have a number of signs replaced and looking fresh! The signs I have enjoyed working on the most so far have been the vineyard signs because they reflect our commitment to sustainability and installing them gave Erik and I a chance to visit some of the vineyards we rarely have time to see. Now that almost all of the new vineyard signs are up, keep your eyes peeled for a new billboard on HWY 46 East as you enter Paso, an update to our famous barrel sign at the Tasting Room and a refresh to our signs on HWY 46 West! Also, if you haven’t seen it already, keep your eyes peeled while driving the 101 as our famous billboard is looking very classy!

Cheers,

Luke

Wine of the Month: Viognier!

May 20, 2013

For the Month of May the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance or PRWCA has designated the Rhone Varietal Viognier as the wine of the month. As they do each month, the wine has been paired with a video featuring the “Paso Wine Man” and his humorous description of the wine and the attitude it commands. This month’s wine of the month piqued my interest, as Viognier is one of my favorite white varietals and a wine that is so often overlooked.

Having spent a lot of my time in sales I have experienced numerous reactions to numerous wines in a wide variety of settings. One wine that has always been a challenge for me is Viognier. Often times when I am out selling Viognier I can’t wait for potential buyers to try the wine, as it is such a nice floral and aromatic wine. Hints of honesuckle and orange blossom make this wine wonderfully complex and extremely approachable. The only problem is that many people are unfamiliar with the wine, afraid to try and pronounce the name or just don’t know what to expect. Often times when I present the wine to restaurants they tell me their customers will often overlook the Viognier on the menu and order Chardonnay because they don’t want to sound silly trying to pronounce the name “Viognier.”

After hearing similar stories too many times, I have made it a goal of mine to educate as many people as I can about this wine and get them to just give it a try. In my experience it only takes one good Viognier to make you a believer and that is a priceless experience that all wine lovers deserve to have!

In honor of the PRWCA’s wine of the month we will now be featuring the wine of the month each month on our website at a discounted price! This month we are offering $99 case specials on our 2009 Viognier Reserve and that is a steal of a deal! This is a fabulous wine that embodies everything a Viognier should! To see the special visit our site here: http://www.castorocellars.com/Shop/Wine-of-the-Month and to watch the video click HERE!

Cheers,

Luke

Beaverstock Update!

May 13, 2013

As you can all tell by now, we are pretty excited about Beaverstock and we have no problem letting it be known! Since announcing the festival a few weeks back we have continued working tirelessly to bring more musical acts, food vendors, beer and merchandise. It is a lot of work but as promised I have some exciting updates to announce and rest assured they will keep coming!

In the musical sphere we are excited to announce the addition of Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, Joe Craven’s Momajowali, and local favorites the Damon Castillo Band. Not only are these bands awesome, we feel they will be a great fit for Beaverstock and our community of peace loving wine drinkers! Nicki Bluhm brings young soulful energy, Momajowali brings an afro beat sensation of the highest musicianship and Damon Castillo is one of the most rockin’ bands on the central coast. These additions are really rounding out the lineup and we’ve got more in the works so get your tickets asap!

Another addition I am very excited about is the addition of Toro Creek Brewing Company as our exclusive beer supplier for the event. Toro Creek Brewing Company is a brand new craft brewery on the Central Coast, focusing on organically grown estate ingredients and the highest quality of beer making at every stage of the process. Not only is the beer delicious, Beaverstock will be the first time the beer will be available to the public! I couldn’t be more excited about this as the mastermind of the brewery has been a good friend of mine since elementary school. There is really nothing better than supporting local businesses and we are honored to be a part of the launch off this brewery!

If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet I can’t encourage you enough to do so as the sales have been moving along very rapidly! Tickets are only $30/day and $50/2 day, which is an unbelievable deal. So stayed tuned for the next round of updates and visit the beaverstock page for more details and tickets! http://www.castorocellars.com/Beaverstock

Till the next update!

Cheers,

Luke

New Growth and Summertime Wines

May 9, 2013

They’re Baaaaack! Little green balls, soon to be plump, luscious and juicy red and green grapes are finally popping out of our vines again. At the beginning of April we saw the first buds break through the branches and now, just one month later, the vines are growing thick and fruiting. Come see for yourself and be quick because those bad boys are growing fast!
This is an exciting and awesome time of year not just for us at Castoro, but all of Paso Robles. Summer is just around the corner and once again the weather is hot! This means summer concerts, chilled white wine by the glass, laying out at the beach, picnics in the vineyard, and of course a plethora of wine tasting events and festivals almost every weekend. I’ll be at every event possible, so come say Hi wherever you see the Castoro name or logo. If I don’t see you I will be very disappointed and you will miss out on ridiculously good wine, beaver stickers and whatever else I may have up my sleeve that day.

Also, to make it all better and to give me something new to talk about we have some fresh, new wines coming your way. The always delicious Pinot Grigio is back, bottled and ready for action in its 2012 form of course. This year Sherrie describes the Pinot Grigio as round, but crisp, displaying honey suckle and apricot on the nose. The mouth is bursting with passion fruit and pineapple and finishes with subtle notes of Meyer lemon. Yum!

The Primitivo 2011 also just got bottled and it looks sexy as ever with its new sleek black capsule. The Primitivo, Sherrie says, is a lively wine filled with ripe strawberries and fresh plums with a touch of earthiness and black pepper spice.

If you’re in the mood for pink, don’t fret because we have you covered there too with our 2012 Rosato Di Zinfandel. Now in a screw cap, this delicate, dry Rosé has flavors of raspberry jam and fresh plum with a crisp white pepper finish. Perfect for any hot day

More wines will be bottled soon, but until then, come see me at A Day in the Shade in Templeton this Saturday, May 11th, from 11:30-5. I’ll be waiting for you.

Thanks for reading,

Erik