Zinfusion wins big at SF Chronicle Wine Comp!

February 4, 2014

Results are in from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and let me say, “Tom and our winemaking team have done it again!” Every year we enter a handful of wines in the competition and this year, like many others, we have come out with some great awards. One wine in particular, continues to blow me away with its accolades and that wine is our Zinfandel Zinfusion!

This year at the SF Chronicle Wine Comp our Estate Chardonnay (one of my favorites) and Estate Zinfandel both took Gold and our Zinfandel Zinfusion took top honors with “Double Gold!” This is not the first time our Zinfusion has lead the pack and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Last year Wine Spectator Magazine named our Zinfusion one of the “Top 100 Red Wine Values in America,” which was something we were really proud of as we take pride in the value and quality of our wines.

To me this is a testament to our appellation and mot of all to our wonderful winemaking team. Growing grapes and making wine is not an easy task and our team manages to do a spectacular job year after year. With our Zinfusion, Tom has truly created a one of a kind Zin blend and a wine we openly refer to as a “Cult Favorite!”

Below is a list of awards received by our Zinfusion over the past years:

ZINFANDEL RESERVE ‘ZINFUSION’ 2006
GOLD Grand Harvest Awards
GOLD Florida State Fair Intn’l Wine Competition
GOLD San Francisco Intn’l Wine Competition
GOLD Los Angeles Intn’l Wine & Spirits Competition

ZINFANDEL RESERVE ‘ZINFUSION’ 2007
GOLD Pacific Rim Wine Competition
CHAIRMAN’S AWARD Riverside International Wine
GOLD Riverside International Wine

ZINFANDEL RESERVE ‘ZINFUSION’ 2008
DOUBLE GOLD San Francisco Intn’l Wine Competition
DOUBLE GOLD California State Fair
Best of California, Best of Class California State Fair
GOLD San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

ZINFANDEL RESERVE ‘ZINFUSION’ 2010
Top 100 GREAT AMERICAN VALUE RED WINES under $20 Wine Spectator Magazine

ZINFUSION PASO ROBLES RESERVE 2011
DOUBLE GOLD San Francisco Chronicle Wine Compition
GOLD – 91 Points Los Angeles International Wine Competition
GOLD – 93 Points (Cellar Selection) BTI World Wine Championships

Cheers,

Luke

Buona Tavola Ristorante!

January 28, 2014

Every year at Castoro, Niels and Bimmer give out Holiday gifts to our employees and part of the gift includes a gift certificate to a restaurant that serves our wines. As employees we get to choose from a list of restaurants, and I must say, the decision for me has been quite easy the past couple years….Buona Tavola! Having spent a significant amount of time in Italy, I love and appreciate authentic Italian food and Buona Tavola is as good as it gets stateside. From the family atmosphere to the wine and food, Buona Tavola is the full package.

When we arrived at the restaurant, it was a Friday night and the place was packed. Alex Pellini, the nephew of Chef and founder Antonio Varia, greeted us very warmly and offered us a spot at the bar while we waited for a table. We each ordered a glass of Italian wine, with Alex’s recommendation of course, and took in the wonderful energy surrounding us. As we waited we were served fresh bread with olive oil, vinegar and olive topenade and it never ceases to amaze me how something so simple can be so delicious!

After a very short wait we moved to an open table and our culinary adventure began! As Alex pointed out, January is restaurant month in SLO County, and participating restaurants offer a three-course prix fixe meal for $30. After looking at Buona Tavola’s restaurant month offering, all three of us decided to give it ago. The menu included an Antipasti (appetizer), Primi (first course) and Secondi (second course) with two options at each course. Since Alex and Antonio make and cure their own salami, I opted for the “Alle Pia Salami” Antipasti, which was mix of salami Italian cheeses and home made spreads. Once again, something so simple never tasted so good!

For the Primi course we all opted for the “Tortellini di Zucca,” a homemade pumpkin and ricotta cheese tortellini dish in a sage and mascarpone cheese sauce topped with chopped toasted walnuts. It was simple and amazing, with the perfect balance of richness and flavor and the portion was just right. For the Secondi course we went our separate ways with Lauren and Max ordering the Timballo Valdostano (grilled fresh eggplant, red and yellow bell peppers, green and yellow zucchini, baked with mozzarella and parmesan cheese in a light tomato sauce) while I went with the Tagliata di bue salutare (10oz marinated flat-iron steak grilled with fresh herbs, served sliced over fresh arugula and shaved parmesan with a balsamic reduction sauce). Of course, all of this was enjoyed with a bottle of Castoro’s finest Zinfandel Zinfusion Reserve, recent recipient of “Double Gold” honors at the SF Chronicle Wine Competition.!

Next time you are in SLO county with a craving for traditional Italian cuisine, give Buona Tavola a try and see for yourself why they have a reputation for serving the best Italian on the Central Coast. Their wine list isn’t too shabby either!

Buon Appetito!

Luke

57 Miles for 57 Years!

January 20, 2014

This year, for his birthday, Beaver had the great/crazy idea of getting a group together and going for a bike ride the distance of his age . . . 57 miles for 57 years! Surprisingly, we were able to get a solid crew of over ten riders to embark on the journey and what a journey it was!

To get things started, we met at the wonderful Amsterdam Café in downtown Paso and crowded inside to soak up some warmth before braving the 29-degree weather! As you can imagine, riding adds a significant wind chill factor, and when it’s below freezing outside you definitely feel it! Luckily, the ride went straight out Peachy Canyon Road, which is a nice incline and just what we needed to get the blood pumping and the body heat up to a tolerable level. For those of you who are into cycling, running etc, you know there is something special about embarking on a challenge with a group of friends who are in it together and pushing themselves while supporting each other.

As we made our way through Peachy Canyon, Adelaida and Klau Mine Rd I couldn’t help but feel fortunate to live in such a beautiful and peaceful place. The terrain back there is a beautiful mix of rolling hills strewn with oak trees, vineyards and cattle and the traffic is very minimal, which is a cyclist’s dream. After winding/climbing our way through Paso’s West Side we headed out San Marcos Rd to San Miguel for a much needed lunch break at Dos Hermanos Mexican Restaurant. At 44 miles into the ride, tacos and a pacifico never tasted so good!

After too many tacos and a nice rest it was time to make our way back to Paso to complete the “Tour de Beaver”. Luckily, the last leg of the journey was only 14 miles and most of the hills were hours behind us. I actually really enjoyed this portion of the ride, as it was completely different than the morning leg. Most of all I think we appreciated the relatively incline free rout, as most of our legs were feeling the burn!

Once we made it back into Paso, it was time to celebrate, so we headed to Artisan to sit on the patio and enjoy some fine local brews! I think I can confidently say there was a collective feeling of relief and accomplishment in the group and I couldn’t have been more proud of our Castoro team! Especially considering the average age of the group was around 50.

Happy Birthday Beaver, next year lets do 58!

As always, stay tuned for upcoming blogs featuring local restaurants, current events and much more. Also if you are a cyclist and want to join the team, our jerseys are available HERE.

Cheers,

Luke

After 26 years, Mikel O. has Retired!

January 13, 2014

As you all know, 2013 was a landmark year for us at Castoro Cellars. We celebrated 30 years in business and with that comes a lot of memories, emotions and great wine! Being around that long also means change, transition and new chapters in an ever-evolving story. One chapter that is hard to see come to a close is that of our longest-term employee and Assistant Winemaker Mikel Olsten. After 26 years of employment, Mikel has decided to retire and start a new chapter in his life, and as hard as it is to see him go, we couldn’t be happier for him and he will always be a part of the Castoro family!

Mikel’s relationship with Niels and Bimmer goes way back to a time when Castoro Cellars was merely an idea and short shorts and mustaches ruled the land. Mikel met Niels and Bimmer while playing on a co-ed softball team in SLO called “Foul Play” around 1980 or 81 and soon became their friend and landlord. At the time, Niels and Bimmer were in the beginning phases of Castoro Cellars and Mikel was working carpentry and construction, building homes from start to finish. Niels had begun to do some private label work for local restaurants and from time to time would need a hand labeling the bottles. As a good neighbor would (and budding winemaker), Mikel always helped out when he could, and Niels never seemed to be short on things that needed to be done.

Eventually Mikel began working for Castoro Cellars half time, which seemed to always be more like full time, and in 1987 became Castoro’s first full time employee. Having studied Biology and Chemistry at Cal Poly, winemaking was right up Mikel’s alley and Castoro seemed to be a perfect fit. When I asked Mikel what kept him around so long he said, “I always liked the family-oriented philosophy of Castoro and liking the people I work with and for are big reasons I made a career of it. I also like that each day presents new challenges that need to be tackled and there never seems to be a shortage of projects to work on.” Mikel also told me that working with Tom Myers has been a real pleasure over the years. “There is always something new to learn from Tom, even 20 years later!”

More recently Mikel took on the project of setting up and mastering our new Grappa Still. For the past few months Mikel spent his time tinkering with the still and every aspect of the distillation process to make sure we are on track to produce high quality spirits from the start. For those of you who were fortunate enough to taste some of Mikel’s Grappa and Brandy at our Pick-up party, you know how special it was!

In his retirement Mikel plans to spend more time with his family and most importantly his Grandson Corbin. As a matter of fact, as I write this, Mikel is in Hawaii with the whole family, and if I had to guess he’s probably teaching Corbin to snorkel or build sand castles right now! You will also find Mikel out riding his motorcycle and skiing down the slopes of Mammoth Mountain. As hard as it is to see Mikel go, he has truly earned his retirement and we know he couldn’t be happier.

Mikel will continue to involved in Castoro Cellars by attending festivals and events, so when you see him, give him a hug, a hand shake or a pat on the back and thank him for all the years he spent making this company what it is today!

Cheers to Mikel’s next chapter!

Castoro crew!

Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant!

December 16, 2013

If you love the beach, wine, live music and food then Tognazzini’s Dockside restaurant and fish market in Morro Bay is the place for you! Over the weekend my girlfriend and I took our puppy Izzy down to the beach to play and after a couple hours of running wild in the sand we decided it was time for a snack and some wine. Some good friends of ours frequently hang out at Tognazzini’s on the weekends and we thought we’d see if we could catch them.

Even though we are in the midst of winter, the weather this weekend was very pleasant and sitting outside with a view of Morro rock was a must! When we pulled up to Tognazzini’s, we noticed our friends were there and live music was playing! To give you a visual, Tognazzini’s is located right on the Bay with a spectacular view of the Rock and wonderful outdoor seating. You can also choose between their restaurant and the fish market dubbed “Dockside Too.” Both locations carry Castoro wines and have views of the rock and bay. On this outing we opted for “Dockside Too” or the fish market, as our friends were there and the music was flowing.

You can find live music at Tognazzini’s every Saturday and Sunday and in my experience the music is always laid back and perfect for the atmosphere. As for the food, the options range from simple seafood to whole cooked crab and more. I am a huge fan of the fish tacos and in my opinion you really can’t go wrong if you try them out. You can have them grilled or fried and both are tasty but I almost always go with grilled. Add a little fresh lemon and salsa and you’ve got yourself quite a compliment to Castoro Chardonnay!

If you’re looking for a great place to soak in the coastal vibe and mingle with friends, Dockside Too has everything you need (dog friendly as well), if you’re looking for a nice seafood dinner then the Dockside Restaurant is definitely the spot. I really can’t recommend this place enough, as the people, food and atmosphere are all great!

See you at the Beach!

Cheers,

Luke

Recap: Wine Club Pick Up Party!

November 13, 2013

This past weekend we had the honor of hosting a wine club pick-up party out our winery facility in San Miguel. It’s not very often we have people from the general public out at the winery, since our Tasting Room is in town and our winery is quite a ways out there (in what can seem like the middle of nowhere). We thought it would be a lot of fun to get our wine club members out to see the facility, meet the crew and show them where the magic happens and it was!

When members arrived they were greeted with a glass of Champenoise and an assortment of light snacks, including cheeses, salamis, hummus and crackers. Spread throughout the area were little stations featuring various Castoro wines, giving members the opportunity to navigate their way to their favorite or try them all! As the numbers grew, we divided the members into groups of 50 and sent them off on guided tours of the winery. The tours were given by our Winemakers Tom, Mikel and Sherrie along with owners Niels and Bimmer and finally my brother Max and I.

Each tour began on our scale, where trucks are weighed in as they arrive with grapes, and continued through the winery, crush pad and presses. Members got the opportunity to taste fresh wines directly from tanks, barrels and presses, including 2013 Late Harvest Orange Muscat, 2013 Whale Rock Chardonnay, 2013 Viognier, Malbec and 2013 Primitivo straight from the press! It was really a lot of fun trying these wines at varying stages of the winemaking process and getting/giving an insight to where they are headed. One wine in particular that stood out to me was the Whale Rock Chardonnay, straight from the barrel! Even though the wine is still aging it tasted amazing and I can confidently say, “Tom has done it again!”

The last stop on the tour was a demonstration and presentation of our Still, where Mikel described the distillation process and how we are making Grappa and Brandy. I think it’s safe to say the still was a big hit! It’s a beautiful machine and such a fascinating process to learn about. And, to top it off, everyone got to sample our Grappa and Brandy on their way out of the cellar and into the courtyard for lunch.

By this time the group had loosened up and conversations were flowing between club members new and old. Our staff did such a wonderful job of making sure everyone had what they needed, along with spending time to interact with and educate the members. I met some really nice people at the event and as always it feels great to be appreciated for years of hard work!

As the party came to a close, members were able to pick up their shipments and head on their way with a wonderful assortment of Dam Fine Wines. This shipment in particular is one of the best I’ve seen and it feels good knowing our club will have some great wines for the holidays!

If you’ve ever considered joining a club click HERE to learn more about ours and if you’re so inclined, join the family!

Cheers,

Luke

Wine of the Month: Roussanne!

November 7, 2013

For the month of November the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance has chosen Roussanne as the varietal of the month and in turn so have we! For the rest of the month our 2012 Roussanne will be 25% off (35% for members) with free shipping on all orders of a case or more. This is a great deal on a wine that is not only refreshing but also unique and versatile!

For this blog I decided I wanted to do something a little different and incorporate more points of view into the discussion on this wine. So, I asked Ryan and Rhiannon at the Tasting Room a couple questions about the wine. First I had each of them try the wine separately and give me their analysis. Ryan told me the wine was “aromatic as a Rhône wine should be, with a light mouth feel and hints of pear.” He summed it up by saying “the wine coats your mouth with a feeling of pure bliss!”

Next I had Rhiannon try the wine and give me her honest assessment. On the nose Rhiannon detected “honeysuckle and vanilla with a slight minerality,” and upon sipping the wine declared, “it would pair well with turkey.” Next I asked them both a very different question, “If you could be anywhere with a bottle of this wine, where would you be and what food would you be eating?”

Ryan went first and after some thought decided he would be floating on a barge down the Rhône river in France, while eating fresh oysters! Wow! I will admit, I was impressed with his make-believe scenario and almost hopped straight on the Internet to book a flight! Rhiannon took a different approach (one much more suited for this time of year) and told me she would be somewhere warm and tropical, ideally a beach, while enjoying fresh caught Halibut with Salsa Fresca! Mmmmm!!

Now, it was my turn to take a crack at this wine and dream up my ideal spot for enjoying it. Along with Rhiannon, I immediately picked up honeysuckle on the nose of the wine and a slight sweetness to the aroma. I also found the wine to have a full mouth feel that I believe comes from the short time (2 months) the wine spent aging in neutral oak barrels. To me the oak is not very apparent in the aroma but more so in the texture of the wine on the palate. So, the big question is where would I be and what would I be eating?! Well, it didn’t take long before I knew exactly where I’d be…. in a hot tub in the mountains, surrounded by snow, while eating an assortment of sharp cheeses on lightly salted rice crackers. Of course, in all of our scenarios the wine would be enjoyed with good company!

So, now it’s your turn to try this wine, tell me what you think and then drift off to that special place, or perhaps you’re already there! Either way this is a wine that is meant to be enjoyed with great food, in a great setting with great company!

Click HERE to order and let your imagination run wild!

Until Next Time,

Cheers,

Luke

Goshi, a North County Treat!

November 4, 2013

Growing up in Paso Robles there weren’t a lot of eclectic food options for most of my childhood. If we wanted to have something a little more adventuresome we had to go out in San Luis Obispo or beyond. As time went on and the wine industry grew, along came more and more great places to eat. One of those places is Goshi Japanese Restaurant, located in downtown Paso on Pine St. near the train station. Specializing primarily on fresh Sushi (one of my favorite foods) Goshi’s has been a go to spot for my family and I since it opened.

As a kid, the only time we ever got sushi was down in SLO (at Goshi’s other location) and it was always a special treat, as it didn’t happen often. When Goshi opened a restaurant in Paso we were ecstatic, as Paso never had a legitimate sushi restaurant and we love sushi! I still remember the first time I went to Goshi in Paso with my parents, I think I was home on a break from college or traveling and they told me we were going out for sushi in Paso and I thought they were kidding!

Last week my girlfriend and I had the pleasure of going out to dinner at Goshi to enjoy some delicious sushi and thank them for carrying Castoro wine. Currently they are carrying our Blind Faith Pinot Noir (one of my favorites) and a great choice to pair with their foods. Being a Pinot Noir, the wine is lighter in body but it has a nice acidity that goes very well with food. The combination of the spicy tuna with the wine was definitely a hit inside my mouth.

Through our meal we enjoyed a variety of dishes including seaweed salad, vegetable tempura, miso soup and some delicious rolls (rainbow roll, spicy tuna and Goshi special). All of the food was very good and the staff was very helpful with questions and suggestions, which goes a long way in my book!

So next time you’re craving sushi in the North County, give Goshi a try and order a glass of Pinot Noir while you’re at it! I promise you won’t be disappointed! For more info on Goshi visit their website HERE.

Cheers,

Luke

90% and Counting: Harvest Update #5

October 22, 2013

Last time I wrote we were about 70% through harvest and now that 70 has turned into 90! We are now roughly 90% through our harvest and should be 100% done by the end of the month. For us to be through with harvest before Thanksgiving let alone November is almost unheard of, but we’ll take it considering how good of a year it has been.

As of now we are about a week out from having all of our grapes picked. There is, however, a slight chance of rain next week, which could slow things down a little, but it doesn’t look like it will linger so we should be right back on track. It’s always a relief to have all of the fruit picked, because from that point forward the ball is in our court and we can focus on producing the best wines possible.

Another reason we are ready to get the last of our grapes picked is the cold morning weather we have been experiencing. A couple days ago we had a 67-degree temperature swing in our Whale Rock Vineyard from a morning low of 28 degrees to a high of 95! We are known for temperature swings here but that takes the cake! Luckily, our frost fans have kept us from having any significant damage during these cold spells but we are all ready to be able to shut them off, as they are a bit noisy.

Overall, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, the colors in our fruit have been very good this year and we have had our highest sugars yet from the Whale Rock Vineyard. This means the wines will be richer in color and flavor and more accommodating from a winemaking standpoint.

This past weekend we celebrated and survived another Harvest Festival Weekend, and thanks to all of you who came, it was a great success. We had one of our best turnouts in years and hundreds of people got their feet wet and sticky in our grape stomping bins. Another big hit were the grape samples on display for tasting and the live music by Soul Sauce!

Next time I write we should be all done with this crazy 2013 harvest, in the mean time, Keep Calm and drink Castoro wines!

Cheers,

Luke

70% and Counting: Harvest Update #4

October 8, 2013

In the last harvest blog I pointed out that we were half way through with harvest. We are now roughly 70% there and the fruit continues to look really good. I probably sound like a broken record by now but the truth is we are having a great year and we don’t take that for granted. I can confidently say that all of the fruit that has come into the winery has been great with particular lots, such as our Whale Rock Pinot Noir, looking really really spectacular.

Today we have been doing more picking in the Whale Rock Vineyard, which is part of the “Templeton Gap” and we have harvested our first Grenache Blanc and first significant vintage of Grenache. We were able to harvest Grenache last year but the first harvest was very small. I’m particularly excited about the Grenache because I thought our first vintage was delicious and we are pretty much out. (I think I’ve got a bottle saved somewhere).

The Whale Rock vineyard is really something special but it doesn’t necessarily come easy. This Vineyard has a rolling landscape and temperatures and soils can change drastically in a matter of 50 yards or less. We haven’t had any significant frost damage yet but we have experienced frost in the lower parts of this vineyard, which has resulted in some areas ripening at a slower rate. To put it in perspective, we have already picked all of our Blind Faith and Hog Heaven grapes, which are on the East Side of the appellation. Within the Whale Rock Vineyard we have been selectively picking only the ripest pockets and we are maybe half way there.

Tomorrow’s forecast calls for a slight chance of rain and although we desperately need the precipitation it isn’t ideal during harvest. If it does rain we can’t pick and there is always the possibility of bunch rot when clusters get damp. It doesn’t look like we will have much of an issue with this small front but you never know. Once our grapes are all picked we hope it rains like crazy!

As I mentioned at the end of the last blog, Harvest Wine Weekend is almost here and we’ve got all kinds of festivities in store. For more info visit our website HERE and come on out to celebrate this beautiful time of year with us.

Cheers,

Luke