SLO County Golf, Wine & Real EstateGolf, Wine & Real Estate News and Events Blog
Paso Robles Wineries Grand Tasting TourTuesday, January 31, 2006Nearly 30 Paso Robles wineries are hitting the road this week to kick off their 2006 Grand Tasting Tour. Their first stop is Atlanta on Wednesday, with stops in Dallas and Austin, Texas, in early March, New York in late April and San Francisco in early May.Each city stop will include a seminar for the trade and media, a trade tasting and a general consumer tasting. Nearly 300 people have registered for the Atlanta visit. The tour allows wineries to be represented as an entire region, as well as offer opportunities to establish or improve distributor relationships. Paso Robles is the third largest appellation in California, with approximately 130 wineries. "The Paso Robles region is new on the radar for many people outside of our area," said Stacie Jacob, executive director of Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. "This is an opportunity to really explain the region and promote the area." The first Grand Tasting Tour was conducted last year. Thirty-three wineries visited all four cities on the tour, including New Orleans, Chicago, Denver and Seattle. This year, the tour has expanded to five cities, and wineries were allowed to choose the cities they wanted to visit. Mike Hartenberger, sales manager at Midnight Cellars, a small, family-owned winery, participated in last year's tour and found it beneficial in raising general understanding of the wine region. The winery will be going to every stop on the tour this year. Hartenberger is hoping to establish new distributor relationships in Atlanta, Dallas, Austin and San Francisco. "I am proud of the area and want to see it receive the recognition it deserves," said Justin Baldwin, owner of Justin Vineyards and Winery. He encouraged the Wine Country Alliance to launch the tour. Baldwin will speak in Atlanta about Bordeaux varieties that grow in Paso Robles. "If the stock of Paso Robles goes up, then every winery benefits," he said. Tags: San Luis Obispo Central Coast Paso Robles Wine |
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