When I was offered the opportunity to visit Paso Robles and taste a few wines from intriguing producers, it took no more than a second to say “Yes!”. Paso Robles is a fascinating wine region located on the central coast of California, equidistant between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Among the many reasons to visit (if you haven’t already) is the fervor of each winemaker or winery owner towards the region’s unique terroir and the variety of grapes cultivated. Of course, their “going rogue” mindset that tests the boundaries of tradition is one that I truly love and appreciate, too. (Click here for my most recent article about the region.)
Tasting wines and chatting with Tealy and Greg Barr, owners of Barr Estate Winery (6950 Union Road, Paso Robles (805.835.7653), were highlights of the trip. While basking in their gracious Southern hospitality and genuine charm (both hail from New Orleans) one sunny afternoon, I learned that each loves great jazz, Louisiana crawfish etoufée, oyster dressing, pralines, Cajun shrimp, smoked brisket, Tabasco sauce and memorable food and wine pairings.
Greg and Tealy Barr
So, what are good Southern folks doing in California wine country? While living in San Diego and towards the end of their stint in the corporate life, a trip to Argentina resulted in an epiphany to launch a winery. In Greg’s words, “At the end of a long day of wine tasting in Ucco Valley, we were sitting on our patio at Finca Aldalgisa in Lujan de Cuyo enjoying a bottle of wine from Achaval-Ferrer. We were surrounded by the Finca’s Malbec vineyard and someone said, “We can do this”.” To that end (and I’m guessing after much discussion), they purchased the Paso Robles property in 2007 and now have 57 planted acres, much of which is Cabernet Sauvignon.
Upon my return home, I shared Barr Estate Winery Malbec 2012 with a few friends. They were impressed and asked me to tell them about my visit. Of course, I shared my thoughts, but reached out to Greg and Tealy for answers to a even more questions…
Grape Experiences: How are your wines unique from others in Paso Robles?
Greg: As you know, there are a lot of great wines produced in Paso Robles from both large and small family owned wineries. We currently offer 14 different wines which is unusual for a small winery and grow 13 different varietals. Our goal is to have a portfolio that spans a wide range of cuisines and courses. We produce a white wine for appetizers and fish, reds that will handle heavier fish like salmon and strong meats like game, and a port style wine for dessert. We offer wines at a price point that’s under $30 (except for reserve wines).
Grape Experiences: Ahhh… food and wine – my favorites! Could you share a special recipe that pairs with one (or more) of your wines?
Greg: This dish pairs well with the 2012 Leaf Angel, the 2012 Malbec, and the 2012 Petit Verdot.
Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya
1 lb. smoked sausage thinly sliced 1 cup chopped green onions
3 Tbs. olive oil 1 1/2 tsp. thyme
2/3 cup chopped bell pepper 2 bay leaves
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbs. Creole seasoning
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped celery 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 (14 1/2 ounce) tomatoes-chopped, undrained 1/4 tsp. black pepper
chopped, undrained 2 cups dry long-grain converted rice
2 cups chicken broth 3 pounds raw shrimp, peeled
Saute sausage in 4 qt. saucepan. Remove with slotted spoon and reserve.
Add oil and next 4 ingredients to saucepan and saute 5 minutes. Add tomato and next 9 ingredients. Rinse rice 3 times and add to saucepan. Stir in sausage and cover. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Transfer mixture to oblong baking dish. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes…. 10 servings
Grape Experiences: How do you keep the prices of your wines low when there is so much quality and value in each bottle?
Greg: We were consumers before getting into the wine business. As consumers, $30 was the top of our budget for a bottle of wine. So, we started the business with a goal of keeping our price point below $30. We built our winery with costs in mind. We designed it to minimize labor. We have no employees but use contractors when labor demands exceed our capabilities. We are frugal with overhead costs. We have only used American oak for all our wines. We will be introducing a reserve wine program using French oak which will be in the mid-$30 but will maintain our price strategy for non-reserve wines.
Grape Experiences: Do you and Tealy have specific roles in the business?
Greg: We have been married so long that Tealy knows how to manage me. I am the farmer, cellar rat, and winemaker. Tealy is the tasting room manager, wine club manager, industry liaison, and special event hostess. The roles play to our strengths. The pay isn’t very good but we get the open bottles when the tasting room closes.
Grape Experiences: Are your children interested in the wine business? If so, what are their roles now?
Greg: Our son lives on the property and originally managed the vineyard. Today, he has his own business transporting harvested fruit, barrels, and case goods for wineries in the area. He also helps in the winery when his schedule permits. Our daughter lives in the Bay area and works in the tech industry. She helps with wine sales in northern California and at special events.
Grape Experiences: Do you engage in environmental practices at the estate?
Greg: While we are not certified sustainable, we follow most sustainable practices. When possible, we use organic fertilizers and pesticides. We are exploring the use of mechanical weed control to reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides. Winery waste water is treated and reused on the property and solid winery waste from crush is composted on the property. Eight owl boxes are strategically placed throughout the vineyard to help with rodent control. We are evaluating bids for solar energy for the winery but haven’t made that commitment yet.
Grape Experiences: I noted that your wines are currently in California, Louisiana and Texas. Are there plans for more distribution elsewhere?
Greg: For a small winery, the most difficult aspect of the business is getting distribution. There has been consolidation both in wineries and distribution channels over the last ten years. Retail outlets that specialize in small production wineries are also disappearing due to competition from “big box” stores. That said, we are focusing more on the southeast distribution, North Carolina and Florida. We are also exploring approaches to expand our direct to consumer online sales to Florida, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and New Mexico.
Grape Experiences: Is there something unique about Barr Estate that you’d like to share?
Greg: This is always a tough question to answer. I’m not sure we are that different from other small, family owned wineries. We plant varietals that are well suited to our terroir. We hold our Bordeaux varietals in barrels three to four years before bottling. We make the wines to our taste rather than a market analysis and don’t put our name on the bottle unless we like the wine.
Grape Experiences: What wines do you like to drink when you’re not drinking your own?
Greg: Our wine consumption has become pretty California-centric since we have started making wine. We are always looking for new benchmarks to evaluate our wine against and to explore what might be possible to do with our wines. With the exception of Syrah, we concentrate on the varietals we grow. I also enjoy a glass of French Cognac from time to time.
Grape Experiences: Do you have time to travel to other wine regions? If so, any favorites?
Greg: When we were evaluating Italian varietals for the vineyard, we took a tour of Tuscany that was organized by First Vintage out of Canada. They do a magnificent job. Their tours are limited to 16 people. There is a local Sommelier and a Master Sommelier on the tour that explain the region, the history and the wines. They arrange all the tastings and pair the meals. You meet with the winemakers, vineyard managers, and owners. They gave me the opportunity to ask questions about winemaking and farming to people that were hands on. I thought I was going to plant Sangiovese before the trip but decided on Aglianico.
We made a second trip with the group to Spain when we were considering Tempranillo and consequently planted Tempranillo. We also visited a friend who makes wine in the Priorat DOC and liked his wine so much that we decided to plant the same clone of Garnacha that he grows.
This coming January, we are travelling to Santa Rosa, Chile to experience their small family wineries. We are using another tour company, Upscape, since First Vintage doesn’t have wine tours to Chile. Who knows? We might find something else we like well enough to plant? I still have two acres open.
Although Greg Barr admitted that the moral of their story is not to make major life changing decisions after a long day of wine tasting in a beautiful region, all of us who anticipate another sip of wine from Barr Estate Winery are happy they didn’t adhere to that moral! I encourage you to visit the winery during your next trip to Paso Robles, taste through their exceptional portfolio, and bask in a bit of Southern hospitality with a California twist. Thank you, Greg and Tealy!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
