Clayhouse Wines recently got a sampler kit going with TastingRoom.com and we were lucky enough to receive one of them. This way of tasting wines is beneficial to the consumer and the winery. The consumer gets to taste six Clayhouse Wines in 50ml bottles to see what they like rather than buying a 750ml bottle and hoping for the best, and for the wineries, they get to put more varieties and vintages in front of people to show a more rounded lineup of their wines.
Why a Clayhouse Wines Tasting Kit?
Aside from all the obvious, it’s just a fun way to taste wines and understand what a winery is all about. We’re very appreciative for the TastingRoom.com sampler from Clayhouse, and without further ado here are the wines in this particular set:
2009 Estate Cuvee Blanc ($23): 40% Grenache Blanc, 40% Roussanne, & 20% Viognier
2008 Estate Malbec ($35): 86% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, & 3% Petite Verdot
2006 Hillside Cuvee ($33): 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Petite Verdot, 7% Malbec
2006 Estate Cuvee ($30): Petite Sirah, Syrah, Grenache, Petite Verdot, and Mourvedre (no percentages given)
2007 Show Pony Petite Sirah ($40): 1.5% Syrah added to this
2007 Estate Petite Sirah ($23): A bit of Syrah blended in, no percentage given
Seriously, what better way to taste the whole lineup of Clayhouse Wines than a spiffy kit with a great spread of their best stuff? It’s like being right in their tasting room, but in the comfort of your own home! If you’re into this kind of thing, be sure to check out TastingRoom.com for more tasting kits. They have all kinds of different taster combos for you to choose from. Not a bad gig, if you ask us.
So, if you can’t get to the Clayhouse Tasting Room in downtown Paso Robles, get on their website and order yourself a sampler kit! Beside the obvious tasting of great wines that you’ll have, you’ll enjoy a unique and interesting tasting experience…and you can tell all your friends how cutting edge you are when it comes to tasting wine!!!
Glad you guys like the concept. TastingRoom.com is coming out with 100ml bottles this year, and we’ll probably opt for that larger size next time we do media samples. And by the way, the sample packs flew out of the tasting room during the holidays…they make great gifts!
Awesome on the larger format Rusty, even better. This concept is perfect and I would definitely urge wineries to use this for gifts and for media samples, super easy and different. Thanks again Rusty, great stuff and really enjoyed the wines!! Cheers!
Great idea!
Paso Robles has some great wine tasting, I always go there with my family for at least a day whenever were up there going to the lakes to get some boating in. But I have to say I enjoy Santa Barbara, a bit south from P.R. a bit more. I feel their pinots are much better and the atmosphere just suits me better personally. I could be totally off but its nicer not to be sweating bullets while trying to enjoy a nice glass of wine! Like now, I am planning on going to SB for a few days in June and I couldn’t be more excited! Staying at the South Coast Inn (www.goleta-hotel.com). Elegance to the upmost and much nicer then most hotels I’ve stayed at in Paso.
Hi John! Thanks for the comment…we agree that Paso has great winetasting, we’re up over 200 wineries these days so there’s something for just about everybody! If you like Pinot Noir, then Santa Barbara is definitely well-known for those, as well as Chardonnay and other cool climate varieties. Paso doesn’t get the afternoon/evening fog that SB County tends to get, especially in the Summer, and that fog is what seems to help the Pinot thrive.
Anyhoo, it is difficult to go winetasting in the blistering heat, but it has its advantages, too! Nothing beats a chilled Rose on a warm afternoon while sitting on the patio of some winery with a view! Also, since the weather is so nice in the Summer evenings, there are a lot of wineries that will have live music in the late afternoons/evenings, which is always fun!
As for the hotels…SB has been in the tourist business a little longer than Paso has, so they’re up on us as far as hotels go. That being said, we have a few really great spots; LaBellasera at the 101 and 46 West, or Hotel Cheval in downtown can’t be beat for luxury and comfort.
Let us know next time you’re headed to Paso and we’ll steer you towards some of our favorite spots! Thanks for stopping in…look forward to talking with you more!
I’ve never had a bad experience wine tasting and the location has a lot to do with it. Great places like Paso Robles, Napa Valley and even Santa Barbara are excellent choices if you want to stay in state as you already know. I try and go at least two times a year since it is just so much fun and a great way to get old friends together around a table of alcohol! I think out of a lot of the cities, Santa Barbara has the most to offer as for entertainment. It’s nice when you are traveling a long way- it’s nice to be by the beach sometimes too! I love going there and hiking around and of course wine tasting! The Sandman Inn (www.thesandmaninn.com) is a great affordable alternative to any expensive hotel you might have in time-leaving you a ton of cash to do other things on your vacation!
Wow, great information Niccola! I agree that Santa Barbara has the most as far as entertainment…it’s the largest city and known for great tourism. Paso Robles definitely has the most wineries, if that’s what you’re into. The restaurants, art and entertainment are coming along with the demand from the winery crowds. Tons of great places to go all over CA if you need to get your hands in some wine! Cheers!!!