Paso Robles Wine: Le Vigne Winery

Our neighbor, Lindsay, works at Le Vigne Winery and said we should come taste and grab some lunch. It’s hard to say no to the essentials in life so, we did. We’ve been there several times in the past but it had been quite some time.

It’s another one of the beautiful wineries in our area. They have outdoor seating with pretty views along with a huge grassy area with a pond and their train cars over to the side and back of the property. We took Sammy and it turns out others had the same idea. A group of parents met there with their kids for a picnic on the same day. I guess that’s what you do during spring break.

The remodeled tasting room is beautiful and they have an incredible assortment of cheeses and other items. I don’t know how new their “lunch” service is but they do indeed serve paninis…we order two and shared. We sat outside at one of the tables and enjoyed a little vino, some food, and the beautiful weather. I also played crash ‘em up derby with Sammy and his cars. Good times.

Here the wine we tasted along with the cheese that they paired with it:

2015 Sauvignon Blanc $17.00 Paired with Chaumes (This French cow’s milk is distinguished by soft, springy texture and a rich creamy paste and a hazelnut finish)

2014 Paso Robles Zinfandel $20.00 Paired with Marco Polo Reserve (Traditionally cloth-bound and open-air aged, cow’s milk cheese, allowing for slightly lower moisture, and a higher salt content)

2013 Le Vigne Sangiovese $31.00 Paired with Raschera (Natural rind cow’s milk cheese from the province of Cunco has a smooth, sweet flavor)

2013 Le Vigne Petit Verdot $35.00 Paired with Farmhouse Cheddar (Bound in cloth, larded, and left to age for 18 months or more. The result is a spicy, caramely cheese)

2013 Le Vigne Petite Sirah $35.00 Paired with Moliterno Fresco (Both delicious and intriguing visually, this raw sheep’s milk cheese is infused with a truffle paste)

The pairings were excellent. I generally like harder cheeses over soft but I enjoyed the soft cheese pairings too. As for the wines, one thing I found interesting is that their red wines are all smooth, light, and easy drinking. Meaning, you don’t need food with them in order to enjoy them and if you don’t want to lay them down they are good to pop open now and consume.

The Sauvignon Blanc was nice. We also tasted a Viognier that isn’t released yet and it was really good. If I had to say which reds were my favorite, I’d say the Sangiovese and Petit Verdot.

There you have it. Glad we went in. Thanks to Lindsay and also to the winemaker, Michael, who I got to chat with for a few minutes.