Growing Pains in Paso Robles
In what has turned into a bit of a political fiasco, wineries in California’s largest un-subdivided AVA are at odds over how the region should be divided and defined. Some support a simple East and West subdividing, while others feel there should be up to 11 different areas. American Viticultural Areas (AVA’s) are used to help customers determine characteristics a wine will have if it comes from a winery in a certain region.
Opposition toward a blanket AVA like “West Paso Robles” is fueled by critics who say there is more diverse soil, climate, and topography in the region which would warrant unique AVA’s. On the other side, some would inevitably lose business if certain AVA’s were known to produce a higher quality product, slowly pushing lesser known areas into the background.
I’ve always felt that Paso has needed subappellations, especially since wineries on the West side seem to be producing a more outstanding product. Even so, when on the West side, consumers must be discerning, as not all producers are created equal. Perhaps more AVA’s would help make the decision at the shelf easier.
Read [winespectator.com]
