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Pet of the Month at Still Waters
Here at Still Waters, we LOVE our furry friends. We wanted to highlight the animals that help make Still Waters such a wonderful, inviting place! Do you have a pet that fits this bill? Let us know! We’d love to feature them in our monthly newsletter.
Employee Spotlight- Taylor, Tasting Room Manager
1. Where were you born and raised?
I was born in LA but my family moved to Paso Robles when I was two. I graduated from Paso Robles High School and went to college at UCSD. After I graduated, I moved back to the area. I love the small town feel and the slower pace of SLO county. It is also one of the most beautiful places!
2. To you, what makes your job as tasting room manager so special?
I have a cool job for a variety of reasons. I feel very blessed to work at such a beautiful place and with the best people. I enjoy running the tasting room and giving people wonderful experiences. I’m always learning new things and that makes this a dynamic job. I also have wonderful customers and I have grown close to many of them over my years with Still Waters. It’s nice having people remember you and ask about your life!
3. What is your biggest challenge as tasting room manager?
You always must be charming and engaging, even when you’re exhausted! And you never know what’s going to walk through the door… which is both a good and bad thing sometimes! But I’m so fortunate that most of our customers are absolute dreams and love being here!
4. How do you like to spend your days off?
I like to try to recharge on my days off. If I’m feeling virtuous I’ll do all my laundry and do all the cleaning I’ve been putting off. Have lunch with my mom, go to the gym, and read a book. I also have a side business where I do hand lettering! I’m especially busy during wedding season- but I love sharing my favorite hobby and making people’s big day more beautiful! You can check out my work on my Instagram and Facebook- Bauble and Twig Lettering!
5. If you had to choose one red and one white to drink for the next month, what would it be?
Does sparkling wine count as a white? Because I’d choose a nice dry sparkling wine any day for ever and ever, amen! As for red… I choose our Reflections because it’s smooth, bright and deliciously flavored!
2017 Recap of Still Waters
Its almost that time again to ring in a new year. The adage always remains- it’s nearly impossible to accept that a whole year has gone by. It seems like 2017 just began and in a few weeks we’ll be welcoming in 2018. This is been a wonderful year for Still Waters Vineyards- there were so many wonderful things that helped make this one of our best years yet.
The year began with Roll Out the Barrels, one of our favorite events. Between two sessions, we welcomed nearly 200 guests to taste through 35 barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Petite Sirah. The votes generated from the tasting helped us hone in our blends for our Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest of our red blends. We can’t wait for Roll Out the Barrels 2018 and to share what we’ve got to offer!
We added an additional Picture Perfect Sunday concert to our mix, this year starting our series in April with local favorite Rewined. Mother’s Day was one of our busiest days ever with Louie Ortega continuing his tradition of making all of the mama’s out there swoon over his smooth crooning. We also hosted Julie Beaver and Dorian Michael, Jill Knight, Billy Manzik, Ricky Montijo and the Mojitos, and Nataly Lola for our concert series. A few new faces and some old favorites- perfect!
We hosted our second annual Winemaker’s Dinner in the Gardens in June which we hope will be another favorite tradition! Food was done by the amazingly talented Chef Charles D. Paladin Wayne and the whole night was truly special. Our guests enjoyed a four-course meal with library wine pairings under a canopy of café lights illuminating the summer night. Between the wine, the food, the conversation, and the weather, it made for a perfect night. Another event we are looking forward to hosting!
We have three more successful wine festivals under our proverbial belt- Vintage Paso, the Paso Wine Festival, and Harvest Festival. There was live music, delicious food, great deals on wine, and an abundance of sitting in the sunshine with our favorite people drinking our favorite wine. Harvest Festival was a highlight- we hosted our second annual Harvest Olympics. This included a bung toss, wine trivia, barrel roll, and a grape stomp! Everyone had a fabulous time with much laughter and friendly competition.
We had some absolutely gorgeous weddings in 2017. We feel so blessed to be able to share our beautiful property with couples on their favorite day of their lives. From Spring green weddings to lovely Autumnal celebrations, the weddings this year were spectacular.
2017 was a wonderful year. Our fruit harvest was robust and the quality of fruit was out of this world. It was a challenging year with the late heat but this vintage, while quick, is stellar. We are very excited about it. We are so thankful for our staff, our club members, our environment, and everything in between. 2018 is going to be even better, we can just feel it.
Holiday Hours
Nov 06: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Nov 23: Closed
Dec 24: Closed
Dec 25: Closed
Dec 31: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Jan 01: Closed
Wine Spotlight- Pinot Gris
Here at Still Waters we are proud of the fact that we grow 14 different varieties of grapes- 4 of which are white. From Sauvignon Blanc to Viognier, we cover a variety of flavor profiles to appeal to just about everyone who will drink a white wine (those die hard red fans know who they are). One variety that we are proud to grow is Pinot Gris. You may have heard of a Pinot Grigio or a Pinot Gris, but we are here to tell you they are the same grape! Originally from the Burgundy region on France, it has made its way into Italy, Germany and beyond into the New World. Pinot Grigio refers to an Italian style with higher acidity and less fruit-forwardness while Pinot Gris can refer to an Alsatian style that is fuller bodied and fruit forward. This is a unique variety in that it is a white wine made from a red grape- the skins range from grey-blue to reddish. The longer the skins stay in contact with the fruit, the more saturated in color the wine becomes. At Still Waters, we have cultivated a style all our own when it comes to creating our Pinot Gris. Harvested early in the season, we press the skins off quickly to minimize the color influence of the skins, leaving us with a nearly translucent, straw colored wine. Drawing on Italian inspiration, our Pinot Gris is light and acidic with subtle bright flavors of yellow apple, white nectarine, and almond. There is a nice mid-palate minerality that lingers nicely.
Pinot Gris lends itself well to pairing with fresh vegetables, shell fish, and fish both cooked and raw. One of our sweet employees, Lynne, along with her husband prepared a special dinner just for our Pinot Gris and was gracious enough to share the recipe with us. We think this is a perfect accompaniment to a subtle, yet tasty wine that we hope you will like too!
Grilled Seasoned Shrimp with Apricot-Chili Glaze
1-1/2 lbs Large Shrimp (16-20 ct) placed skewers
Seasoning for Shrimp
1 T. Kosher Salt
1 t. Chili Powder
1/2 t. Granulated Garlic
1/2 t. Ground Black Pepper
1/4 t. Cumin
1/4 t. Brown Sugar
Apricot-Chili Glaze
1 c. Ripe Apricots diced
1/4 c Brown Sugar
1/4 c White Sugar
1 T. Olive Oil
1/4 medium yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/4 t. Salt
1/4 t. Ground Black Pepper
1 t. Chili Powder
1/8 t. Chili Flakes
1/8 t. Cumin
1 T. Lemon Juice
1 T. Balsamic Vinegar
In a small sauce pan, heat olive oil on high heat. Add diced onions and garlic until translucent. Add diced apricots and the Brown and White Sugar and bring to boil. Add Salt, Pepper, Chili Powder, Chili Flakes, Cumin, and Lemon Juice to mixture. Remove from heat and add Balsamic Vinegar. Let Mixture cool. Place in blender and mix until a smooth.
Sprinkle Shrimp with Seasoning Mix. Place on gas/charcoal grill and cook for approximately 3 minutes on each side. Apply Apricot-Chili Glaze on Shrimp and grill for 1 additional minute on each side. Remove Shrimp from grill and place on a bed of Rice Pilaf. Serve with Apricot Salsa (see next page for salsa Recipe).
Apricot Salsa
2 c. Ripe Apricots finely diced
1/2 medium onions (white or red) finely diced
3-4 whole jalapenos finely diced
2 T. Cilantro finely chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
1 t. Kosher Salt
1/2 t. White Sugar
1/4 t. Ground Black Pepper
Juice of 2 limes
Mix all ingredients in a medium glass bowl. Serve with Tortilla chips or Grilled Shrimp and of course with your best friends!
Wine Spotlight- Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is one of our favorite white wines. Both refreshing and versatile, you can find nearly any occasion to pop open a bottle. Depending on where the fruit was grown, Sauvignon Blanc can be overtly grassy and herbaceous or they can take on more subtle, tropical fruit flavors like pineapple, kiwi, and peach.
Our 2016 Sauvignon Blanc is bright & fragrant with notes of fresh green herbs, creamy tropical pineapple, and grapefruit. Steel fermented and aged predominately in steel barrels, this wine is medium bodied with a crisp, acidic finish that makes it perfect for these warm summer months!
A super versatile wine, you can pair our Sauvignon Blanc with a variety of chicken, seafood, vegetable dishes, and even Greek or Mexican food. You can feel confident pairing this with green- vegetable based dishes as well as lighter, vinegar bases sauces or green sauces. We particularly love using bright pesto, any roasted vegetable, tacos with salsa Verde, and delicate white flakey fish. Check out a few recipes that would go fabulously with your next bottle!
Favorite Things of Still Waters
There are so many things that we love about Still Waters. Too many to name even. So we thought that we could start compiling everything that we loved about our special place and share it with you! First up- during these warm summer months, one of our favorite things about Still Waters is all of the lush and lovely shade available. From our giant, old oak trees that bend over the grass with long boughs to the old olive trees on the hill that provide dappled cover- we have so many wonderful places to take refuge from the heat under. Also scattered over the grass are quaint tables with big umbrellas so you can always have your wine outside, listening to the birds.
Check out this quick video highlighting our favorites!
Winemaker Dinner
On June 3rd we hosted our 2nd annual Winemaker Dinner in the Gardens. We have wanted for a long time to host an unforgettable event for our guests on our spectacular grounds. This year did not disappoint! The menu was planned and prepared by talented local Chef Charles D. Paladin Wayne to accompany a curated selection of wines.
The evening began with an array of passed appetizers and an early debut of our 2016 vintages of both the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. Live, acoustic music was played in the background throughout the evening, giving the guests the feel of an intimate concert outside in the warm summer breeze.
The Salad Course began the dinner with a Crunchy Citrus Salad. This delicious salad included shaved fennel, heirloom tomatoes and carrots, daikon radish, wheat berry, orange segments, and a sublime Three Citrus White Balsamic Vinaigrette. We accompanied this vibrant salad with our 2016 Chardonnay that is incredibly well balanced with a fresh minerality that complimented the zesty flavors nicely.
The First Course was a phenomenal dish of white Sea Bass with a smoked corn relish, braised kale and mustard greens, beurre blanc, and a red wine Nantua (a classic French seafood sauce). This dish was not only absolutely delicious (there were guests who used the freshly baked bread to mop up every last delicious morsel of sauce at the end) but the presentation was lovely, adorned with fresh edible flowers. This dish was served with two vintages of Cabernet Franc– a 2007 and our new 2013 that will be released in the Autumn. The light spiciness perfectly held it’s own to the smoky, briny goodness of the sea bass.
The Second Course brought us back on land with tender braised Brisket served with potatoes Dauphinoise and organic market vegetables with a red wine demi-glace. This hearty course was flavorful and the decadent. The brisket was succulent and the potatoes Dauphinoise are potatoes Au-Gratin to the umpteenth level. This was paired with two vintages of our classic Bordeaux blend Reflections– 2008 and the new 2013 vintage that will also be released in the Autumn. This bold red wine held up well to the big flavors of the dish and added a pleasant fruit aspect to the flavor profiles.
And finally, it was time for the Sweet Endings. We were served a trio of sweet tastes- a passion fruit creme brulee, grilled stone peach chocolate ganache tart, and Leo Leo pistachio gelato in a delicate basket weaved of caramel. We paired these perfect little tastes with our 2013 Late Harvest Petit Sirah– a little touch of warmth and sweetness to bring the whole thing together.
Our Winemaker Dinner was a thorough success in our eyes. The ambiance was just what we strove for- perfect weather, music that complimented the mood wonderfully, and great times had amongst friends both new and old. The food was fantastic and it was fun tasting through the different vintages of some of our favorite wines! We hope that people will want to join us again next summer for another magical evening!
Paul and Chef Charlie having a great time.
Such a beautiful evening!
See you next year!
Springtime at Still Waters
It’s that special time of year when the ranch wakes up again after a long winters slumber. The days are getting longer, the skies are filled with majestic hawks gliding about for a snack, and all the flora is starting to burst with green life. The vines are pruned, having soaked up the bounty early spring storms bestowed upon them; now we see verdant buds peeking their heads out. Before we know it, lush fruit will be hanging from their spindly branches. Spring time is bottling time for the winery; this year we are bottling our 2016 whites and 2014 red vintages.
The gardens are looking lovely and really benefited from all that wonderful rain we received this year. The irises and tulips and wild flowers are blooming and soon we’ll have gorgeous gladiolas pop up as well. The vegetable gardens are slowly growing, with the tomatoes getting started in the green house and the onions already sending their shoots forth towards the sun. Rosemary and lavender create a carpet of periwinkle and purples around us and chubby birds gorge themselves on fallen olives. Our chickens on the hill are thriving. The baby chicks we brought in a month ago, are growing up to be not so little and the hens are fat and sassy as usual. It’s going to be a great season for farm fresh eggs in a variety of stunning colors. If you didn’t know, there is nothing better than a fresh egg from a happy chicken.
April start wedding season for us, as well as kick off our Picture Perfect Sunday series. Break out your picnic blankets and pack some snacks, we are open 7 days a week for you to enjoy a time in the gardens. We can’t wait to share our beautiful place with you and let you enjoy it as much as we do!
Roll Out the Barrels 2017 – Results Are In!!!!
The rain held off for us to enjoy another year of our favorite event, Roll Out the Barrels. The two sessions of the event were full of great club members ready to taste through our delicious barrels of 2013 wines. This year we had 33 barrels and six varieties to taste; Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah.
The 2013 growing season was the second year of widespread drought in Paso Robles. We had only .70 inches of rain in January compared to the 9 inches we have had so far this year in 2017. Fortunately, a permanent crop like grape vines takes multiple years before the vines begin to show stress. One unusual advantage to drought conditions is low susceptibility to the extreme cold snaps that usually follow storms. The actual amount of frost days in 2013 was THREE, and the lowest was only 34 degrees. So unlike 2011, with over ten inches of rain where we experienced a fifty percent crop loss due to frost damage, 2013 had a great yield of about 260 tons of fruit. This is about 15% above our average crop.
Therefore, the vines had very uniformed canopies and we were able to ripen the fruit to optimum flavors and stay on our somewhat normal picking schedule although in general, 2013 was a quick and early harvest that started about three weeks earlier than normal, starting about mid August. What you have experienced in tasting these wines were fruity, full flavored red wines. Most of these wines originated in 100 percent new French oak. They should lend themselves to complex, bold flavors with great potential for successful aging.
Here are the official results:
The three Cabernet Sauvignon barrels with the most votes will go into our Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon and Reflections. The two Merlot barrels with the most votes will go into our Clone 3 Cuvee and the top voted barrel of Syrah will go into our Rhone blend Expressions. Thank you once again for all your help in creating these delicious wines, we can’t wait to taste them with you!!!
