Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
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CALIFORNIA WINE CENTRAL Stars of the Central Coast By Liza B. Zimmerman "T he Central Coast is too diverse to be categorized as one singular wine-production region," notes Arthur Hon, wine director at the restaurant Sepia in Chicago. He says that the area has such a wide range of grapes, soil types and microclimates that it can successfully produce everything from chardonnay and pinot noir to Italian grapes and Bordeaux blends and Rhône varietals. He carries approximately 15 wines from the region. "You can find delicate varietals [both white and red] that are planted in the colder parts of the Central Coast, and more hardier grapes [especially the reds] that are grown in the warmer parts of the regions," notes Hon. He addition the region is home to a lot of unusual Italian grape varietals, such as sangiovese, vermentino, aglianico, arneis, nebbiolo and that the Rhône Ranger movement— that introduced syrah and viognier, among other grapes from France—to California, started in Central Coast. The broad winegrowing area between San Francisco and LA is setting a new standard. ing to operators. The "Sideways" effect of the 2004 movie hasn't hurt the region's appeal either. "Guests that do prefer the Central Coast wines prefer them for the great prices [for now] and the broad range of varietals and winemaking styles," said Jason Sherman, the "wine guy" from Brennan's in Houston, a single-unit Texas Creole restaurant. He adds that it is also a region where winemakers can experiment and make a new start. His restaurant carries 33 wines from the Central Coast. PHOTO COURTESY OF PASO ROBLES WINE COUNTRY ALLIANCE The view looking north from Terry Hoage Vineyards in Paso Robles, with the Ecluse Wines boutique winery seen in the distance. The highly diverse region is home to close to 700 wineries, according to data from the 2013 Central Coast Wine and Viticulture Symposium, which was held in Paso Robles in March of this year. The counties of Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara have seen a 16% increase in growth between 2009 and 2012 in winery numbers, with the majority of brands tracked producing less than 5,000 cases, according to the Central Coast Symposium. Diversity, value and what is perceived to be a more down-to-earth approach shown by Central Coast producers have all served the growing region well, accord- Central Coast Wines Off-Premise "Customers are looking for value and quality in wine," notes David Jabour, president of the 75-location, Austin-based chain Twin Liquors. He notes that as the prices of wines from other California regions increase, "Customers are finding and searching out wines from alternative areas like the Central Coast." The chain carries approximately 175 Central Coast wines, priced from $7 to $85. The top varietals remain chardonnay, pinot noir, zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon, according to Jabour. He adds that one of the area's strong points is its ability to "grow many varietals well in various locations." Jabour is not alone in his support of the region's wines. Mike Jordan, domestic wine buyer at the San Francisco-based, three-location K&L wine merchant chain, says that he thinks, "The Central Coast will continue to improve over the near and long term and offer our customers fantastic wines." K&L currently carries 44 wines from the region, price from $13.99 to $60. Value and Prestige The expansive region has been both a great source of value wines for operators as well as home to a handful 12 • Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • May/June 2013