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Central Coast Wine

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Central Coast is a vast AVA that spans between Santa Barbara County in the south to the San Francisco Bay area in the north, touching six counties within the state of California. This huge expanse encompasses a diverse array of microclimates and growing conditions and is responsible for fifteen percent of the state’s total wine production.

The sub-AVA’s within Central Coast are:
  • San Francisco Bay
  • Monterey
  • San Benito
  • San Luis Obispo
  • Santa Barbara
  • Salado Creek

~Amanda Schuster

 

– Description from Amanda Schuster

Women Winemakers Lead Quality Charge

A recent Santa Clara University study of "highly acclaimed" California wineries suggests that women winemakers, despite their minority in the field, are beating their male counterparts in the quality game. The paper, "Evidence of Women Winemakers' Suc...

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Pinot Grigio $15 and Up

Last week, I took a look at value Pinot Grigios priced at $15 and under. Today, we turn the tables and look at a handful of wines that break through the $15 threshold. Some of those value priced wines are just as good, albeit in a slightly different s...

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Top 15 California Bordeaux Blend Wines Under $125

France may have established that the grapes of Bordeaux go very well together, but that essential blend can now be found in excellent wines worldwide, from South Africa to Washington State. California does particularly well with the black grapes of Bo...

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8 Elegant Zinfandels

After last week’s look at value-oriented Zinfandel, I was pretty excited to jump into and taste some higher end wines. I love Zinfandel’s many iterations. From the Claret styles of yore to the fruit bombs that have made bold headlines and big points ov...

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The Great Rose Round-Up

Rosés come around just once a year. This is lamentable or not, depending on your opinion of them. With such a sudden influx, it’s imperative that I taste as many as possible as quickly as possible. This is the first round-up of rosés from the summer of...

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A Value Leader Among Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon is Chile’s most cultivated grape, with more than 98,000 acres of vines planted. While the character of Chilean Cabernet varies, it often has fresh black fruit and good acidity.  Although alcohol levels can be in the 13 to 14 percent ...

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Top Pinot Noir Picks

It’s the holiday season and everyone is recommending Pinot Noir again. What is it with folks, do they just like to take the path of least resistance? Will there come a day when Pinot is not the end all of holiday wine recommendations?

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Cupcake Chardonnay Central Coast (2009)

Winery: Cupcake Vineyards
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Chardonnay
Type: Table Wines
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katswineboutique

This is the creamy chardonnay that I have always loved. Winemaker takes pride in their process & it shows.

Piedrasassi Syrah Central Coast (2010)

Winery: Piedrasassi
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Syrah
Type: Table Wines
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Craig Bilodeau

Red raspberry in the nose. Soft tannins accompany a spicy finish.

Cupcake Vineyards Petite Sirah Central Coast (2009)

Winery: Cupcake
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Petite Sirah
Type: Table Wines
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joebernardinoATyahoo

Really nice and smooth, dark chocolate, blueberry, raspberry, a touch of sweetness and a great value for $10-11. The smoothness on the finish reminds me of Estancia Merlot, a velvety finish. It is very rich with dark fruit & dark chocolate and made in...

Echelon Pinot Noir Central Coast (2006)

Winery: Echelon Vineyards
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Type: Table Wines
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lingprof

Pretty much what Winehorn said... I think it's very hard to find even a "non-descript" pinot for nine bucks, so I gave it an extra 1/4 glass for that. ;-)

Folk Machine Pinot Noir Central Coast (2011)

Winery: Folk Machine
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Type: Table Wines
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Welkja

This is a great tasting balanced wine is full of jammy fruit. Raspberries, strawberries and some dark fruit are dominant in the nose and taste of this wine. I like to drink this wine by itself. It has no metal seal covering the cork so tartates form o...

Cupcake Chardonnay Central Coast (2009)

Winery: Cupcake Vineyards
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Chardonnay
Type: Table Wines
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joebernardinoATyahoo

This one is another winner from Cupcake. For 10 bucks it has a very bold and flavorful classic Chardonnay profile with oak, fruit, and butter proportioned just right. A pleasant fruity complexity on the finish is reminiscent of tropical fruits. Highly ...

Alban Vineyards Viognier Central Coast (2005)

Winery: Alban Vineyards
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Viognier
Type: Table Wines
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George Parkinson

color-gold nose-melon&cream mouth-nectarines finish-medium long buy it share it age it 1 year

Calera Pinot Noir Central Coast (2009)

Winery: Calera Wine Company
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Type: Table Wines
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Eric Guido

The nose was highly expressive with a bouquet that showed sweet cherries, pine nettles and dark soil notes. On the palate it was silky smooth yet juicy, with pure dark cherry fruit, hints of herbs, and a crack of pepper. The finish followed suit, as it...

Firestone Vineyard Pinot Gris Central Coast Discoveries (2009)

Winery: Firestone Vineyard
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Type: Table Wines
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Zuiko

I wasn't expecting much from this wine, as I have never been impressed by Pinot Gris. That has now changed. This wine has a good amount of fruit consisting of apple, citrus and melon. It is richer than I was expecting. Nice acid balance too. This is th...

Clos Lachance Petite Sirah Central Coast (2007)

Winery: Clos LaChance Winery
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Varietal: Petite Sirah
Type: Table Wines
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tabednar

Wonderfully complex with dark flavors of leather and licorice from the beginning with strong tannins and heat. Let this wine site for hours and it becomes completely different. The wine overall mellows and the taste profile becomes more fruity with mor...

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Liberty School Chardonnay Central Coast
Winery: Liberty School Winery
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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Yogurt Baked Chicken with Vegetables

Easy and nutritious, this recipe combines moist chicken chunks, tangy yogurt, vegetables and grains for a tasty one-dish meal. Read more »

Sterling Vineyards Chardonnay Central Coast Vintner's Collection
Winery: Sterling Vineyards
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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Ruby Quince Marmalade

This versatile, lemon-accented spread can be used as a glaze on roasted meat as well as a traditional toast topping. This recipe goes with Quince-Glazed Cornish Hens Read more »

Pietra Santa Chardonnay California
Winery: Pietra Santa Winery
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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Turkey Cutlets With Apple Chutney

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Wild Horse Chardonnay
Winery: Wild Horse Winery
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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Caprese Wraps with Chicken

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Sextant Central Coast Chardonnay
Winery: Sextant Wines
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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30-Minute Turkey Chili

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Sanford Chardonnay la Rinconada
Winery: La Rinconada Vineyard
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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Broccoli, Mushroom, and Gouda Quiche

Thick wedges of this vegetarian quiche, with its flaky crust and bubbly custard, are delicious straight from the oven, but if you can sacrifice a piece or two for the next day it’s also fantastic l... Read more »

Three Saints Chardonnay
Winery: Three Saints Vineyard
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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Firecracker Wings

Under $1.25 per serving. Lightly breaded and oven-baked, these wings get their kick from a "fiery" blend of chili powder and peppers. Serve with a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing. Read more »

Windy Ridge Chardonnay
Winery: Windy Ridge Winery
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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Pan-Seared Cod Over Vegetable Ragout

This easy-to-fix skillet dinner elevates plain white fish to the height of good taste as the fish is incorporated into a Mediterranean-style ragout chock-full of tasty ingredients such as prosciutt... Read more »

Beringer Vineyards Chardonnay Central Coast Third Century
Winery: Beringer Vineyards
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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Eggnog Popcorn Balls

The combination of vanilla, nutmeg, and pecans gives these popcorn balls all the flavor of eggnog without the booze. Special equipment: You’ll need a reliable candy/fat thermometer for this reci... Read more »

Morro Bay Split Oak Vineyard Chardonnay Sur Lie California
Winery: Morro Bay
Region: USA » California » Central Coast
Type: Table Wines

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Cocoa-Cayenne Popcorn Balls

A little hot, slightly citrusy, and nice and chocolaty, these popcorn balls have flavor that just won’t quit. Special equipment: You’ll need a reliable candy/fat thermometer for this recipe. We ... Read more »

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89065Gregory Dal Piaz

Old Zinfandel Tasted April 2013

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92549Eric Guido

The Rhone Rangers

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870341Amanda Schuster

Sean Thackrey Flight

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854949Kristin Watts

Top Cabernet Sauvignon Wines

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Popular wines made in Central Coast under $20

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Varietals Produced in Central Coast View all

  • Zinfandel

    Parentage of the grape: Crljenak to Austria to America. In the 1970s, claims surfaced that the Italian Primitivo is l...

  • Cabernet Sauvignon

    “King of the Red Wine Grapes.” The colonizer of the vineyards, pushing native wine grapes into its shadows. The Caber...

  • Chardonnay

    British wine writer and critic, Jancis Robinson, once noted that throughout the 80’s and 90’s in the United States, C...

  • Pinot Noir

    “With so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, they make the blood run hot,” Joel Fleischman, wine columnist at Van...

  • Syrah

    The irony here is that Syrah’s origins could give Carmen Sandiego a run for her international wallet. Syrah’s deepest...

  • Merlot

    The Occitanian word “merlot” translates to “young blackbird.” An accurate description for this popular, early-budding...

Popular Wineries in Central Coast View all

  • Io

    Syrah is a Persian Blue elixir teeming with flavors and textures that are well beyond the reach o...

  • Windy Ridge Winery

    In 1985 we purchased the vineyard which had been planted in 1978 by Dr Chris Hill. We built the...

  • Clos LaChance Winery

    Clos LaChance is a family-owned and operated winery located in San Martin, CA. The winery focuses...

  • Concannon Vineyard

    They could speak, the rocks of Concannon Vineyard would tell a tale rich in history. Concannon...

  • Hahn Family Wines

    The spectacular beauty of California 's central coast is probably the best-known region in all...

  • Peralta Winery

    Peralta Family Wine Company is dedicated to representing wines of such astonishing quality, and a...

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