Derek Walter

    By Derek Walter

    Step onto Eberle Winery in Paso Robles and you’re likely to find owner Gary Eberle grilling up sausage, tri-tip, elk, and other items for visitors of his winery.
    That’s exactly what he was doing on a recent Sunday afternoon, sending up smoke from the large slabs of meat on his barbecue and chatting it up with visitors.
    The winery is a popular stop for those getting out of the Valley for a day of wine tasting in the Paso Robles wine region, or for those making their way to the coast. Eberle is known for its high quality wines, as evidenced by the massive display of gold medals adorning one of the walls in the tasting room. A recent wine-ranking publication put the winery in the top 10 gold-medal winning wineries in the country.
    “It’s my winery,” Eberle says. “I do it because I enjoy doing it. I don’t do it because I need to do it. It’s because it’s what I want to do.”
    What makes Eberle Winery worth visiting is the experience that one gets there. The tasting room staff knows the wine and takes the time to explain what is actually being tasted. And tasting is always complimentary, as Eberle believes that the quality of the wine should sell itself, something not always the case with other wineries. Others charge visitors a tasting fee,
“Charge people to taste? I look at that and I tell people don’t do that. People don’t want your damn glass.”
If you happen to come on a day when Eberle is out barbecuing you’ll find samples of his food available in the tasting room. A large outdoor patio overlooks the nearly 40-acre winery, offering a relaxing atmosphere to sip wine and take in the view.
Eberle started the winery over 25 years ago. A native of Pittsburgh, he played football for Penn State. Throughout the day, more than one visitor walks up to him and introduces themselves as a Penn State grad.
“What year did you graduate?” is generally the first of many question which leads to a conversation with Eberle, always one to take time to get to know those who come to his winery.
While at Penn State he studied biology, then he did graduate work at Louisiana State University in cellular genetics.
While at LSU a professor introduced him to wine. After that, it was on to a different kind of science. His schooling took him to UC-Davis, where he pursued a doctorate in enology. After finishing up there, it was time to get involved in the wine business in Paso Robles. It wouldn’t be long before he would start his own label, which he says has always been a source of pride in the quality of his wine.
“It’s a life’s work,” he says. “I will not put my name on something that will embarrass me.”
The best way to experience the winery is to take the V.I.P. tour. For $20, you will get a guided tour of the 16,000 square-foot underground caves where the wine is stored before it’s bottled.
Tasting room supervisor Steve Smith says it’s an excellent way for visitors to learn more about the winemaking process and the inner workings of the winery.
The caves are a cool, controlled environment in which to store the wine before it is bottled.
“We affectionately call it an upside down swimming pool,” Smith says.
    After touring the caves, you will be led to a special tasting area and served an excellent sampling of cheese and crackers along with the tasting of wines. What makes the experience enjoyable is Smith’s knowledge of all the details of what goes into making the wine. Which vineyard the grapes came from. The particular type of barrel they were chosen to be stored in (for example, French oak vs. American oak). Whether or not they can be stored over time. And what type of food they would go well with.
    The tour is made by appointment only, so make sure to call the winery in advance to make a reservation. The table seats up to 10, so grab a bunch of wine enthusiasts and make it happen.
Along with the VIP tastings, the winery holds a guest chef dinner party series in, of course, the caves. There is seating for up to 96 at a dining table where there is plenty of wine and food from some of the top chefs throughout the country that Eberle brings in for these events. More information about chefs and the events can be found on the Eberle web site at www.eberlewinery.com.
Eberle Winery is open from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 pm during the months of October through March, and 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. April through September.