Time for Paso!

We were kind of long overdue for a wine tasting trip to Paso Robles.
I know were are due when we get down to the crap we have left over from provisioning for our Baja Bash trip three years ago.
Maybe that Don Simon Tempranillo at 18 pesos has probably aged into a Charles Shaw Cab...?
Eh, most likely not.

So up to Paso it was.

Bailed out of work at noon on Friday and met up with Jenn and Bruce in Santa Margarita.
Hotter than hell, but I wasn't the one wearing a black fur coat.

Yay for air conditioning and yay for being able to hang your head out the windows and let your jowls flap in the wind.

Found some decent Zin at Pozo Valley on case special.
And a couple bottles at Ancient Peaks, then out highway 41 to Morro Bay and up to Cayucos.
Not so hot!
Perfect!

We have a fun little motel we go to that is dog friendly.
Across the street is a fun diner with a dog friendly patio.
All good!

Then a full day of Paso tasting on Saturday, with the five of us in my car.
Jenn and I shared the back seat with the dog...

Hit up Tobin James first ~ always a fun place to start!
Then to a favorite, Pear Valley.
Pear Valley could even be one of Lexie's favorites, as she could see us from outside!

Filled the back of the car and time for food and water.

For all of us.

Love the view!

And what I called the "fat chair".
Big, fat, wide seat so it makes whoever is in it look little.

Sort of like Lily Tomlin as Edith Ann back in the dark ages...

Then to J. Lohr where long story short, got to try a ton of wine and got the industry discount ~ YAY!

Last stop was Twilight ~ a favorite of Bruce & Jenn's and wow!
The owner does a food pairing with each wine.
Lovely!
So picked our second place to be wine club members (we have been members of Pear Valley for a year or two).

Then down the hill, wisely passing up Opolo and Harmony, because really, four is a good number.
Five is a little nuts.
And six is crazy.
Been there... done that.

Happy hour in the adirondack chairs on the grass at our motel and to Hoppe's for dinner on the patio.

Pretty much wined out by Sunday, so headed down the coast to Morro Bay for breakfast.

And sillyness apparently.

And fog out over the bay.

 

We actually were stupid enough to think we were getting on the road early enough to beat Santa Barbara traffic.

Ah ha ha ha HA!

 

Worst traffic ever between Santa Barbara and the Rincon.
Next time, and there will be a next time, we either leave at 7 am or come back on Monday.
I think I'll pick Monday...