Page 98 - SLO Visitor's Guide - Winter 2023

Wine Tasting
“My favorite part is the water collection because that’s such a big issue around here, and to capture all that clean water is beneficial for our vineyards and our landscape. It’s cleaner water than the well wa- ter around here. It’s not the cheap- est thing to set up. It’s not economi- cally the best, but it’s important.”
What else makes the buildings and property so special? The whole property is set up so all rainwater will flow in the direction of the catch basin. The wood you see as you walk up to the front door is reclaimed wood from a train trestle from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The counters are recycled crushed glass. The cabinets are bamboo. The bathrooms smell like sulfur because they use reclaimed groundwater. The buildings are all solar, and they’re smart. Many of the windows have motors on them, and if the temperature outside drops below the temperature inside they auto- matically open and fans pull the cool air inside. The building also senses when someone has left, and automatically turns the heater off. The fireplace burns denatured alco- hol which only emits water vapor. Their motto is “sustainability to the forefront,” and it’s evident through- out the property.
The same attention to detail they put in the buildings has gone into the winemaking. According
to Hascall, “Our varietals are the best of Paso. We have Rhône’s. We have Bordeaux. We have Zinfandel. We have a good mix of everything that I feel grows well in the area. Everything is from Paso Robles. Everything is done in small lots. Nothing is more than a couple hun- dred cases produced. So, we’re able to pay a lot of attention to detail and focus on the wine quality.”
They have many Best-in-Class awards, but Hascall’s favorite is Sunset Magazine’s Double Gold, Best in Class award for their 2019 Syrah which is the perfect embodi- ment of a westside Paso Robles Syrah.
There’s nothing pretentious at Shale Oak Winery. The vibe is cool and funky and both family and dog-friendly. Hascall states, “We want people to relax and enjoy
the wine because that’s what it’s all about. Enjoying the wine.”
Shale Oak Winery is located just off Highway 46 at 3235 Oakdale Road, Paso Robles. The tasting room is open from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Thursday-Monday.. For reservations or more information visit shaleoak- winery.com or call (805) 239-4800
—Karen Lycan
98 WINTER 2023
slovisitorsguide.com