Page 99 - SLO Visitor's Guide - Winter 2023

Wine Tasting
Vista Del Rey Vineyards: A quarter century of sustainable dry-farmed wine
‘Dry farming is not meant for the faint of heart’
Just up San Marcos Road, not on the typical wine trail, on a hillside with a serene view of the Santa Lu- cia Range, 80-year-old grandfather, local farming purist, and owner
of Vista Del Rey Vineyards can be found working the silty, clay loam soils on his trusty faded orange Kubota tractor.
Dave King and his late wife, Carol De Hart King, purchased the eight-acre vineyard in 1994. After
a 22-year career in the U.S. Navy and another eight years working as an engineer and program manager, Dave dusted off his Agriculture En- gineering degree from Oregon State and took off on his Walter Mitty dream of operating a small, 1900s- style, sustainably run vineyard. He’s been going ever
since.
King’s no-spray,
pesticide-free
vines are well-
established,
with bright
green ‘popcorn’
growing on
dark brown
shoulders.
These are the
vines the region
has come to
know well, pro-
ducing some of
the appellation’s
most vibrant
Barberas, the bright and spicy flag- ship Comida Simpático Zinfandel, the popular Zin-Bera original blend, and Barbera Port.
Return visits are commonplace at this Paso Robles establishment. Oak barrels are stacked with local handmade preserves, and when in season, bowls of dry-farmed pista-
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chios and walnuts from the Kings’ trees are out on the table. Tasters are encouraged to try a “port sand- wich” with VDRV’s Barbera Dessert
Wine and 75% cacao chocolate wine wafers and picnic near a relaxing slate water fountain.
Instead of a tasting fee, visitors
place dona- tions in a carafe for the North County Humane Society, a cause close
to King’s heart, confirmed by four friendly dogs greeting every tasting room visitor.
While looking towards the far-off rain clouds for some good news, Dave said, “Dry farming is not meant for economy of scale or the faint of heart, but we’re still here after 26 years.” Paso Robles now has about
HOYT FAMILY VINEYARDS
OUR WINES
SEE YOU DOWNTOWN AT HOYTS!
VINEYARD TOUR
TASTING ROOM
1322 Park Street THURSDAY-SATURDAY 12-8 PM SUNDAY 12-5PM MON.-WED. BY APPT.
ORDER ONLINE
PAIR BEST WITH
friends
805-369-1092
WINTER 2023 99