Page 103 - SLO Visitors Guide Spring 2024

Wine Tasting
Gary Eberle celebrating his 80th birthday
Over 50 years of influencing Paso Robles wines
Gary Eberle, whom some call the "Godfather of Paso Robles Wine," celebrates his 80th Birthday
on March 31, 2024. This celebration honors the passion and tenacity of his 54 years in the wine industry and 45 years at the helm of the Eb- erle Winery. He will be celebrating with an Easter Sunday brunch with employees and friends. Although he wants a small get-together,
his employees say the number of attendees is growing increasingly larger. Still, with Gary's reputation in the wine industry, it is a wonder they can keep it manageable.
What will they be serving wine-wise? Gary wants to cel- ebrate with two imperials, 1977 and 1978 Estrella Cabernet Sau- vignon. Eberle Winery is known for its cabernet sauvignon, one of Gary's favorites, making it fitting that this is the variety to celebrate his birthday.
Gary credits a lot of his inspiration and business model
to his friend and mentor
Robert Mondavi.
While many
consider the
Eberle Win-
ery large, it
is a modest,
medium-
sized
winery. I
often call
it the Mon-
davi of the
Central Coast,
but not on as
grand a scale. Gary's
presence and Mondavi's
influence are felt at the winery. Often, you will find him perched by the front entry, sipping wine and welcoming patrons along with his winery ambassadors, two poodles, Sangiovese and Barbera. If the right music is playing,
Gary Eberle—the Godfather of Paso Robles Wine.
they might even serenade you in unison by howling a chorus with their noses pointed to the sky.
After graduating from Penn State with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Gary studied cel- lular genetics at Louisiana State University. During this time,
he discovered wine and decided to become a winemaker. Gary
relocated to California to study enol-
ogy at UC Davis and received his degree in 1973.
In 1973, he moved to
Paso Robles and became a
founding partner in Estrella River Winery &
Vineyards. During this time, he is credited with planting the first syrah vines. By the late 70s, Gary decided to venture out on his own. Instead of your typical buy- out, he took his share in the form of juice, which allowed him to create wine under his own label.
His first Eberle wine, a cabernet sauvignon, was released in 1979. In 1984, the Eberle Winery tast- ing room opened to the public. In German, Eberle means
small boar. Looking around the winery, one discovers the boar, one of the winery's iconic sym- bols. A sculpture and a fountain bearing the boar adorn the grounds. The boar is the winery's logo and is found on the wine label.
The boar in Germanic culture symbolizes a warrior, and Gary Eberle has that warrior instinct. As a pioneer, he was the first to plant syrah on the Central Coast and to produce wine with 100% syrah in the United States. His cabernet sauvignon was the first to have the Paso Robles AVA designation placed on his label. Gary Eberle's passion for his winery, winemaking, Paso Robles, and the wine industry has earned
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