Team C&J
This Winery Is Permanently Closed.
Winery Rating
Located at:
2700 Buena Vista Dr, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Wine Club Rating
Price Range For Tasting
Doug Ayres created Allegretto Vineyard Resort and the collection of Allegretto wines with the idea that a wine experience should be a tribute to nature, art, and passion – a real experience for the senses on both a physical and a spiritual level. While Ayres comes from a hotelier family, and he knows a thing or two about creating a guest-centric experience, the path that led him to create Allegretto was the result of family tragedy.
When Doug and his wife Marti, a respected designer, lost their 15-year-old son in a skiing accident, their world changed. In the fog of grief, Doug struggled to work, and he ultimately took a long Sabbatical to re-center himself and come to terms with what happened. The journey ultimately took him to Europe, where he was able to find peace and balance.
The time away gave Doug the idea to create a property that embodied a sense of harmony that went beyond the usual luxury hotel amenities and eye-catching design. To quote an article about Doug in Food & Wine Magazine:
The name is a nod to Ayres’ musical intuition — the word “allegretto” signals to musicians to play at an upbeat tempo—but the unique way he perceives his surroundings goes much deeper than sounds.
Ayres isn’t just listening. He also says he’s tapping into the spiritual energy and life force of the land, the grapevines, the architecture, and everything in between, carefully considering every tiny detail to create a harmonious experience for people who visit or drink his wine.
This nod to spiritual energy is evident around the property. As you walk through the hotel and explore the grounds, you notice agates and geodes scattered throughout – from the check-in process to the courtyards. In fact, the resort has one that is 7,000 pounds – that’s over 3 tons!
The Ayres did a spectacular job with the layout of the resort and the accompanying tasting room. Walking the grounds makes you feel like you’re in a spacious Italian palazzo. One of the tasting areas is al fresco-style, with ceilings that are dizzyingly high and painted with Italian botanicals.
Outside wine tastings take place in the courtyard surrounded by Cyprus trees – umbrellas provide shade, and heat lamps ensure you stay warm and cozy if the temperature drops, which it does once the sun starts to set. And the tasting room gift shop has lots of wonderful gifts, including the aforementioned agates, crystals, as well as more traditional wine country keepsakes.
Winemaking responsibilities at Allegretto Winery fall on Alan Kinne, a veteran winemaker in California’s Central Coast. But Alan isn’t just a winemaker; many in the industry look at him as a visionary in this part of California for the way he assisted in introducing the slightly off-the-grid Spanish grape Albariño to the Paso, as well as Calistoga in the northern portion of Napa Valley, and Middleburg, Virginia.
Alan actually brought back “suitcase clones” of the grape when he returned from his travels in Spain and Portugal.
Alan’s services and knowledge are in high demand; he consults for a number of Paso Robles wineries and continues to leave his mark on the wines being made here.
If you visit Allegretto, you will find two wine-tasting options.
Vineyard Tour and Tasting
Includes a tour through the winery, vineyards, and gardens before concluding with a five-wine tasting. The estate’s limited-production wines are also part of the Vineyard Tour tasting.
COST
$45 per person
$30 per resort guest
Complimentary for Members (2 people)
Classic Tasting
A comprehensive line-up of current white and red releases.
$30 per person
$20 per resort guest
Allegretto Winery is known for its rich Cabernet Sauvignon, but there’s more to this brand than just Paso Robles Cab. The vineyard on the estate is also planted with Vermentino, Viognier, Tannat, and Malbec. Fruits like the Zinfandel and Tempranillo used in the Cello Red and the Petit Verdot in the Heart of the Vibe are purchased from neighboring vineyards.
All in all, Allegretto farms about 25 acres of their own grapes, which is divided between the 17 acres of Cabernet at their Willow Creek vineyard, and 8 acres on-site at the estate. At our tasting, we enjoyed a nice cross-section of wines made with grapes from both properties.
Here is a quick rundown of our first impression of the Allegretto wines.
2021 Duetto, $45
66% Viognier 34% Vermentino, Allegretto Vineyard
This co-fermented wine has the crispness and salinity of Vermentino and the floral essence of Viognier. A very nice blend of estate grapes.
Rose of Malbec, NV $34
Allegretto Vineyard
A light and refreshing rose, which is dry rather than sweet. Notes of summer strawberry, apricot, and mineral chalk are marked by a good amount of acidity.
2019 Cello Red $36
58% Zinfandel, 39% Tempranillo, 3% Tannat, Paso Robles
Allegretto calls this red “an easy-to-enjoy wine,” and we couldn’t agree more. Approachable tannins, soft cherry, and a peppery-cinnamon spice finish. A little high on the alcohol vis-a-vis the mouthfeel, but good, nonetheless. We could see the Cello Red pairing well with pizza.
2019 Heart of the Vibe $48
56% Petit Verdot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, and 3% Tannat Paso Robles 22 months in French and American.
With a solid 93 points, Heart of the Vibe is a compelling wine. This red blend is bold, and the fruit seems to have benefited from some extra time in the Paso sun. Lots of black fruit, chocolate, an intense cedar quality, and earthy mushroom.
The big tannins, noticeable alcohol, and medium acidity work well with the palate. This is a bottle that’s perfect for cool weather sipping and a big, hearty dinner.
2018 Tannat $45
Allegretto Vineyard
The 2018 was aged for 50 to 60 months in 100% American oak and 30% new oak.
The wine is a deep ruby-red color, and the nose is rich with tobacco and smoke. Dark cherry smoke forms the backbone of the palate. This is a highly tannic wine with moderating acidity and a very nice mouthfeel.
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon $ 60
Willow Creek Vineyard. 54 months 40% new.
The 2018 Allegretto Cabernet Sauvignon was our favorite. The wine spent 54 months in 40% new oak, there is dark fruit and oak in spades, and the finish is long and smooth. The tannins are high tannins, and the acid is low. A very solid 94 points.
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon $55
Allegretto Vineyard
Oak and vanilla lead the way on the palate; secondary notes include hints of earth and spice.
The grapes were destemmed prior to fermentation, and the wine was aged for 30 months in 90% new French oak. A solid Paso Cabernet.
You will fall in love with the grounds at Allegretto, so much so that the estate bottled wine feels like an added bonus to the resort itself. The tasting room is lovely, and the entire space has the most amazing vibe. All in all, this was a very good experience, with very good wines. All were 89 pts to 94 pts. They were just very well-crafted wines.
Allegretto currently releases about 5K cases a year now, but we expect that to continue increasing as more wine lovers discover this new producer, who, so far, shows a lot of promise.
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