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Located at:
1525 Peachy Canyon Road
Paso Robles, CA 93446
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How many winery founding stories start with a wine glass in the cellar of a Master Sommelier? That’s exactly how the founders of Asuncion Ridge Vineyards came together, and we’re so glad they did because their wines are some of the best we’ve had in Paso Robles. We rated just about everything we tasted 90+ points, and most wines are between $35 to $45.
It is often said that wine brings people together, but Michael Dilsaver and Philip Krumal took that saying one step further and turned their mutual love of wine into a winery and vineyard. The pair met at a monthly neighborhood wine tasting hosted in the home of Master Sommelier Yvonne Rich, who just happened to live in the same neighborhood.
Michael had already been attending the educational wine classes for a few years when Philip showed up one evening in 1995. The new friends hit it off immediately, and it didn’t take long for them to take their love of wine to the next level by scoping out potential vineyard sites to start their own wine project.
From Southern California to Paso Robles
Michael and Philip began searching for properties throughout California, but the region that stood out the most was Paso Robles. This was the late 90s, so Paso Robles as a wine region was still largely untapped. And, unless you were seriously into California wine, most wine lovers overlooked the area in favor of Napa, Sonoma, and coastal regions around Santa Barbara.
Michael approached their search slightly differently than others might. His career as a successful real estate agent in Pasadena, California led him to believe that Paso was a region ripe for development, and purchasing a property here would have substantial upside should they decide to sell.
Once the site was selected, it took just five years for Philip to move to Paso Robles, enroll in UC Davis’ viticulture program, begin an apprenticeship under winemaker and Pinot Noir specialist Mark Goldberg, and release the inaugural vintage of Asuncion Ridge wine. The first vintage, a Pinot Noir made with grapes sourced from Paso Robles, was inspired by his mentor’s wines.
Today, the Asuncion Ridge wine portfolio includes their flagship Pinot Noir, several GSM and Bordeaux-style red blends, a Chardonnay, Viognier, and, occasionally, a rosé release.
Asuncion Ridge produces around 2,000 cases of wine a year, and its tasting room is bustling.
The Asunción Ridge Vineyard tasting room in Paso Robles offers indoor and outdoor tastings for $20 per person, with the tasting fee waived with the purchase of bottles. Given the traffic that the winery sees, reservations are recommended.
On our visit to the Asunción Ridge Vineyards tasting room, we tasted through four wines. We scored most of these Paso Robles wines in the low 90s and found most of them to be excellent value for the quality.
2021 Asunción Ridge Vineyards Viognier, $36
This Paso Robles Viognier has an enticing nose of banana, pear, lychee, candle wax, cream, and orange. On the palate, the creaminess of the wine really comes through. There’s also a touch of juicy orange and peach. Together, these notes provide an almost creamsicle-like profile, which is really interesting. The acidic quality in the Asunción Ridge Viognier gives this white wine an easy-drinking quality that we really enjoyed. We could see this being paired with spice-forward dishes.
2018 Asunción Ridge Vineyards Pinot Noir, $44
The 2018 Asunción Ridge Pinot Noir from Paso Robles is a vibrant purple in the glass, which is a bit darker than you might otherwise expect from a California Pinot Noir. On the nose, the wine seems to have a bit of everything. We found an intriguing mix of oak, old, worn leather, and an earthy quality. Red and dark fruit in the form of ripe strawberry and black cherry, but also savory olive, and herbaceous oregano.
The palate mimics the nose, but the fruit and herby-spicy quality really come into focus. We found pronounced black cherry, olive, oregano, cedar, cinnamon, and a subtle smokiness. This wine has a balanced acidity, a nice, light tannic structure, and a well-balanced finish. Pinot Noir is where winemaker Philip Krumal got his start, so it was a pleasure to sample this wine.
2019 Asunción Ridge Salacious, $46
This Paso Robles red blend is a mix of 65% Grenache, 19% Syrah, and 16% Mourvèdre, and a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass. The nose is intense and memorable, with pronounced notes of black currant, blackberry, tobacco, and earth. Typical of GSM blends, the palate has dark berry and pitted fruit, olive and spice-forward cinnamon, and a touch of chocolate. The slightest lingering note of graphite provides a nice balance to the fruit and spice.
The is a full-bodied wine with a satisfying finish and would be excellent with a hearty stew or game dish.
2016 Asunción Ridge Benton, $46
The 2016 Asunción Ridge Benton is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Syrah. This was our highest-rated red wine of the bunch, and we found both the nose and the palate alluring. The nose had elements of plum and pointed black currant, as well as nose-tingling spices, like cigar box and cedar.
On the palate, the wine was robust and full-bodied. Ripe black cherry and black currant, the almost syrupy sensation of Dr. Pepper, and more mellow notes of wet gravel, cocoa, and cedar. This palate had both warm and cool notes, and the long finish was captivating.
We will say right off the bat that we think Asunción’s wine club is a great value. The winery currently offers two membership levels: the Half-Mile High Club and the Mile High Club. What we really like about this club is that you can customize your shipments, so you can select your favorite varieties each time or mix things up, depending on your needs.
We had a great time visiting Michael and Philip’s Asunción Ridge winery and tasting room. The wines were excellent, the wine club is an excellent value, and the space is scenic. Be sure to stop by the next time you’re in Paso.
