What to Buy
‘06 Cabernet Sauvignon Dark berry, smooth oak, hints of pepper $28
‘07 Bilsncio Rasberry, leather, clove, plum, blueberry, black cherry $36
‘06 Sangiovese Dried cherries, creamy vanilla, cinnamon, rasberry, strawberry, cranberry $26
‘06 Petite Sirah Blueberry, dark berry, hints of cranberry, white pepper $30
Getting There
From Hwy 101, take the Paso Robles St exit. Take Paso Robles St about 1/2 mile to 13th St. Turn right on 13th st. The Tasting Room is on the right.
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Starting a winery was never a dream for John Pianetta Jr., founder of Pianetta Winery. As a part of the fourth generation of a family of farmers, John’s focus was always on winegrowing rather than wine making. But after growing and selling the grapes harvested from his 95-acre vineyard to a large winery, he realized that it would be helpful if he could demonstrate the quality of his grapes by producing a little wine of his own.
Pianetta Winery’s first crush yielded 370 cases of estate-bottled Cabernet Sauvignon in 2002. Since then, production has grown to 2,500 cases of estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Syrah, a Syrah and Cabernet blend, and a Rosé, plus small lots of Sangiovese, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and a Tuscan-style blend made from Paso Robles grapes.
“We are growers who make wine,” John says.
“We believe in the balance of nature and the balance of flavors in the fruit. The vines and grapes need to be in balance to produce good wine.”
John’s daughter Caitlin has worked alongside him in the field and became the manager of the winery’s tasting room, which opened in 2006. Located in downtown Paso Robles, the roomy, inviting space features wood beams, warm drop lighting, and a four-sided granite-topped tasting bar where Pianetta wines are enthusiastically shared. Caitlin has a gregarious spirit and is quick to make newcomers feel comfortable. She routinely writes the words guests use to describe the wines (like “skirt flipper” and “shiznat”) on a handy chalkboard.
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