All Aboard!

by JamIe relth

Wine harvest season is always a good time to plan a weekend escape to Santa Barbara’s sister wine country, Paso Robles. downhome autumn festivals and winery crush events (see sidebar) and the still-warm Indian summer nights that characterize this time of year pair brilliantly with the undeniably first-class selection of food and wine. But this fall, a Paso-paced escape is especially compelling considering the city is celebrating its 125th birthday. It seems only proper to honor Paso’s quasquicentennial year by traveling there by train, that hurtling force of steel and steam whose steady southward advancement hastened the city’s creation in 1889 and paved the way for it to become the modern gourmet getaway it is today.

So, leave your car, bring your appetite (and your walking shoes) and embark on a harvest wine country escape steeped in yesteryear charm.

DAY ONe

With a slow chug and deep whistling howl, the Southern Pacific’s first passenger train connecting Santa Barbara and Paso Robles via the Coast Route began running in 1901. Today, the same tracks (now part of the Union Pacific Railroad) transport passengers north aboard the Coast Starlight, Amtrak’s LA-to-Seattle rail-vacationer’s line and the only train that offers daily through-service from Santa Barbara to Paso Robles. The Coast Starlight’s slightly slower pace, sweeter hospitality and panoramic views, inaccessible by other modes of travel, evoke the ideal state of mind to start a wine country getaway with historical perspective. (continued)

Firsts

By hopping on the daily 12:40-train departing from Santa Barbara, passengers that might otherwise be sitting in friday afternoon traffic can sit back and watch as the en-route entertainment begins streaming past the windows with all the vintage intrigue of a silent film. The city soon gives way to coastal bluffs and stretching vistas of raw shoreline that seem so close you feel you are floating over them rather than hugging the cliff-side rails. hollister Ranch, Point Conception, Pt. Sal: miles of open, unadulterated ocean-scape offer eyes a glimpse of the still-preserved sense of adventure and opportunity that these views must have conjured to early pioneers.

In a train-induced trance, you travel from the white-capped carpets of blue Pacific to the sudden sea of green vines in San Luis obispo’s edna Valley to the 11 miles of switchbacks that climb over that 1,000ft. behemoth, the Cuesta Grade, and into SLo’s North County. As you near it, the train’s-eye-view offers a rare vantage point of the quiet rural beauty that defines Paso—the lone longhorns grazing on open ranchland, the gnarled oaks crouched over golden hillsides and the green tendrils of the grapevine that have grabbed hold of this, the largest, fastest-growing wine country in the state.

Before you know it, the train slows to a crawl and sidles up to the heart of Paso Robles’ downtown where good, old-fashioned hospitality starts right at the train station. Just next door, the historic 1887 train depot now houses Anglim Winery, your first stop on the walkable urban wine tasting “route” of downtown Paso. one of the region’s early Rhône specialists, Anglim will appease parched palates while lending a unique view into Paso Robles’ past with its original wood floors, windows and rustic charm. And just a few doors down, the emmy-winning musicians behind Dirty Dancing and other hits now pour their genius into harmonized wines at D’Anbino Winery, also a best-kept secret spot to hear some of the hottest music in the area.

(continued)

Firsts

for an appetizer to the culinary delights that await, head to Vivant Fine Cheese across the street where owner danika Reed scours the planet to offer an expertly curated menu of the best selection of cheddars, Goudas, Pecorinos and Bries, paired with local and international wines.

Temporarily sated and slaked, you can now muster the two-block walk from the train station to the boutique Hotel Cheval. With stone tile paths and ivycovered walls, warm fireside patio seating, wroughtiron flourishes and a not-too-overwrought horse theme, the upscale inn combines french countryside charm with Western ranch lifestyle and promises a luxurious home base for your history-meets-wine country adventure.

After checking in, stroll through the park to Artisan, the recently relocated premier Paso Robles restaurant where fresh, seasonal, wild-caught or sustainably farmed ingredients find their highest purpose in dishes like Boar Tenderloin and Cedar Planked Shrimp.

But don’t forget to save room for dessert: The unsuspected sensation that is Cayucos’ Brown Butter Cookie Co. lies just a few doors down at its new Paso Robles location on the park-front. here, a small, freshly baked, sweet-salty shortbread-like round falls straight from heaven onto the center of your palm before crumbling and melting in your mouth for the perfect end to a simple yet indulgent day.

Day Two

After your hot buffet breakfast at the hotel, head out for one of several featured 125th Anniversary historical walking routes recommended by the city (PRCity.com). The “Walking food Tour,” for instance, led by Central Coast Food Tours continues your urban wine tasting trail, making stops for food and wine pairings by local chefs, olive oil tastings, and more, all the while dishing out the historical lore about Paso Robles Inn’s once-famed healing hot springs and the local hideouts of infamous characters like Jesse James.

for the afternoon, set a date with “Captain Katie” at uncorked Wine Tours who can navigate any custom wine route or take you on the “Wet your Whistle” anniversary tour, which covers various locally-made libations: Hope Family Wines, which has produced two signature wine blends for the anniversary; Firestone Walker Brewery, where you can go behind the scenes of the award-winning craft beer brand’s Brewhouse; Villicana Winery’s new Re:Find Distillery; and the picturesque Peachy Canyon Winery.

for dinner, head back downtown to Thomas Hill Organics Bistro for a seasonal, local dish like the Grilled All-Natural filet mignon or the emerald Curry Roasted morro Bay Black Cod made by frenchborn Chef Julie Simon.

Perhaps grab some more Brown Butter cookies before you walk back to your room at Cheval and drift off to a well-deserved food coma. Just don’t miss the train that will effortlessly return you from your gourmet reverie back to present-day and to Santa Barbara’s slightly bigger-city bustle.