While Napa Valley often comes to mind when people think of California winemaking, the state is full of hidden gems that are quickly gaining recognition. From diverse climates to different soil types, California offers endless possibilities for the future of winemaking. Paso Robles and the San Luis Obispo Coast are growing in popularity, and rightfully so. With Paso resembling the climate of Bordeaux, and the San Luis Obispo Coast having a cool, rain-free growing seasons, it is hard to miss the ideal winemaking climates.
San Luis Obispo (SLO) Coast
Situated along the Pacific Ocean, San Luis Obsipo Coast is a cool, maritime climate. It also has a long, sunny, and rain-free growing season, which allows for the extended ripening of grapes. The region’s close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the Saint Lucia Mountains keeps the temperatures moderate, which allows the grapes to develop complex flavors without overheating.
The area also offers diverse soil types. With soils such as sandy loam and clay loam that are rich in marine shale, sand, and fossilized shells, the soil provides wine grapes with rich, full flavors.
This climate is ideal for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir where the long growing season allows for the slow ripening of grapes, which results in the wines showcasing great nuances of flavors.
Paso Robles
Located right above Santa Maria, California and three hours north of Los Angeles, Paso Robles is the fastest growing AVA in California.
Paso Robles has a similar climate to Bordeaux, which gives ideal conditions for grape growing, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. It has a very unique climate with greater day-to-night temperature swings than any other appellation in California. This help grapes retain acidity while achieving full ripeness. These conditions really help the grapes develop intense flavors.
This area also offers a diverse range of soils. The unique calcareous soils bring freshness and vibrancy to the wines.
The iconic Cakebread Family, which has their Cakebread winery in Napa, noticed the vast potential for these areas and has focused on a new brand highlighting these new regions. They focus on wines from Paso Robles and the San Luis Obispo Coast.
About Bezel
From the iconic Cakebread Family with over 50 years of fine wine expertise, they introduce their new brand, Bezel. Bezel focuses on vibrant, fruit-forward wines that are accessible and delicious but still elevates the everyday wine drinking occasion.
The name Bezel refers to craftmanship, like that in watches or jewelry, or in the case of the Cakebread family, the craft of winemaking. We carefully select grapes from the regions best suited to reflect the varietal and craft wines that express the unique personalities of their regions.
Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon
From Paso Robles in the heart of California’s Central Coast, this wine benefits from one of the region’s signature advantages: a long growing season marked by hot, sunny days and cool, clear nights. The fruit is sourced from two vineyards on opposite ends of the AVA, each bringing its own personality to the blend. One high desert site, with dramatic day to night swings, contributes firm tannic structure and vibrant acidity, while the other, nestled against the southern tip of the Santa Lucia Range, delivers plush, generous fruit with a classic herbal edge.
Aged for 11 months in 25 percent new French oak, the result is an exquisitely layered wine full of complexity and nuance, offering aromas of blackberry, dried herbs, and a hint of minerality that lead into plush flavors of ripe black and red fruits and dark chocolate on the palate.
Bezel Chardonnay
Straight from California’s coastal, cool climate San Luis Obispo Coast, this Chardonnay enjoys a long growing season that delivers a light, refreshing style bursting with bright citrus and delicate floral notes.
Bezel waits patiently to pick the grapes at peak flavor, then partner with expert coopers to ensure the barrels uplift, never overpower, the wine’s fresh citrus fruit profile. Each barrel is meticulously selected to create a blend that perfectly captures what we love most about Chardonnay from the SLO Coast.
Bezel Pinot Noir
From California’s coastal, cool climate San Luis Obispo Coast, this wine benefits from a long, gentle growing season that allows the grapes to reach optimal flavor before harvest. Each fermentation is handled with a bespoke, gentle approach designed to preserve pure fruit expression and build beautifully silken tannins. Components are kept separate for as long as possible so each carefully selected parcel can show its personality before coming together in the final blend. The result is vibrant and polished, with notes of ripe plum, black cherry, raspberry, cedar, and warm baking spice.
Bezel Sauvignon Blanc
From Paso Robles in the heart of California’s Central Coast, where a longer growing season than Napa delivers warm, sunny days and cool, clear nights, this wine is all about balance and brightness.
The fruit is harvested at two ripeness levels to build delicious layers of flavor. An early pick brings tangy acidity and fresh herbaceous notes, while a later harvest adds vibrant tropical aromatics. Fermented at low temperatures and bottled fresh, the wine beautifully captures the energy of the vintage.
Expect lively aromas of lime zest and pink grapefruit, leading to a bright, crisp palate packed with vibrant fruit, zesty acidity, and beautifully restrained alcohol
