The First Paso Robles Wine Festival Saturday May 21, 1983

1983 Paso Robles AVA Is Established

Forty-one years ago, a group of dedicated growers and winemakers, worked together to establish the Paso Robles AVA. This was the third AVA established in San Luis Obispo County in 1983. The petition was submitted by Tom Martin of Martin Brothers Winery to the Bureau of  Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Gary Eberle, Hermann Schwarz and Victor Hugo Roberts provided much of the research for the application. Tom Martin and his staff assembled the application and submitted it. Not only did these four men prepare the application, they developed the marketing plan to provide hospitality attractive to tourists with plans for comfortable hotels and motels, new restaurants and tasting rooms for visitors to learn about each local winery and winemaker. These four men provided the leadership for the new movement to make our San Luis Obispo County wines from locally grown grapes and build tourism around this industry. Each trained his staff to design and develop a personal experience for each visitor. This was a relatively new concept in the California wine industry. And they added another novel idea – The Wine Festival. The first one opened on Saturday, May 21 1983 as a one day event to showcase the 17 wineries and winemakers in the greater Paso Robles area. Over the next few years, the crowds grew until the Paso Robles Wine Festival became the largest wine festival in the country. The legacy continues today with multiple festivals and celebrations throughout the year in San Luis Obispo County.]

The Vineyards In The AVA

The geographical area of the Paso Robles AVA in 1983 was approximately 18,500 acres of land planted with vineyards known for premium grapes including heritage Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhóne varieties.

The Wine Festival Souvenir Program, produced for the first Paso Robles Wine Festival, was a 28-page newspaper produced by THE DAILY PRESS. It is a treasure trove of history and will settle those ongoing doubts about how many growers and winemakers were actually working on their land in the north county in 1983. 

Historically speaking, it is important for you to know that thousands of grapes grown annually in San Luis Obispo County for the past 150 years were sold to winemakers throughout California starting in the 1870s. We are the county that has produced quality grapes for winemakers throughout California who took all the credit for their fine wines before the AVAs were created with rules highlighting the information format for wine bottle labels. 

In the 1960s, San Luis Obispo County became famous for premium grapes when David R. Bennion (1922 – 1988), the founder and winemaker at Ridge Vineyards in California, changed history by labeling his wines with the vineyard, district, and appellation. This was a first for California Zinfandel. Nearly every winery in the state began to follow this tradition. The impact on San Luis Obispo County was powerful because David R. Bennion had already made a deal with Benito Dusi to purchase around 95% of the old vine Zinfandel on the Dusi Ranch.  The Ridge Zinfandel wines began winning awards and the spotlight was on the Dusi Zinfandel. This is the longest contract running between a grower and producer in San Luis Obispo County. It continues to this day, honored by Michael Dusi, Benito’s nephew.

In the 1970s a new generation of winemakers began buying Zinfandel grapes from Benito Dusi and purchasing land near the Dusi Ranch to grow their own vines.

How Many Vineyards Were There In The Paso Robles Area In May 1983?

Please take a guess before reading the next section.

You will be surprised to know there were 66 vineyards planted on a total of 5,159 acres.

This list and the grape varieties grown can be found in the archives of the Wine History Project of San Luis Obispo County. The many varieties were on display in an exhibit in the Wine Gallery of the Paso Robles History Museum and will be posted in our online exhibit section on our website in June.

Many of these vineyards still exist. The Wine History Project research reveals that many of our original families who settled in the north county from 1880 on were farming families. Many of their descendants still live in the county. San Luis Obispo County is known for multi-generational farming.  One of the major growers, the Dusi family, recently welcomed Sylvester Dusi’s great, great grandson Dante Dusi, (fifth generation) into the family business. Other multigenerational growers and winemakers in San Luis Obispo County include the Pesentis, the Nerellis, the Sintons, the Greenoughs, the Nivens, the Talleys, the Hopes, and the Steinbecks – just to name a few.

Vineyards with their acreage in the Paso Robles Area listed in the program of the First Wine Festival  in May of 1983

Pleasant Valley Ranch (71 acres)

Poalillo Vineyard (4 acres)

Ranchita Oaks Winery (46 acres)

Rancho Dos Amigos (369 acres)

Rancho Santa Kellena (30 acres) 

Rest & Be Thankful (18 acres)

Sauret Vineyards (22.5 acres)

Shandon Nurseries (50 acres)

Shandon Valley Nurseries (451 acres)

Shell Creek Vineyards (250 acres)

Shelley Vineyard (5 acres)

Steinbeck Vineyard (50 acres)

Tepusquet Vineyard (269 acres)

Tinta Madeira Vineyard (5 acres)

Twin Hills Winery (100 acres)

Victor Vineyard (3 acres)

Vineyard Nepenthe (40 acres)

Ken Volk Vineyard (25 acres)

Watson Vineyard (1 acre)

William & Mary L.A.S. (28 acres)

York Mountain Winery (4 acres)

Buena Vista Vineyard (3 acres)

Paso Robles Area Wineries
Seventeen Wineries Poured Their Favorite Wines

The program describes the Festival as an event taking place on the downtown green near the library in Paso Robles with booths for those pouring wines. Their names and their wines are listed below. There were also an usual group of Festival Booths for artisans whose works ranged from fine oil paintings, to sculptures, ceramics, and foods for purchase from fine mustards to popcorn and hot dogs.

One of my favorite quotes in the program is “Cattle may be king in northern San Luis Obispo County and Lady Grain his queen, but ancient Bacchus lifts his leafy head along the Salinas Valley and demands his place among the gods of men.” This vivid quote paints the visual landscape for us.

According to the Wine Festival Program, only five wineries existed in the north county in 1978. In 1983 there were 17. The cost for bringing an acre into production was estimated to be $10,000 in 1983. In 1973, the total acres growing a wide variety of grapes totaled 578 acres.  In 1983, the acreage had grown to 5,159. According to the Wine Festival Program, the 578 acres represented a $50 million investment which generated $10 million in 1983. At the time, vineyard property in San Luis Obispo County was selling between $3,000 and $7,000 an acre. Napa vineyard property was selling between $30,000 and $40,000 per acre at the same time.

One more comparison is of interest. The early records of the county assessors spanning the years 1873 to 1882 (100 years earlier) show that more than 80,000 grapevines were planted throughout the county, closer to the city of San Luis Obispo.

The Wine Festival Program also features photos and introductions to some of the winemakers who made Paso Robles famous in the 1980s including Nick Martin (Martin Brothers), Dave Caparone (Caparone Winery), Mike Bland (Ranchita Oaks), Frank Nerelli (Pesenti Winery), Pat and Mary Wheeler (Tobias), Max Goldman (York Mountain), Daniel Ray and John Kezik (Farview Farm and Vineyard), Cliff Giacobine (Estrella River), James Lockshaw (Twin Hills), Gary Eberle (Eberle), Tom Myers (Estrella River), Victor Roberts (Creston Manor), George and Tomie Mulder (El Paso De Robles Winery), and Chris Johnson (HMR LTD).

17 Wineries Poured Their Best Wines

Mastantuono

1981 Templeton Zinfandel, 1982 Chardonnay, 1982 Sauvignon Blanc and a 1981 Paso Robles Zinfandel

Presenti

1982 Cabernet Sauvignon Noveau, Non-Vintage Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc, and Non-Vintage Rose’ of Ruby Cabernet

Old Casteel

1981 Grenache Rose and 1980 Zinfandel

Caparone

1980 Cabernet Sauvignon and 1981 Merlot

Las Tablas

Non-Vintage Zinfandel and Non-Vintage Vin Rose’

York Mountain

1980 Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc, 1977 Merlot, 1981 Zinfandel and 1982 Chardonnay 

Watson

1982 Johannesburg Riesling

El Paso de Robles

1981 Zinfandel, 1981 Petite Sirah, 1981 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1981 Zinfandel (late harvest)

Twin Hills

1982 Zinfandel Rose’

Enjoy the wide variety of wine tastings and festivals throughout the year in San Luis Obispo County.