Anyone else dreaming of wandering the vineyards of Chatueaneuf du Pape and the Southern Rhone, or is that just me? While it still may be a minute before a lot of us can head to France and drink while wandering through a vineyard, if you need a domestic substitute Paso Robles is a great place to start, and Villa Creek is definitely one to put on the list. Located in the western part of Paso Robles, this region of the Central Coast does an excellent job of mimicking the climate of the Southern Rhone with it's hot temperatures and coastal influence. What allows west Paso to differentiate itself is its elevation and diurnal shift. Villa Creek has vineyards sitting between 1500 and 1800 feet elevation, which allows the vines to cool down at night and extends the growing season. This, in turn, means the grapes have a chance to reach peak concentration and show more varietal character than in other parts of the Central Coast and the Cherry House white is a beautiful example of the potential of Rhone Grapes in Paso Robles. Villa Creek utilizes both organic and biodynamic practices in their vineyards and winemaking without the wine getting too funky. It's natural wine the way the Good Lord intended it to be. This particular wine is a 50/50 blend of Clairette and Grenache Blanc. While there are a bunch of Rhone varietals planted throughout the Central Coast, there is very little Clairette - the grapes for this wine came from vines planted in 2013, with the first harvest occurring in 2017. Forgive me for stating the obvious, but that means this wine is a rare gem and there aren't many like it on the market. The Clairette was fermented and aged in oak, 10% of which was done in new French Oak barrels while the Grenache Blanc was fermented and aged in neutral barrique and allowed to undergo partial malolactic fermentation to add texture and soften some of the acid. It shows a nose of peach blossom, sunflower, and yellow apple, while the palate shows notes of apple, lemon, licorice spice, and just a touch of salinity and honeysuckle. If you haven't dipped your toes into Paso whites, today is the day. You can thank us later.