Meet the Garagiste Winemakers of Paso Robles
Photo by Dina Mande
BY MATT KETTMANN
In the fall of 2011, about 40 of the tiniest wineries in Paso Robles descended upon a remote farm to pour their wines to an eager audience in search of the next cult brand.
The event, the first-ever Garagiste Festival, was a hit. Its success spawned a series of sold-out tastings in Paso Robles, the Santa Ynez Valley and Los Angeles each year, along with one past and likely future events in the Bay Area.
“We knew a lot of these small winemakers, and we knew they were making the most interesting wine out there,” says Doug Minnick, a former music executive who co-founded the festival with actor Stewart McLennan. “But it was very hard to find them. They didn’t have tasting rooms, they weren’t on the maps. So we wanted to give the movement a center and a home and a name.