Bodega de Edgar’s 2015 Albariño and Oso Libre’s MV Carnal Red Rhone Blend

Ceviche, guac, and good conversation flowed during an early 2017 meetup of the minds at Fish Gaucho in Paso Robles. The more my friends and I sipped of this crisp white wine, the brighter our optimism shined. With refreshing acidity and happy-go-lucky tropical aromas, this cleansing albariño is all you need to wipe the slate and get going in the right direction. I mean, we were even inspired to forgo delicious, salty tortilla chips for wedges of jicama! 

• Bodega de Edgar’s 2015 Albariño—$24 per bottle; 2727 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles.

Carnal cravings are no joke. Quell your desire for an earthy, red wine full of dried berry and baking spice deliciousness. Like the bear on the label, you are probably in full hibernation mode right about now. I suggest you pair this bottle with a meatloaf sandwich and Netflix.

• Oso Libre’s MV Carnal Red Rhone Blend—$55 a bottle; 7383 Vineyard Drive, Paso Robles. 

Hayley Thomas Cain pairs everything with Netflix. She can be reached at hthomas@newtimesslo.com.

This article appears in Jan 12-19, 2017.