After 20 years of winemaking, Cayucos' Aaron Jackson cements his legacy as a fierce promoter and protector of the region 

Winemaker Aaron Jackson is a force of nature, reaping the benefits of Central Coast soil, surf, and scenery for both business and pleasure.

It's hard to distinguish between the two, because after 20 years in the industry, crafting an exceptional wine still brings him as much joy as catching the perfect wave or backpacking to a remote waterfall in Big Sur.

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• Photo By Cherish Whyte
• ODE TO THE SEA Aaron Jackson's Tin City winery, opened in 2015, features indoor and outdoor spaces with coastal décor. The macramé light fixture in the primary tasting room is the handiwork of Jackson himself, while the walls are adorned with prints from local photographers Chris Burkard, Luke Tyree, and Russell Holliday.

Jackson's two distinct brands—produced at his winery and tasting facility in Paso Robles' Tin City and sourced from vineyards throughout San Luis Obispo County—include Aaron Wines and Aequorea.

"When I set out on my path to be a winemaker, I was just a young, bright-eyed kid from Cayucos who loved where I grew up and wanted to do something that challenged me and allowed me to never get bored or stagnant," he said. "Here I am 20 years later, and I still truly love what I do. I get thrilled during harvest to make the best wines we can, and Mother Nature ensures that you'll never have the same vintage twice, so each year always brings about its own challenges and keeps you on your toes."

Jackson's dedication to his craft—and to the entire Central Coast region—has, in turn, elicited praise and respect from colleagues.

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• Photo Courtesy Of Cayucos Cellars
• WHERE IT ALL BEGAN Aaron Jackson sourced petite sirah grapes from Paso Robles for his inaugural 2002 vintage. Today, his Aaron label remains petite-sirah-focused, with varying blends of grenache, syrah, mourvèdre, cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot.

"I met Aaron when he was damn near a teenager throwing wine barrels and surfing all the time," said winemaker Mike Sinor of Sinor-LaVallee in Avila Beach. "You could just tell he had that DNA that the top winemakers have.

"As he has matured, it has not stopped a bit. He was the tip of the spear on the SLO Coast AVA and really showed leadership that will be felt for generations."

The federal American Viticultural Area designation, finalized in March, establishes the SLO Coast as an official wine region. The 408,585-acre AVA stretches 60 miles from San Simeon to Nipomo and includes the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande sub-AVAs.

In addition to Jackson and Sinor, the AVA team included Brian Talley of Talley Vineyards in Arroyo Grande, Maria Bennetti of Stolo Vineyards in Cambria, June McIvor of SLO's Tolosa, and Steve Vierra of Paso's Derby Wine Estates.

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• Photo By Cherish Whyte
• DEEP DIVE Seated tastings for up to eight guests are available in the private Ohana Room. The 90-minute tasting features current releases and library selections along with a deeper dive into the winery's history.

Talley said he "was immediately impressed with [Jackson's] knowledge of our region, especially the geology and soils, but even more by his commitment to seeing the process through."

"Since that time," Talley added, "I've started selling pinot noir grapes to Aaron for his Aequorea brand. He's a passionate and committed winemaker, and that's reflected in both his wines and the way he led the effort to get approval for the new AVA."

Jackson said his winemaking journey began in high school "when I got a summer job working in a vineyard, and the bug stuck."

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• Photo By Cherish Whyte
• SERVICE WITH A STORY Direct-to-Consumer Manager Katie Lewis boasts an easy smile and deep knowledge of Aaron Jackson's wines. She also oversees the wine club. Spring and fall releases include three Aaron and three Aequorea labels.

He produced the first vintage of his flagship petite sirah under the Aaron Wines label in 2002 at the age of 19, then went on to secure a bachelor's degree in wine and viticulture from Cal Poly, followed by a master's degree in oenology from the University of Adelaide in South Australia.

In 2012, he launched his second label, Aequorea, Latin for "of the sea."

While Aaron Wines showcases powerful petite sirah-centric grapes grown in the limestone soils and rugged hillsides of westside Paso Robles, the Aequorea brand produces single-vineyard pinot noir and aromatic whites—such as viognier and pinot gris—from cool, coastal vineyards within 6 miles of the ocean.

All are available for tasting at Jackson's Tin City facility, the building itself being another of his passion projects, reflecting his heritage and devotion to his favorite playground, the Pacific.

"I grew up surfing and being in the ocean," Jackson explained. "My mother is Hawaiian, born and raised on Oahu, but moved to Cayucos in 1973 with my dad.

"My Hawaiian heritage and the ocean in general have always been a big part of my life, and so I always pay homage to it, no matter what."

Additionally, "I'm obsessed with everything having a story," he said, not just for his personal benefit, but for the enjoyment of his customers. ... Because of that, I spend countless hours on the weekends making things for the winery."

For instance, he utilized Cambria cypress for crafting table tops in the primary tasting facility and private Ohana Room, reclaimed Big Sur redwood for shelves and photo frames, and repurposed old grape harvesting gondolas from Saxum's James Berry Vineyard in Paso for the steel bar front.

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• Photo Courtesy Of Aaron Wines
• STEWARD OF THE LAND When not elbow deep in grapes, Aaron Jackson can be found surfing, fishing, camping, and exploring the Central Coast. He aims to help protect his beautiful "backyard" via support of environmental initiatives.

Jackson's early years in the industry were spent at Saxum and a handful of other Paso wineries, including Four Vines and ONX.

Katie Lewis, the winery's direct-to-consumer manager and one of Jackson's biggest fans, said she feels "incredibly honored to tell his story in the tasting room."

"Aaron's dedication over the last 20 years to this industry and the time he spent being a major force in the creation of the SLO Coast AVA is quite amazing and groundbreaking for this region," she explained. "His passion and knowledge for this area are contagious and is a big part of the culture of our winery."

As Jackson reflects on his past and looks to the future, he hopes to accomplish two additional goals: bottling more wine without compromising quality and devoting more time and resources to local environmental causes.

He'd like to bump up annual production from 4,000 cases to approximately 4,500 to 5,000 cases. As far as charitable endeavors go, in 2020 the winery joined 1 Percent for the Planet and started giving 1 percent of its gross sales to charity.

"We've been supporting the Ventana Wilderness Alliance, which works on preservation, land stewardship, and trail maintenance in Big Sur, which holds a very special place in my heart," he said. "Big Sur is my backyard, and I've spent much of my life exploring the oceans and mountains there. I feel blessed to live next to one of the most amazing pieces of coastline anywhere in the world."

Eventually, he added, he plans to support other nonprofit organizations benefiting the Central Coast.

In the meantime, he's not quite done savoring his recent AVA coup.

"The process of getting the SLO Coast AVA approved is such an amazing milestone, not just for me, but for our entire county," he said. "A big part of it for me was assisting in bringing notoriety to our coastal winemaking region because I know how unique it is, how amazing the wines are, and I'm extremely proud of where I grew up." Δ

Flavor Writer Cherish Whyte adores Aaron's petites and pinots, and applauds his passion for the Central Coast. Reach her at [email protected].