Head Trained Grenache - Halter Ranch 

Paso Robles proclaims itself as "California's Rhone" - and for good reason. The climate bares many similarities to the south of France, including the warm days and cool nights needed to ripen grape varietals such as Grenache. Pictured here are Grenache vines from the Halter Ranch Estate Vineyard, grown in a goblet/head trained arrangement just as they typically would be back in France.

The biggest differences between Paso Robles and the Southern Rhone Valley lie in the soils and precipitation. Soils in Paso tend to be composed of primarily limestone in contrast to the dried riverbed and large river stones of Southern Rhone. This expresses itself in the finished wines, as Paso wines typically express a unique limestone minerality. Although the Southern Rhone is also relatively dry and does not receive much rain, the vines there are dry farmed. Paso Robles vines are typically irrigated due to the arid California summers, although there are some exceptions like the Halter Ranch vines pictured here.