Willow Wine Cellars

Savage Grace

Red Willow Vineyard Blanc Franc 2025

My first tasting of the latest vintage. White floral and dried citrus peel aromas. Back label promises flavors of preserved lemon, key lime and thyme. Key lime was prominent with some herb (probably thyme) and tangerine pith. I’m not huge on preserved lemon but then I’m not all that familiar with it in dining, just a few Moroccan and Italian entrees I’ve had using it. So maybe it’s there; I just don’t picture it in my mind’s eye. There is a mineral and lactic-like finish with length in the citrus flavors. Some skin astringency as well, more becoming than not. I like the acidity level, forward but not overpowering. Great balance here overall. Always a pleasurable pour, this one, from vintage to vintage. — 6 days ago

Tom, Ira and 3 others liked this

Kobayashi Winery

Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2024

Sans soufre — 4 months ago

Tom, Austin and 5 others liked this

Denner Vineyards

Willow Creek District Grenache 2015

Hitting perfect right now! Spiced, blue fruits, well integrated. Just absolutely stellar! — 9 months ago

Natasha Bray
with Natasha
Ryan Colthorp

Ryan Colthorp

Nice! Decade old!

Saxum Vineyards

The Hexe Willow Creek District Grenache Blend 2016

2016 vintage. Massive. Needs an 8hr/holiday decant. Was drinking great after open 3hrs but needed more airtime. — 3 years ago

Ted, Peter and 4 others liked this

Kobayashi Winery

Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

This is the Syrah @Delectable and it’s turning savory since release. Medium bodied, firm tannin, delicious with those filets in the background. — 4 years ago

Shay, Andrew and 10 others liked this

Torrin

Akasha Willow Creek District Syrah 2012

👍🏼
Parkers review,

Wine Advocate | Rating: 96
The 2012 Akasha (which I had incorrectly listed as James Berry Vineyard in the past) is 100% Syrah from Scott's estate Torrin Vineyard. It offers sensational purity and depth in its black raspberry and cassis fruits, graphite, dried violets and crushed rock bouquet. This gives way to a full-bodied, voluptuous and seamless Syrah that has no hard edges, building tannin and a blockbuster finish. It's a heavenly Paso Robles Syrah that needs a year or so

Vinous | Rating: 93
Glass-staining purple. Powerful, deeply pitched aromas of blackcurrant, violet, licorice and woodsmoke, with a peppery topnote and a hint of sassafras. Sweet, smoky and broad on the palate, offering intense black and blue fruit flavors and a suave floral pastille flourish; showing a lot of upfront, fruit-driven sex appeal and no rough edges. Finishes very long, with outstanding clarity and supple tannins. - Josh Raynolds
— 5 years ago

Jason, Tom and 22 others liked this

L'Aventure

Optimus Estate Willow Creek District Red Blend 2022

2022 vintage. Fave of the three new 2022 red releases-Côte A Côte, Optimus Estate Estate Reserve-and also the most affordable. 3.11.26. — 6 months ago

Ted, "Odedi" and 11 others liked this
Daniel Bloom

Daniel Bloom

Send some to the East Coast at a West Coast price Si Vous Plait.
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego Premium Badge

@Daniel Bloom Not the biggest Paso Robles guy but this winery makes great stuff. Gorgeous wine country to visit-especially in Spring. Summer is a tad toasty.

L'Aventure

The Sibling Willow Creek District Red Blend 2022

Beautiful color and well balanced. Long delicious finish — 2 years ago

Andrew, Shay and 4 others liked this

Forge Cellars

Willow Cabernet Franc 2021

Fruit, earth, and spice, great structure and balanced. Lighter style, drinking so good young. — 3 years ago

Kobayashi Winery

David Lake Block Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2017

This is the never-released Kobayashi Boushey Vineyard MOURVÈDRE sans soufre from 2017. 50/50 whole cluster. Medium bodied fruity first half then this goes all St Joseph savory in second half. A fascinating mix of flavors. Unfortunately it only lasted about an hour before trailing off. — 4 years ago

Shay, Josh and 7 others liked this
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

Wow. Very cool.
Steve Anderson

Steve Anderson

Been a couple of years since I tasted this, but it was amazing at the time.

Forge Cellars

Willow Dry Riesling 2022

Len
9.4

Fantastic smoothly aged dry Riesling. Very light petrol aromas but flowery and a lightly fruity. Medium body, well balanced acidity, bright and perfect for a hot and romantic summer night. — 2 months ago

J. Dusi

Paper Street The Narrator Willow Creek Grenache Blend 2019

a bit jammy for me, better on day 2 — 3 months ago

L'Aventure

Côte à Côte Willow Creek District Red Blend 2020

Will be delicious for many more years. Very juicy and full of complex earthy flavors. — 8 months ago

L'Aventure

Estate Willow Creek District Rosé Blend 2018

[Tasted on November 23, 2025 at Home]

Purchased during October 2019 visit to winery in Paso Robles. 40% Syrah; 25% Grenache; 24% Mourvèdre; 8% Petit Verdot; 3% Graciano. Strawberry, watermelon, white peach and mandarin orange fruit, with notes of rose petal, herbs de Provence and saline.
— 10 months ago

Daou Vineyards

Reserve Willow Creek District Paso Robles Chardonnay 2021

Fabulous buttery oaky finish. We enjoyed a 2019 fist which was richer than the 2021 reserve — 2 years ago

L'Aventure

Optimus Willow Creek District Red Blend 2019

This punches above its weight class. Having had the estate cuvée and cote bottles, this feels a peer. Big deep fruits. Smooth all the way through. Loved it — 3 years ago

Denner Vineyards

The Sacred Burro Willow Creek District Carignan 2018

First time having this one, I’d buy it again.
Vinous 94

Winemaker Anthony Yount produced a stellar set of wines in 2018, all of which exhibit the vibrant fruit character that marks the vintage. Once again, I was impressed by the all-Carignan Sacred Burro bottling, which shows the potential of this still-obscure variety in Paso Robles, both as a blending grape and for a stand-alone varietal bottling. While more and more wineries have begun to include it in their plantings and the resulting wines, nobody yet is doing it as consistently well as Denner.
— 4 years ago

Eric, Tom and 11 others liked this