The Best Wine Books to Read on a Winter's Night

Cozy Up: The Best Wine Books from The Paso Robles Wine Club

Wine tasting is an intellectual activity. When drinking wine, the palate and the nose—along with the other senses—are working in conjunction with the brain. At The Paso Robles Wine Club, we understand that our Wine Club Members enjoy more than just drinking wine from the Paso Robles AVA—they like learning about it as well. We’ve gone through our bookshelves and hand-picked a few of our favorite books about the area to share with you.

So, pour yourself a glass, get comfortable in your favorite chair, and settle in to read one of these books:

Paso Robles, California, 1930-1950: When Highway 101 Ran Through My Hometown: Author Clifford Tucker writes a first-person account of the people and places that made Paso Robles a perfect stopping spot for people traveling between San Francisco and Los Angles.

Paso Robles (Images of America): An abundance of hot mineral springs brought those from far and near to Paso Robles and that first wave of tourism ushered in an industry of hotels and bathhouses. Authors Andrea H. Hobbs and Milene F. Radford recount the historic details of the early days of life in Paso Robles.

The New Wine Country Cookbook: Recipes from California’s Central Coast: Brigit BInns captures the spirit of the Central Coast with recipes that incorporate local ingredients, including real winners like Feta stuffed chicken thighs with white wine and olives and Radicchio and Monterey Jack Quesadillas with fig salsa. There’s also a section on pairing food with local wines.

My Nepenthe: If you’ve been on The Wine Wrangler’s Big Sur Trip, then you know all about Nepenthe—the historic restaurant and bar perched along the Big Sur coastline—but this book provides a behind the scenes look into the days when Big Sur was an outpost for the likes of Jack Kerouac and other beats. Not to mention, the recipes and photographs are spectacular.

Before you settle into your favorite comfortable chair with a good read, don’t forget that a membership in The Paso Robles Wine Club will give you the opportunity to add to your Paso Robles wine library without ever leaving home—of course, if you do decide to venture out, give us a call and we’ll take you wine tasting—and point out our local history on the drive.