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Community Corner

Free Paraiso Winery Tasting

Paraiso Vineyards, from Santa Lucia Highlands Vineyard in Monterey County, will be pouring some of their wines for free at Rootstock Wine Bar on January 23rd from 5:30pm to 7:00pm!  The showcased wines will discounted during during and after the tasting.

Paraiso’s 400-acre estate vineyard lies at the southern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA in Monterey County, California. Winegrape pioneers of the region, Rich and Claudia Smith began planting this property in 1973. Today, Rich and his son Jason manage almost 150,000 vines in 16 different blocks. The land provides varying soils, elevations and microclimates, producing grapes uniquely expressive of their individual sites.


The Smith family’s winegrowing experience over the years has earned them a best-quality reputation, translating into high demand for their winegrapes. In addition to supplying fruit for the ParaisoVineyards wine label, the family sells grapes under contract to several other ultra-premium wine producers.


The Smiths have employed sustainable farming techniques since day one. Knowing that their vineyard could be in the family for generations, Rich and Claudia have always been keenly aware of their own environment as well as their potential impact on the surrounding area. Rich was a founding member of the Central Coast Vineyard Team, an organization that later created the state’s first sustainable farming certification for winegrapes, called Sustainability in Practice, or SIPTM Certified Sustainable. Paraiso Vineyards was the first vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands to earn the certification in 2008.

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