April 6-7, Pismo Beach : Vinography

Spring is in the air. The cherries have blossomed. The hills are green. And that means it’s time to go wine tasting. Pile in the car, drive to some idyllic part of California Wine Country and sit in the sun with a glass of deliciousness. Which part of California Wine Country, you ask? How about the SLO Coast?

Never heard of it? That’s because it’s new. Established as a California AVA only in March 2022, this little bit of California wine country offers some wonderfully bright and brisk wines, thanks to the chilly sea breezes that moderate the region’s sunny days.

I wrote up an overview of the SLO Coast and its wines last year as one of my columns for Jancis Robinson for which I really enjoyed my exploration of the wines. I can say quite definitively that there are some excellent wines being made in this region.

And now you have a chance to taste a lot of them. The SLO Coast Wine Collective is throwing its third annual weekend-long event on April 6th and 7th in the picturesque little town of Pismo Beach. With wine seminars run by the esteemed Matt Kettmann (who knows more about the Central Coast wine scene than just about anyone), a big regional tasting accompanied by food trucks, and a sparkling wine tasting with oysters and fried chicken to send you off on a lovely Sunday, the event promises to be a lot of fun.

2024 SLO Coast Wine Classic
Saturday, April 6th and Sunday April 7th, 2024
Grand Tasting: Saturday, April 6th
4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Thousand Hills Ranch
550 Thousand Hills Rd
Pismo Beach, CA 93401 (map)

Tickets for the entire weekend will run (a very reasonable) $185, while the grand tasting only will cost you $60. Purchase your tickets in advance online. Check out the event website for all the details.