SLO Coast Wines Carve Their Place Between Paso and Santa Barbara

Winemaker Brian Talley champions cool-climate wines from California’s overlooked AVA

Talley Vineyards craft wines loaded with energy from the SLO Coast.

Nestled between two California wine powerhouses, Paso Robles to the north and Santa Barbara to the south, the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA has quietly crafted some of the state’s most expressive wines.

Officially designated in 2022, this cool-climate region hasn’t yet captured widespread attention, but for longtime vintner Brian Talley, the potential is undeniable.

“We feel a little forgotten,” Talley said. “People coming up from the south stop in Santa Barbara and people coming down from the north don’t make it past Paso Robles to get to us. We want to increase interest in the AVA because we believe we have elegant wines that are both intense and dramatic.”

The Talley Pinot Noir 2023 ($46) had crunchy pomegranate, smoky cherry and cranberry flavors. The Talley Chardonnay 2023 ($38) had flavors of lemon, pear, sesame seed and dried apricots. Both carried their profile with a laser-tight, focused beam of acidity. It kept the wines fresh, vibrant and was the secret that allowed the flavors to jump from the glass and then unravel mysteriously as they are enjoyed.

Talley is a fourth-generation farmer whose family has worked the land for 80 years. His estate vineyards, Rincon, Rosemary’s and two sites in Edna Valley, are all within seven miles of the Pacific Ocean. It’s a proximity to the Ocean that Talley said is the defining trait of the SLO Coast AVA.

Talley’s grandfather, Oliver Talley, began growing specialty vegetables in the Arroyo Grande Valley in 1948. In 1982, his father, Don Talley, planted wine grapes on a rolling hillside parcel unsuitable for vegetable farming. In 1986, Don and his wife Rosemary founded Talley Vineyards.