Cave-exploring background influenced the owner’s winemaking

—When they first toured the location, Damian and Amanda Grindley recognized something special about the vineyards that would eventually become Brecon Estate. Originally established in 1971 by wine pioneer Art Norman, the vineyard is now regarded as a visionary planting and was recently certified as “Historic” by the Historic Vineyard Society (HVS). This exclusive designation for preserving California’s oldest vines includes vineyards such as Chalone, Dusi, HMR, and Pesenti, along with Macdonald, Ridge, and Monte Bello in the northern part of the state.

Established in 2011, HVS works to preserve California’s historic vineyards. Brecon Estate is proud to be the steward of one of the few historic vineyards in Paso Robles.

Grindley brought over 25 years of experience from winemaking regions in Australia, Europe, and the United States to Brecon Estate. When it came to naming the winery, he and his wife, Amanda, chose to venerate the Brecon Beacons in Grindley’s native Wales. “Before I got into the wine industry, I explored, mapped, and discovered quite a few caves in the Brecon Beacons of the wild, windswept Brecon Beacons National Park, which is underlain by a big band of limestone.” Caving is how Damian and Amanda met.

Before settling in the area, the Grindleys looked long and hard for their ideal property. “Being a cave explorer, I couldn’t buy a winery that wasn’t on calcareous soil,” Grindley said. “When I return to the caves of my youth, I literally get a tingling down my neck from the limestone. I get the same feeling here. Plus, I have cool British blood, so we were trying to get as close to the ocean as possible for that cooling influence of the fog with our roots in a south-facing slope in calcareous soil. Some of the best regions in the world are planted on calcareous soil. If you like wines from calcareous soil, the minerality, the great acids, and the aging ability, Paso is ground zero.”

With the help of friends, Simon and Anna Hackett of Australia, the Grindleys started Brecon Estate in 2012.

Celebrating recognition with a limited-edition release

When Brecon’s old-vine cabernet sauvignon crossed the 50-year mark, it became eligible for recognition by the Historic Vineyard Society. In celebration of the recognition, Brecon Estate has released its most recent vintage from these historic vines. Only 235 cases of the 2022 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon were produced, and this limited-edition wine is available at Brecon’s Paso Robles tasting room.

The 2022 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon joins the long list of Brecon Estate award-winning wines. Awards include Best of Show at the Sunset International Wine Competition, Boston Wine Competition, and the International Women’s Wine Competition, and Forbes’ list of top 25 wineries of the year.

“The trick,” said Grindley, “is having everything you make be good across the board, and that’s harder than making one great wine. It’s also about not growing too quickly, and keeping those small, interesting parcels.”

For that reason, guests will likely find a different lineup of wines at each tasting room visit. Grindley makes 12-14 small parcel wines per year. “We always have new releases,” he said. “The tasting lineup changes at least once a month.”

Sold exclusively through the tasting room, wine club, or website

Visit Brecon Estate and experience Brecon’s exclusive, small-lot wines with the knowledgeable and friendly tasting room staff. Relax on the patio and enjoy views of the old vines and oak trees.

The Brecon Estate Wine Club offers three wine shipments yearly, discounts on purchases, complimentary tastings, and invitations to exclusive Brecon Estate events.

The Brecon Estate tasting room is located at 7450 Vineyard Drive in Paso Robles. Open daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; reservations preferred. For more information, visit breconestate.com or call (805) 239-2200.