Hospice du Rhône: 2020 Return to Paso Robles

Posted on   March 5,2020   By John Compisi

If you are looking for a different as well as fabulous wine event to add to your list of future experiences be sure to add Hospice du Rhône in Paso Robles. Unlike many wine education and tasting events that are a one-day burst, Hospice du Rhône, nicknamed HdR by long time participants, is a weekend extravaganza beginning on a Friday morning and extending through late Saturday night.

After a brief hiatus (2012 – 2015) Hospice du Rhône has returned to its biannual cycle of every other year in Paso. Consider this a planning tool for the 2020 events, especially if you have to travel from great distances. The Paso event occurs the weekend of April 23-25, 2020. Don’t be confused by the ‘sister event’ that occurs in Tennessee at Blackberry Farm on May 17-20. Both events are organized by the same outstanding people including HdR President Vicki Carroll and Founder John Alban.

What makes HdR special?  Well, first (#1), straight up – it has the specific purpose of improving the business conditions of the grape growers and wine producers of Rhône variety wines and grapes throughout the world (since 1998).  Per its website, HdR serves as an international vintners’ association, providing promotional and educational opportunities. Especially because of the ‘Hospice’ in their name, HdR makes it very clear that they are not affiliated with any other charitable organization. They are a non-profit 501 (c) (6) Business League located on the Central Coast of California. So why ‘Hospice’? Considering the original French origin of the word (circa 1818 AD), from the online Free Dictionary, ‘a place of shelter for travelers, especially one kept by a monastic order’. So HdR provides hospitality and a nurturing environment for Rhône varietal lovers, growers and producers. 

The second answer (#2) to what makes HdR special is the amazing organization led by Carroll and Alban. Carroll has assembled an amazing team of event and on-site staff.  The first clue to this organization would be the pre-event communications followed immediately by the personalized Event Guide which could serve as the ‘bible’ for Rhône wine lovers.

The events (#3) are all encompassing including a Rhône Roundup (by invitation only) on Thursday night with cuisine provided by Sondra Bernstein and John Toulze of the girl & the fig from Sonoma, followed by the daily Morning Mingle (breakfast and coffee).

The Rosé Lunch on Friday (#4) #is an exquisite experience with food and Rhône wines (shared by the vignerons from around the world), Tres Magnifique!!

Of course, the Rhône wines (#5) are always the biggest hit. Friday afternoon is the Opening Tasting with the Rhône vintners from around the world (California; France; Australia; Spain; Washington and Oregon et al) focused on verticals, dusty bottles pulled from their cellars. Attendees will be treated to a world of Rhône wines from the 2015 vintage and older including library selections. Clearly age-worthy. The Closing Tasting on Saturday Afternoon featured vintages from 2016 and younger. Some real treats.

Friday starts with Seminars (#6). Seminar One: Subject ‘TBD’ but undoubtedly a spectacular review of something Rhône whether from France, the USA or elsewhere. Seminar Two: ‘Horsepower Vineyards: Leave No Stone Unturned’ focuses on vigneron Christophe Baron of Washington State. Baron launched Cayuse Vineyards by planting the first vineyard in the stones of the ancient Walla Walla River bed in 2011. Christophe created Horsepower Vineyards, focusing on high density vineyards cultivated by draft horses. Currently, Horsepower Vineyards creates five wines with a production of 2,300 cases. Moderator Jeb Dunnuck will explore the terroir and wines from this one-of-a-kind estate.

The Saturday Seminars are equally spectacular with Seminar Three: ‘Ventoux, red hot cause it’s cool’. The Ventoux AOC region in the Southern Rhône has a cooler climate, making a fresher style of wines. High-altitude enclaves yielding bright mountain fruit is attracting winemaking talent from very diverse backgrounds to uncover a patchwork of exciting micro-terroirs in the valley, while inspiring new generations of local growers to rediscover their potential and go for gold. Five of the benchmark estates of the Appellation will be presenting their wines to showcase some of the quality and diversity of this remarkable region whose star is rising.

Seminar Four: Syrah to ‘Rock the World: The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater’ focuses on the basalt stones of The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater in the Walla Walla Valley, one of the most distinctive viticultural regions in the world. It has become a pre-eminent growing area for Rhône varieties. This session will dig into the Syrah of The Rocks District and consider the question of site versus style, while looking at the region’s unique growing conditions, hallmark producers, and evolving farming practices.

The Farewell Dinner on Saturday will be led by the ‘fig rig’, accompanied by local food trucks offering a variety of choices, the Farewell Dinner promises to be a feast of vibrant cuisine and Rhône wines in the company of Rhône-lovers. Live music from Mark Adams Band, along with other ‘winemakers and somms who rock’.

As mentioned above, HdR conducts an annual event at the Blackberry Farm Resort around the Great Smokey Mountains in Walland, Tennessee as well as an annual event in the Rhone Valley, as related to me by Vicki Carroll during a brief conversation in Paso in 2018. Where ever you can attend, make it happen.  If you enjoy Rhône wines, you won’t be disappointed.

Tickets are available for individual activities or the entire weekend at:
https://www.hospicedurhone.org/tickets/

Where to lodge: The Oaks Hotel offers comfortable Suites and breakfast a short walk from the venue.