Local Wine Picks: Reds will complement steaks on the grill over Memorial Day

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• From waiter to Paso winemaker

  From waiter to Paso winemaker

  Edgar Torres got the wine bug while he was working as a waiter at Villa Creek in Paso Robles. A lot of young winemakers would hang out there, and Torres was able to experience a variety of wines.

  Eventually, he went to work in the cellars at the now-defunct Garretson Wines, then he moved on to work with Augie Hug at Hug Cellars in Paso Robles. Around this time, Torres — a native of Michoacan, Mexico, who grew up in Cambria—was able to get his hands on a ton of grenache from Denner Vineyard. He made the wine and liked the results, so he bottled and sold it. He established Bodega de Edgar in 2007.

  His winemaking training has been mostly on the job. Torres worked for a time at Alta Maria and is now the assistant winemaker for Barrel 27 in Paso Robles, where he also makes his own wines.

• The Grapevine: Mendocino has much to brag about

  The Grapevine: Mendocino has much to brag about

  The Anderson Valley gets a lot of attention these days. And why not? Pinot noir has been the darling of the wine world in recent years, and Anderson Valley is the source of some stellar pinot.

  But Mendocino County encompasses so much more than the Anderson Valley. The bulk of the county’s more than 17,000 acres of wine grapes are inland. The leading grape varieties grown there are cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, but some of the most intriguing wines are made from less-widespread varieties, especially zinfandel and Italian grapes like barbera and nero d’avola.

  It’s hardly surprising that Italian grape varieties would thrive in Mendocino County. Many of the area’s early growers and vintners were of Italian descent. John Parducci for years was the face of Mendocino County winemaking. More recently, winemaker Greg Graziano—whose grandfather planted vineyards in Mendocino County in the early 20th century — has become known for wines made from Italian varieties under the Enotria and Monte Volpe labels.

• Newest winery in Templeton Gap opens its doors

  Newest winery in Templeton Gap opens its doors

  A new, remote Paso Robles winery opened its tasting room last weekend during the region’s harvest celebration.

  “We must have had over 1,500 visitors,” said Georges Daou, who built Daou Vineyards & Winery with his brother and the winemaker, Daniel Daou.

  About half of those visitors were invited. The rest wandered in during their Harvest Wine Weekend explorations. The annual Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance event highlights tasting and special events at member wineries.

• Rain spurs rush by growers to harvest their wine grapes

  Rain spurs rush by growers to harvest their wine grapes

  Central Coast wine-grape growers are frantically scrambling to get fruit off the vines as rain hits the region this week. “The chardonnay is rapidly rotting,” said Fin du Fresne, winemaker for Chamisal Vineyards in Edna Valley.

  “There was already rot from June’s rains. This is just going to make the disease pressure explode. It’s been a high-pressure year,” du Fresne said. “Needless to say, we’ll be picking chardonnay today and tomorrow.”

  After heavy rain Tuesday night and early Wednesday, the rest of the day gave a bit of a respite in between showers, but there is still more rain to come.

• Key Art & Wine Festival event sold out; others nearly so

  Key Art & Wine Festival event sold out; others nearly so

  Hundreds of people are expected to attend Cambria’s 10th annual Art&Wine Festival Friday, Jan. 27 through Sunday, Jan. 29 under clear skies, among them art lovers, wine connoisseurs and those who love enjoyable events that bring both elements together.

  The Cambria Chamber of Commerce event is set for Friday, Jan. 27, through Sunday, Jan. 29, in various locations.

  Attendees can pick up their “passports” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the chamber office, 767 Main St., and at the Veterans Memorial Building, 1000 Main St., starting at 10 a.m. Saturday.