Tastings: 3 wines to drink now, 3 to cellar

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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.

• Reworking Norman Vineyards in Paso Robles

  Reworking Norman Vineyards in Paso Robles

  A longtime member of the Paso Robles wine community, Norman Vineyards, plans to sell its 40-acre property west of Paso Robles, including the winery it has operated for nearly 20 years.

  Meanwhile, its general manager and winemaker, Steve Felten, is planning to consult while he launches his own label.

  With 23 acres of vineyards and 5,000 square feet of winery and tasting room space, Jim Norman, the founders' son, said the property is listed at about $3.8 million. Already it has garnered serious interest.

• 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.

• Wine history tale unfolds at Twilight

  Wine history tale unfolds at Twilight

  Twilight Cellars will celebrate a landmark in its history Saturday at La Bellasera Hotel & Suites in Paso Robles.

  Richard and Aurora Gumerman have owned the remote winery for six years. But it was 50 years ago, they say, that winemaking pioneer Stanley Hoffman purchased the property to plant vineyards, eventually gaining international attention for commercial winemaking in the region.

  “It was pretty much left to rot before we got here,” Richard Gumerman said. “Every year, we use what little money is left and fix something else on the aging ranch.”