This Paso Robles winery founder is an American Wine Legend, magazine says
One of Paso Robles wine country’s most prominent pioneers has a new title: American Wine Legend.
Wine Enthusiast magazine recently honored Eberle Winery owner Gary Eberle as part of its 2020 Wine Star Awards.
The annual awards recognize “individuals and companies that have contributed to the success of the wine and spirits industry,” including importers, retailers, winemakers and sommeliers, according to Wine Enthusiasts’ website.
Eberle, who grew up in Pennsylvania and attended Penn State on a full-ride football scholarship, discovered the world of wine after attending Louisiana State University for graduate studies in cellular genetics.
In 1971, he headed to U.C. Davis to study enology, graduating in 1971.
Four years later, he moved to the Central Coast.
“I just fell in love with Paso Robles,” Eberle told Wine Enthusiast. “The people are nice, and the weather is so conducive to Bordelaise and Rhône varieties. They do very well here.”
Eberle co-founded Estrella River & Vineyards in 1973 before leaving in 1981 to start his own winery.
Over the decades, he’s earned accolades for his top-rated cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and syrah wines as well as “recognition for co-founding the Paso Robles appellation in 1983, the first to use Paso Robles appellation on his wine label, the first to produce a 100% syrah commercially,” according to the Eberle Winery website.
“I tried to promote Paso as much as I did my own winery, because it was one of those chicken or egg things,” he told Wine Enthusiast. “They both had to go up at the same time. I knew that I wasn’t going to be successful unless Paso was successful.”
The magazine named Eberle as its 2020 American Wine Legend for “helping make syrah and Paso Robles major players in the American wine world and mentoring the next generation of stewards for both.”
It’s not the first time Eberle has been honored for his contributions to the wine industry.
The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance named Eberle the Paso Robles Wine Industry Person of the Year in 1997. Other honors include the 2015 Wine Industry Lifetime Achievement award and the 2019 Robert Mondavi Hospitality Award.
This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 9:54 AM.
