Wine Time: Alapay Cellars Review

Alapay Cellars is located in Avila Beach and was another winery we stopped at on our beach day adventure. The tasting room has a spiral staircase which leads you down to a colorful room with salt water fish tanks, a couple of wine bars, and touristy trinkets spewed all over the walls and tables in between. The tasting room was pretty busy/crowded which I took as a good sign but I do dislike "fighting" for room at a tasting. I will elbow broads to get some wine!

Still, the staff was super helpful at spotting us and keeping an eye out for when our glasses runnethed dry.

They carried good wines, and a good long list, 7-10 in total (can you really expect me to remember, we had just gone to two wineries... And had some compromised jello cups in the parking lot...) but I do remember the tastes of my favorites:The Cinsault (pronounced Cinso. ) was muy deliciouso. I was informed that Alapay is one of probably 5 cellars in California who bottle this variety. Riveting! It's neat finding "buried treasures" like this.

We sampled a Chardonnay before the Cinsault, which I also found deliciously buttery and smooth.The reds were delicious but it was the desert wines that stunned me: The Port wasn't as sweet as most Ports that I have sampled and was fabulous paired with the chocolate cubes that were out for tasting.

Fun fact! When I asked where they get there chocolate I was told they were Nestlé toll house chunks. This made me extremely super duper happy happy: the Hubz and I will eat chocolate chips outta the bag with our glasses of wine. Usually we eat half a bag. Pinkies up ladies and gents, we are über fancy! ;-)

Moscato's make me melt. They do. They take me back to hot summer days as a little girl on my grandparents farm and rejuvenate the lazy carefree child in me. Moscato and summer time is an adult tribute to my childhood memories.

Needless to say, Alapay's Moscato succeeded in doing this. But it was the late harvest Voignier that really stole the show. Bursts of that moscato grape juice sweetness were present followed by bursts of pineapple. Mmm Mmm Mmm! Pineapple people! Pineapple!!!

The bottle itself was adorable too! So we walked away with a Cinsault and the late harvest Voignier and waved tasting fees for our purchase. Alapay was a good stop: is refreshing to hit up a place that can give you surprising flavors. That's the funnest part of wine: you never know what tastes and aromas a new bottle brings... It's like an adventurous party in your mouth!