It was fun to visit the SIP-certified wineries pouring at the Atascadero Wine Festival – a relaxing, lakeside event that’s now held from 4-8 p.m. to avoid the heat and take advantage of lovely North County summer nights. Local artists and restaurants also participate (we enjoyed paella from 10th Street Basque Café in San Miguel), and it’s always fun to listen to the Mighty Croon Dogs!

Here are some SIP wine tasting highlights …

Ancient Peaks: ’09 Sauvignon Blanc (which just won Best of Sauvignon Blanc at the Mid State Wine Competition) had honeydew notes with crisp acidity, definitely a good summer wine, $12. ’07 Oyster Ridge Cab-based blend showed wafts of violet and dark fruit with elegant tannins and balance, a beautiful wine, $50.

Pomar Junction: ’08 Viognier had nice honey and pear aromas, soft mouthfeel but enough acid to balance it, $25.

Saucelito Canyon: this pre-release showing of the bright ’09 Sauvignon Blanc (a gold medal winner at the Mid State Fair competition) offered crisp, citrusy flavors – made in all-stainless, it’s a wine that fans of New Zealand Sauv Blancs will love, $17. The ’08 Backroads Zinfandel and ’08 Estate Zinfandel were very different wines, with the Backroads showing a softer style and bright red fruit and the Estate true to form as Saucelito’s bold flagship Zin. Drink the Backroads with apps or on its own, $19, but the Estate really begs for an equally bold food pairing like grilled steak, $30. Add some chimichurri sauce to that steak, however, and you might want to reach for the ’08 Tempranillo, a beautifully balanced spicy interpretation of this increasing popular varietal, $28.

A good time was had by all for a great cause at the 3rd Annual SLO Wine & Grill Affair on June 5. Held at the historic Filipponi Ranch in San Luis Obispo, the event featured nine wineries pairing their wines with tasty treats right off the grill, and proceeds benefited the non-profit Transitions Mental Health Association.

Among the wineries pouring was SIP-certified Baileyana/Tangent, matching their 2008 Tangent Albariño with seared ahi. The 2007 Baileyana Grand Firepeak Cuvée Reserve Pinot Noir was also available, but the staff (rightly) recommended the Albariño as the best pairing with the ahi. This was the only fish dish served, so it stood out nicely, especially with the accompanying wasabi drizzle and picked ginger that pleasantly woke up your taste buds without trashing your palate, and Baileyana/Tangent tied for third place with the judges (disclaimer – I was one of them).

The Albariño had very crisp, balanced acid which really showcased the fish, plus there was just enough sweetness to stand up to the wasabi. The Pinot showed beautiful dark cherry notes and hints of smoke – a good wine to pair with other grilled items such as lamb, and Pinot is always a good bet with paella!

Had some wine-centric family visit the Central Coast for the first time in June, so of course, a whirlwind wine tasting tour was in order – especially to some wineries in the SIP program.

Our first stop was Robert Hall Winery, which boldly stated its SIP commitment front and center with a big poster that greeted us as we walked in the door. There was also a SIP placard strategically placed amidst all the fun stuff to browse and buy around the wine tasting room, and they are about to launch a refreshed website ”heavily focused on SIP and all of our SIP wines.”

The next day, we found ourselves at Halter Ranch, where they’ve proudly placed the SIP seal right on their bottle labels. As the tasting room attendant explained, they’ve been longtime supporters of sustainability and the SIP program, so they wanted to get it on their label asap.

As it turned out, though these and other Paso wineries are known for their bold red wines, I found great Sauvignon Blancs – one of my favorite varietals – at both Robert Hall and Halter Ranch. Both wineries let the grape be itself by fermenting it in stainless, instead of trying to make it act like a Chardonnay and putting it in oak … thank you!

Winemaker Don Brady puts a nicely balanced touch on the 2007 Robert Hall Sauvignon Blanc, with a touch of Semillon (7%) that gives it just enough floral fruit to make it stand on its own as an aperitif and enough light acid to make it a great food wine. Think Asian food or a summertime salad of heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. (The 2008 Sauv Blanc was just released in the tasting room, and not only features the SIP info in its tasting notes, but has already garnered three gold medals in three different competitions.)

The Halter Ranch Sauvignon Blanc from Winemaker Bill Sheffer is another refreshing find. A hint of Viognier (4%) helps pop up the citrus profiles on the nose, while the palate delivers notes of stone fruit and spice on its way to a nice finish. This would be a great match with lighter summertime grilled fare such as fish or marinated chicken breasts, or even on its own as you’re tending the grill. As the saying goes: “I often cook with wine … sometimes I even put it in the food.”

The business model of Pizza Fusion (a nationwide franchised chain) is green to the core – green right down to the recycled blue jeans used for wall insulation, green right down to the organic red tomato sauce used in the pizzas, green right down to the hybrid delivery vehicles, green right down to the bamboo pizza peels (those paddle shaped things used to slip the pies in and out of the oven).

So, what about the wine list at such a place, in particular, the newly opened location in San Luis Obispo? Owner Brandon Borene admits that “to get the doors open,” he took the path of least resistance, offering organic labels that he could easily source, but “I knew I was going to get questions about carrying local wines.”

But wait, there’s more!