Donna Moffatt
On March 24, 211 members of the Wine Club celebrated an evening of Mardi Gras friendship featuring Tobin James Cellars wines. Following our reception, there were four wines paired with a superb multi–course dinner that included Lafitte Tilapia, Grilled Pork Chops, and Crepes Suzette. A celebratory feast!
On hand was Andrew MacDonald, straight from Paso Robles, Calif., who came to share the story of Tobin James Cellars…
It All Started with Six Tons of Extra Grapes
When a local grape harvester showed up with six tons of Zinfandel grapes that he was willing to give away, Tobin “Toby” James, a young assistant winemaker at the time, asked if he could have the grapes to make his own wine. “Sure kid, knock yourself out,” the owner replied.
A year and a half later, Toby’s first wine—the now-famous 1985 Blue Moon Zinfandel—won double gold medals, and a spot on the Wine Spectator’s coveted “Top 100 Wines of the Year.” Tobin James Cellars was born. For the next few years, Toby quietly produced his own popular small-batch wines, tasting and selling them out of a local wine shop in Paso Robles. In 1996, Toby launched the “James Gang” Wine Club, California’s most popular wine club.
Our upcoming events are: April 21, a club favorite, the Western Night Patio Party; May 19, Melodies & Music featuring Cake Bread Wines; and June 16, our Hawaiian Night.
The Wine Club is open to all residents of PebbleCreek, the only caveat is enjoying wine with like-minded neighbors. We have scheduled events all year, perfect for full time residents, normally meeting on the third Tuesday of the month in a dinner or tasting format, themed around specific wines or varietals. Each event is priced separately, and members or guests reserve their seats on our website, pcwineclub.com, with their payments. As a club member there are no attendance or obligations to attend events. Our membership begins on May 1; please visit our website to join us for another fun–filled year.
A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.—Louis Pasteur