Harvest on the Coast Grand Tasting was a delight this first weekend in November at Avila Beach Resort. It's the event of catharsis for the wine biz, specifically of the Coastal Region. It was sweet to see the winery owners and winemakers, hands cracked and purple from the season's harvest, wind down with the rest of us. We rubbed elbows while going from table to table, tasting their colleagues' wines, and nibbling on fun little bites from places like Farmhouse Corner Market, Novo, Beda's Biergarten, and the Spoon Trade. SLO chocolatier Sheila Kearns was there herself, handing out her organic chocolate for dessert, and the Negranti Creamery truck line was so long, I almost gave up, but I doggedly pressed on for my little cone of sheep's milk ice cream bliss.

My winemaker friend pointed out that Saucelito Canyon's Classic 2016 zin was one to try that day because there are few zinfandel producers in the SLO Coastal AVA. Saucelito Canyon had a little booth under the tent by the water and were pouring the wine that had all the boutique and historic wine lovers gathered round. Saucelito Canyon's estate-grown Classic is harvested from heritage wines in Arroyo Grande, soon to be a part of the SLO Coastal AVA. The wine exhibits natural balance and character from the gravelly canyon terroir, and those cool 40-degree nights make a wine that's well-balanced and clean, medium-bodied, drinkable, and delicious.

The Saucelito Canyon 2016 estate zinfandel is $40 per bottle, available at the tasting room, 3080 Biddle Ranch Road, SLO. Δ

Flavor writer Beth Giuffre is classic. Send your favorite snack stops to [email protected].