Dr. David Muhleman

The-Wine-Educator    WINE & SPIRITS EDUCATION AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE CONSUMER AND THE PROFESSIONAL

Tobin James Cellars

If you ever get a chance to see the door to my wine cellar, you’ll see a very distinctive sticker of a misshapen star with a spiral in the middle. If you’ve ever met Toby James, you’ll recognize the star/spiral and it will bring a smile to your face. The wine world is really very small.

All the wine people in Oregon’s Willamette Valley crossed paths or worked together some where along the way. The same is true for Napa, and Sonoma, and Paso Robles, etc. Like any occupation with limited opportunities, people cross paths with people, who cross paths with other people, and it always amazes me how one thing leads to another.

That’s kind of how I took an interest in Tobin James. The owner of Eberle winery (Gary Eberle), use to work for Estrella River Winery, when he met Tobin Shumrick in Ohio. To make a long story short, Tobin James Shumrick went to work for Gary Eberle; Gary started Eberle Winery, somewhere along the way, Tobin dropped the “Shumrick” and started going by his first and middle name (Tobin James). Tobin then went to work for Peachy Canyon Winery and started making his own wine and eventually split off from Peachy Canyon wines and started Tobin James Cellars. And over the years, changed the “Tobin” to “Toby” and is now know throughout the wine community as Toby James. (That’s the real condensed version of the past 20 years).

Before I talk more about Toby, let me finish by saying Gary Eberle is a great teacher, a super wine guy (the first I’ve met with a Ph.D.), and makes great wines himself. But Gary’s part of this newsletter is how he was the conduit for Tobin James Shumrick to become Toby James; the leader of the James Gang.

The first time I met Toby in person, I was a follower of him and his wines for life. Toby had such a zest for life and wine, I had never met anyone like him before. And yes, I thought he was a little bit crazy. Fun crazy. I’ve told the story a thousand times about Toby’s guest house at the winery. That day he called it “bed and directions” ‘cause he doesn’t cook breakfast. But he’ll be happy to give you directions. Toby also had these “stickers” of the star and spiral logo which he passes out freely. I wore them on my shirt, my hat, and yes, on my cellar door. You can always tell when Toby has passed through town, because everyone is wearing Tobin James stickers for several weeks afterwards.

One of the first things you learn about Tobin James wines is that they all have funny (catchy) names. Whether it’s “Blue Moon” (because he only makes it once in a blue moon) or “Ballistic” (because it’s over the top), or Pinot Envy (I’ll just leave it at that), all of Toby’s wines have cute and catchy names. I asked him about how he came up with these names and you really need to hear the story from Toby (but suffice it to say large quantities of wine are consumed in determining the names.)

When I first met Toby he had not yet released his first Pinot Noir. Being a pinot-guy, I was anxious to try his first effort. He had primarily been a “zin” guy. And I have to tell you, Toby (and now Lance Silver) make incredible wines; zins, cabs, merlots, and yes - pinots, when you can get them.  Tobin’s “Liquid Love” dessert wine is to die for, but sells out quickly each vintage. If you can’t find it, ask your  wine guy (or wine gal) because it is WELL worth the effort. My advice is stock up when you can.

I know Toby has remodeled his guest house and I imagine it takes a long time to get reservations to stay there (if you still can), but it use to be one of the best kept secrets in Paso Robles. Spending the evening climbing around barrels and listening to stories with Toby. But if you ever do get the chance to visit the winery, and Toby is not traveling around the country, plan on several hours of fun and delicious wines. This is not a place to hit on the way to someplace else; Tobin James Cellars is a destination.

Toby is a person who is living his dream and making it fun. Fun you can taste in every bottle. I’m a fan and if you ever meet Toby ask for a star/spiral sticker. It will bring a smile to your face every time you think back to meeting Toby (and drinking his wine).

This month’s Rule of Thumb is that every wine is the “right” wine for a specific time and place and no wine is the “right” wine for every time and place. I have come to believe that EVERY wine (which is not flawed) is the “right” wine if you have the right time, place, event, or situation. Likewise, even I will agree that Oregon pinot noirs don’t fit “every” situation. Just like a specific food (e.g., steak) doesn’t fit every meal in every situation. So when people tell me they don’t like a wine; I have to remind them that the wine they do not like would probably be the absolutely perfect wine for another time and place. So the rule is: there are no bad wines (assuming they are not flawed), there are only wines that go better in a different situation. 

Until next time, enjoy good wine.