The fact that Paso Robles has emerged as the state’s leading “Rhône Zone” can be attributed in no small measure to Mat Garretson. This former Atlanta wine retailer and restaurateur was already a fan of Syrah, but it was his introduction to Viognier that opened his eyes to the entire spectrum of this exotic family of grape varieties. “In 1983, a fellow retailer gave me a bottle of wine labeled ‘Condrieu’ as a birthday present,” recalls Garretson. “I wasn’t too impressed...until I opened the bottle.” That bottle sparked an obsession so complete that Garretson is often referred to as ‘Mr. Viognier’ by his fellow winemakers.
At the time of his ‘one bottle epiphany,’ Rhône wines were relegated to cult wine status here in America. “By the late 80s there were some very profound wines being made from Rhône varieties in California,” remembers Garretson, “but they were mainly seen as a curiosity by the public. I felt that if Rhône wines were ever going to catch on in this country somebody had better start beating the drum.” And seeing the need, that’s exactly what he did.
In 1991 Garretson founded The Viognier Guild. Although he had left the wine trade three years earlier to work in his family's business, what began as an informal organization dedicated to promoting Rhône wines quickly became a full-time job. “I soon realized that my real passion was wine, and thought, ‘do I want to be 80 years old and lamenting the fact that I didn’t follow my passion?’” So Garretson took a leap of faith, gave his father notice of his plans to depart the business, and put the word out to wineries that he wanted to move West. “I knew that I eventually wanted to be making Rhône wines,” Garretson says, “and that naturally had me interested in Paso Robles. I thought I’d have to pay my dues working for wineries in the North, and then eventually relocate in San Luis Obispo County to pursue that dream.” Luckily, Garretson’s search for a job coincided with Gary Eberle’s search for a Sales and Marketing Director for his Paso Robles winery. By 1994 Garretson had pulled up his Southern roots for a new home in Paso Robles working for Eberle.
