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History
Joe and Shirlene Barton dreamed about being involved in the wine industry from the time they had a restaurant in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It was there that they became
acquainted with premium wines. When they moved back to their native California, they began looking into the wine industry in the Napa area, and then discovered Paso Robles. The warmth and friendliness of the
community convinced them that this is where they should be. It did not take them long to make a commitment to becoming a part of the Paso Robles wine industry. According to Joe, “When you love wine and great people,
there’s only one place to be - Paso Robles.”
Grey Wolf Cellars was established in August 1994. Since then, the Barton’s have made the winery a family business. They renovated a 50 year-old farm house on the west side of Paso
Robles for their tasting room, and converted the outbuilding on the property into their winemaking facility. The ability to create a great wine was a passion for Joe, he had a vision and the drive to make his dream
a reality. He succeeded because he put 100% into everything he did. Unfortunately, Joe left our pack in the winter of 1998, but his dream and passion lives on through his family and the spirit of Grey Wolf.
The Barton’s son, Joseph, has been handling all of the winemaking duties since his Father's passing. A Fruit Science graduate from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, he credits local
winemakers for providing friendly support and advice towards his ability to continue to craft premium quality wines.
Grey Wolf annually produces vintages of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Meritage. Joseph incorporates a very natural and nonintrusive style of
winemaking. All reds are fermented in open-top vats in half-ton lots for maximum extraction, and crafted exclusively in American and French Oak barrels. In Joseph’s words, “The less I manipulate the wine, the more
the wine is able to mature more naturally.”
Joseph also directs Grey Wolf’s newest endeavor - Grey Wolf Estate Vineyard. Plantings of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Petite Sirah were established
on our ten acres in 1999. Located in the Templeton Gap, the cooler climate, high rainfall, enhanced temperature inversions, and complex soil structure of our vineyard site will produce grapes of high quality and
complexity.
From winery to vineyard, all of the Barton Family takes part in Grey Wolf’s development. As stated by Joe Senior, “We’ve always been involved in a family business, and now we are
concentrating on producing small quantities of premium wines wholly made by the family. Joe Senior put on his wine labels that “A family is a circle of caring, strong and eternal.” This is what links the Barton
Family as in the wolf family.
The aspects of the wolf’s nature that has the strongest appeal is the animal’s affectionate interest of its family. The usual context of a wolf’s life is a small kinship grouping,
or pack, that includes Mother and Father, Uncles and Aunts, and Siblings. This is also foremost in the Barton family winery.
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