Expansion can usher in a wave of unpredictable evolution.

But in Paso Robles, California, McPrice “Mac” Myers said some things will never change.

“You’ll get more acquisitions because Paso is hot, Napa is priced out, or there’s no growth to be had,” Myers said. “Where do you grow in California? Well, Paso is atop the list. Especially because of the fires in ’17 and ’20 in northern California. A lot of wineries came down to buy fruit from us and got a taste of what we had. They’ve realized there’s popular wines here. Pound for pound, the quality ratio is insane, and everyone knows it.”

The once sleepy, cattle town turned “Almond Capital of the World” became a premier wine-growing region, where an influx of money has built big wineries, and corporations came in to purchase once-boutique wineries. However, at its roots, Paso remains a community of risk-taking entrepreneurs with a thirst for adventure.

“This is still going to be an owner-operator wine region, and that’s because it’s what it is: young dudes who want to go make wine come here,” Myers said. “The community is super supportive of it. Our growth is amazing. Everyone who comes to Paso always looks for the young guy or girl doing cool stuff. I think that stays for a long time. The real true essence of what we do is small passionate winemakers who don’t want all the pretension and love what they do.”

Constellation Brands, which in the past also purchased Robert Mondavi, The Prisoner Wine Co., Kim Crawford, Charles Smith, Meiomi and other wineries as they grew in size, just purchased Booker, a Paso institution founded by winemaker Eric Jensen.

Myers said he didn’t want to say the sale was “a canary in the coal mine,” that an influx of big-money corporations would disturb the delicate communal ecosystem Paso winemakers and growers have established over the years. Booker wasn’t a massive winery by any means, and perhaps it’s a sign that more boutique wineries are on the radar for greater exposure and distribution throughout the country.

“Our community is amazing,” Myers said. “It’s what drew me to the area. You can go to any winery, and they don’t just kick a young kid out. You can ask as many questions as you want, try wines from the barrel … it’s really a pay-it-forward community.”

The McPrice Myers lineup has four different labels: Single Vineyard Series, which showcases specific sites; the Proprietary Series, in which Myers blends single varieties; the exciting Beautiful Earth offerings; and Hard Working Wines, which have long been some of the most fun and inexpensive values available.

Hard Working Wines are built to be enjoyed upon purchase, and offer instant satisfaction with ripe flavors and approachable tannins. A great introduction to Paso, they are close to Myers’ heart because he built his palate on interesting, inexpensive wines from all over the world.

The Pound for Pound Paso Robles Zinfandel 2020 ($25) has brambly fruit, pie crust and baking spice flavors. The High on the Hog 2019 ($35) dipped into anise, sage and thyme flavors as it turned the volume up on its cherry cola notes.

“Great value wine is the best way to learn,” Myers said. “Different varieties and random regions. That’s why I put my heart and soul into Hard Working Wines. We need great value wines where you can showcase something with character, personality and complexity without charging an arm and a leg.”

While Paso is known for its red wines, Beautiful Earth White 2020 ($30), a blend of grenache blanc and clairette blanche, had apple, pear and a mossy rock minerality hung on a weighty mid-palate. Beautiful Earth Red 2019 ($30) has a briny olive salad flavor melded with green herb, licorice and dark fruit notes. A syrah, grenache and mourvedre blend showed the Rhone varietals Paso does so well.

“We want the essence of west-side Paso to show; just look at all the varietals in there,” Myers said. “It’s a nice intro to what Paso and [the] west side is. It’s rich and fresh. Vibrant with some tobacco, fennel seed and cool herbs. It’s not just fruit driven. Complexity comes from the mouthfeel and the freshness. One thing people forget is that there are mountains and hills around us. It’s not just flat desert. Those steep hillsides give us a beam of energy, even when a wine is powerful, opulent and rich, a minerality runs through them.”

The McPrice Myers Paper Street Cuvee 2019 ($60) is from the Willow Creek District in Paso. With hot days, cool nights and limestone soils, the full-bodied red was amazingly elegant with its flavors, mouthfeel and tannins. There’s anise and a floral lift on the nose, but it’s the blackberry cobbler flavors that sail by like a boat on calm water.

It’s not an easy wine to make, but Myers loved the reward.

“It’s a pretty big challenge, because there are eight red and two white varietals spread over 52 acres,” Myers said. “There are various exposures and clones. The goal is to distill the wine down to this perfect example of what we think this vineyard does well. The vines are still young, and we’ll do 35 to 40 blends before we get it right.

“The right word is extreme when describing Paper Street,” he said. “Everything about the vineyard is extreme: the flavor, color and vibrancy. The actual site is super steep and rocky. It’s hard to farm, but such a beautiful site.”

When Myers got 52 acres of Paper Street Vineyard in 2012, it seemed like way too much. As he looks back, he only has one regret, “I should have taken more.”

The good thing is if Myers wants to find more, there’s still plenty of sites with untapped potential in Paso Robles.

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.