Paso Robles, California is the perfect place to celebrate California Wine Month! Whether you want to visit a vineyard. Go wine tasting at multiple wineries in one day. Or maybe just take a relaxing drive through some of the most beautiful scenery our country has to offer. Paso Robles, California is calling your name!
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Here are a few of Paso's best wineries to visit on your wine tour.
We had the pleasure of visiting a handful of very unique tasting rooms and vineyards. Along the way, I discovered some new-to-me wines that I might have never tried before. Spoiler alert, I LOVED them all! Listed below are a few that I loved so much that I decided to bring some home with me.
Desparada, Tin City
Clay vessels called amphoras have been used to ferment and age wine since ancient times, but winemaker Vailia From’s of Desparada has brought this practice into the present day with some of the most delicious wines I have ever tasted!
It was truly a gift to have her sit at our table and enjoy a tasting with us. Her passion and knowledge are unparalleled and her life's journey to get to where she is now is nothing short of fascinating!
My favorite wines of this tasting were the 2019 Shell Creek, Chenin Blanc, and the 2016 & 2019 Borderlands Red Blend.
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Sans Liege, Tin City
Say hello to Curt Schalchlin, the winemaker that forever changed my mind about muscat wine!
"Sans Liege" means without a leader, and let me tell you, after sitting with Curt and learning about his unique methods of going from the vineyard to the bottle, I would say that name fits.
From how grapes for his wines are harvested, how they capture native yeast from the specific varietals vineyards themselves instead of using commercial yeast in their winemaking process, to how they process the grapes when they arrive at their facility - every step is unique, fascinating, and inspiring!
My absolute favorite wine of this tasting was the 2020 Groundwork Muscat Frizzante - talk about changing my entire mind about a grape varietal!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Hope Family Wines
Talk about a swoon-worthy experience! This stop on our tour exceeded all of my expectations and then some.
Our timing to the Hope Family Wines tasting room could not have been more perfect as we were able to experience a wine and cheese pairing unlike any I have ever had!
Just a few short weeks ago, Hope Family Wines partnered with Stepladder Creamery to launch wine and cheese pairings in their tasting room and they are exquisite!
It's more than a wine and cheese pairing, though - it is the love story of Hope Family Wines assistant Winemaker Samantha Taylor and Stepladder Creamery's Cheesemaker, Robin Proffitt.
Trust me - when a winemaker and a cheesemaker that are madly in love put togther a pairing for you it is an experience like no other!
My favorite wine and cheese pairings of the day were Austin Hope Sauvignon Blanc and Stepladder Fromage Blanc. As well as the Austin Hope Grenache, pictured below, and Stepladder Cabrillo.
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
J. Lohr Wines
The first time I ever sipped a glass of wine it happened to be a bottle of J. Lohr and it still captivates my tastebuds to this day!
Sharing a meal with Steve Lohr, the son of the founders, was truly an experience that I will be raving about for the rest of my life!
Listening to him tell the story of how his parents founded J. Lohr and became winemakers was fascinating and inspiring, to say the least.
When it comes to sustainability in the winemaking industry, J. Lohr is at the forefront - I mean just look at that field of solar panels!
J. Lohr's Grenache Rosé was my favorite pairing of the meal - I'm not typically a rosé kind of a gal, but let me tell you this one had me singing a different tune.
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Want to host a wine pairing at home? Here are a few recipes to get you started!
It is so much fun to pair a familiar bottle of wine with new recipes. I love to take note of how the spices and texture of each dish can change the flavor notes of the wine. It is like getting to know a trusted old friend on a much deeper level.
Pumpkin Spice Mulled Wine
My trip to Paso Robles actually inspired this easy-to-make recipe! It is made with Chardonnay from the Paso Robles region. It is the type of simple sippin' that warms you from the inside out, even on a crisp fall day.
Zuppa Toscana
This soup has all the basics, lots of hot Italian sausage, crispy bacon, tender potatoes, a hefty dose of heavy cream, and a few handfuls of greens.
It's simple and rustic but is pure bliss for your tastebuds. I love to pair a hearty soup like this with a glass of Chardonnay.
While the soup is rich and creamy with a hint of heat this wine is perfectly light and floral.
Gluten-Free Roasted Meyer Lemon and Brown Butter Pasta
This pasta dish is loaded with roasted Meyer lemon wheels, broccoli, & cauliflower and is aggressively seasoned, tableside, with a smattering of savory sprinkles. AKA: Toasted pine nuts, basil, pecorino Romano, and Meyer lemon zest!
Where to eat when you visit Paso Robles, California
One of my favorite things about traveling to new places is the food I get to experience, shocker! We had the opportunity to try a few really unique restaurants when we visited Paso that did not disappoint.
La Cosecha
Whatever you do, when visiting Paso make a reservation at La Cosecha!
With a shellfish allergy, I don't often get to partake in paella, but OMG La Cosecha created the most delicious seafood-free paella studded with sausage, chicken, steak, and more! It was a feast for my senses that I will be craving for years to come!
Pictured is a beet salad that was also really delicious!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Alchemists Garden
While I could wax poetic about the cocktails and ALL of the inventive menu items at the restaurant it's the fries that will forever have me dreaming of making another reservation!
Not even gonna lie - 5 foodies walked into this joint and couldn't stop talking about the fries for days - that is impressive!
Negranti Creamery
Sheep's milk ice cream flavored with local ingredients? Sign me up! I had the Strawberry Basil & Blackberry Rosemary flavors when we visited and honestly, it's hard to choose a favorite from the two!
The Bistro at Vina Robles
While I didn't eat here myself I cannot even begin to count the number of times "The Burger" at The Bistro came up in conversation, so I figured it was worth mentioning!
Where to stay when you visit Paso Robles, California
Digs Vacation Rentals
This classic 1890's Victorian is where I stayed with our crew and let me tell you it was FABULOUS!
This beautiful home sleeps up to 8 people and is located in Downtown Paso on the most desirable street, Vine Street.
The house is exceptional, the kitchen exquisite, and the backyard is phenomenal! I will definitely be looking to rent this home again when we visit Paso.
Oxford Hotel Suites
Most of the influencers on our trip stayed here and it was lovely! Super clean, centrally located, and the restaurant inside is really delicious! We had gigantic salads there one afternoon for lunch paired with wine and it was truly unexpected!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Where to shop when you visit Paso Robles, California
There are so many cute shops in downtown Paso! The town square is picturesque and worth spending an entire afternoon exploring.
Paso General Store
There wasn't too much time for shopping, but we did stop into Paso General Store and it was the cutest! I broke out my wallet and spent a small fortune - consider yourself warned!
What to do in Paso Robles, California besides wine tastings
There are tons of great things to do in Paso besides wine tasting. We checked out a few local attractions that were truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Take in a show at Vina Robles Amphitheater
Take in a show under the stars and enjoy a nice bottle of Vina Robles wine while you do it! This venue has it all!!! A prime location, lots of food and beverages, a great lineup of talent, and a sky full of stars to enjoy it all under!
One of the pinch-me moments of the entire trip was getting to see The Counting Crows perform. My friend KC, The GFree Foodie, and I have been fans of the band since our high school days! It was really special to have our first concert experience since covid began to be such a meaningful one.
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Light at Sensorio || Created by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro
Want to light your inner child on fire?! Sensorio is the spot. It is whimsical, fantastical, and absolutely breathtaking!
Field of Light is a 15-acre walk-through experience comprised of more than 58,800 stemmed spheres lit by fiber optics that illuminate the landscape in subtle blooms of shifting color! It feels fantastical, almost like you are on another planet that you had only dreamed of!
Light Towers celebrates Paso Robles’ extensive wine country! Walking amongst the colorful 6‑foot-tall towers that are composed of more than 17,000 wine bottles is moving. Truly, moving. Each bottle is illuminated with glowing optic fibers whose colors morph to a moving musical score of voices. It feels as if the music literally flows right through you!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Make an appointment for a different type of tasting at San Miguel Olive Farm || Home of the World's Best Olive Oils.
When we say award-winning, we really mean it!! Richard & Myrna Meisler's walls in their tasting room are covered with more awards than I could have ever imagined! And for good reason too, their olive oil is the best we've ever tasted!
Spending a few hours on the property with this lovely couple ensures you will not only experience the fruits of their labor on your palate. But you will also have a direct tap into the passion the Meisler's have for what they do. How they plant, tend the trees, harvest the fruit, and then process it is all an art form. An art that has perfect timing, is brimming with passion, and lots of heart. It is no wonder that they hold the title for the best olive oil in the entire world!
Photo credit James Collier for California Wines.
Also check out:
The Best Places To Visit In California's San Joaquin Valley
If you are planning to visit the San Joaquin Valley there are lots of amazing things to do and see! While the valley is predominantly rural, it also has bustling cities to explore.
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