It’s been over a decade since we visited Paso Robles and we are ready to get reacquainted. Just for fun I’m re-posting our write up from that experience 12 years ago. We won’t be going back to any of the wineries we tried then. The area has grown and with it have the number of winery opportunities!

We don’t usually recommend planning this many reservations in 4 days. Our itinerary is completely packed. We’ll let you know if it was doable or a huge mistake. Our tastings include McPrice Myers, Jacob Toft, Levo Wines, Aaron Wines, Emercy Wines, Thacher Winery, Calcareous Vineyard, Law Estates, J Dusi, Epoch Estate Wines, and Clos Selene.

In the meantime here is our 12 year old post below. It appears we covered as many wineries then. The difference today however is the way tastings are held – mostly lengthy sit down experiences and oh too true, we’ve aged 12 years!

Central California is special!  The region is farm country and brimming with vineyards.  We spent 4 days in the  region in mid May.  3 of the 4 days were unusually cool, overcast and sometimes raining so our favorite lunch mode – picnicing at a vineyard only happened once on the last day before heading on to Carmel.

Sadly, many of the wines purchased on this trip are hard to find as they are from small producers who either only sell out of their tasting room or from their website, or only sell small quantities to a distributor that might possibly get it to large metropolitan markets – not Sarasota.  It is still worth remembering them should they increase production or, more likely, should you travel west and find them on a restaurant wine list ……  or better yet, want to visit some extraordinary wineries.

I’ll jump right in and list the wines we tried and purchased:

Adelaida Cellars, Paso Robles, CA

• 2005 Nebbiolo
• 2007 Cab/Syrah Chelle Mt.
• 2008 Grenache
• 2008 Version
• 2008 Version (Rhone White)

Jada Vineyard & Winery, Paso Robles, CA

• 2008 Jersey Girl
• 2008 Mirror
• 2008 Jack of Hearts

Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles, CA

• 2008 TCV Tannat
• 2008 TCV Mourvedre

Entrance to Alta Colina’s tasting room

Alta Colina, Paso Robles, CA

• 2008 Old 900
• 2008 Toasted Slope
• 2008 Ann’s Petit Sirah

This tasting room has a marvelous, quiet, lovely picnic lawn equipped with an extremely friendly dog named Buddy! We shared a bottle of their GSM with incredible cheeses and sausage from Di Raimondo’s on 13th St. in downtown Paso Robles next to The Two Little Birds Bakery!

Kenneth Volk Vineyards. Paso Robles, CA

• 2008 Aglianico, EPJ Vineyard
• 2008 Touriga
• 2008 Negrette
• 2005 Tempernello Starr Ranch
• 2008 Mouvedre Enz Vineyard
• 2007 Zin Enz Vineyard

If you visit Paso Robles Kenneth Volk and Lone Madrone Winery are a terrific complex to visit – Two excellent winery tasting rooms, an herb farm, gardens and animals!  And Lone Madrone showcases some excellent art and fair trade gifts.

Lone Madrone’s tasting room

Lone Madrone, Paso Robles, CA

• 2005 Nebbiolo
• 2007 The Will

Andrew Murray Vineyards, Los Olivos, CA

• 2008 Syrah – Watch Hill Vineyard

Epiphany, Los Olivos, CA

• 2007 Grenache
• 2008 Revelation
• 2010 Grenache Blanc

A side note: We enjoyed  the Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Cafe for a relaxing lunch during our day trip to Los Olivos.

Babcock Winery & Vineyards, Lompoc, CA

• 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon – New Epoc
• 2009 Fathom

View from Chateau Margene Tasting room

Chateau Margene, Paso Robles, CA

• 2007 Petite
• 2009 Pinot Reserve

Mooney Family, Paso Robles, CA

• 2007 Petite Sirah
• 2008 Pinot Noir

One perk about visiting wineries during the week is running into the owners and winemakers.  At Chateau Margene the owner/ winemaker was our host!

A side note:  The winery property has orchards of English Walnut trees and produces its own toasty walnut oil.

Melville Vineyards & Winery, Lompac, CA

• 2009 Verna’s Pinot Noir

Thunder eyeing the cheese board at Dover Canyon

Dover Canyon Winery, Paso Robles, CA

• 2008 Osso Seccho ( Zinfandel)
• 2007 Reserve Zinfandel

Barrel 27 Wine Company, Paso Robles, CA

• 2007 Right Hand Man
• 2007 Bull by the Horns
• 2008 Hand over Fist

Hug Cellars, Paso Robles, CA

• El Pape

Denner Vineyards, Paso Robles, CA

• 2009 Ditch Digger

Turley Wine Cellars, Templeton, CA

• 2008 Old Vines

We didn’t visit this winery as many of the small wineries are only open on the weekends, but John ordered a number of bottles from them recently…….

Sans Liege, Paso Robles, CA

• 2008 Prophetess
• 2009 Prophetess
• 2008 The Adversary
• 2009 Call to Arms
• 2009 Cotes-Du-Coast
• 2009 Groundwork Grenache

A side note:  Artisan’s in downtown Paso Robles was my favorite for dinner.  We also tried Thomas Hill Organics and McPhee’s Grill in Templeton.