Paso Robles Tasting Rooms
Located 3.5 hours from Los Angeles, Paso Robles is a not-so-hidden gem. Oddly enough, my friends and I just discovered this region of wineries and they are absolutely my vibe. On our way up to Sequoia National Park, we decided to stay a night in Paso Robles. This blog post will talk about my favorite tasting rooms in the city center. If you’re the adventurous type and want to be able to walk into town, I will be discussing that in my next post, along with the vineyards themselves, and where to stay in the area. There is just so much to say about Paso Robles that I will break it down so it's easy to pick the right place for you!
There are more than 270 wineries in the Paso Robles region alone, with more than fifteen tasting rooms all of which are within walking distance from each other in the city center. Most tasting rooms cost an average of $15-$20, with some definitely costing a lot more depending on the winery. The first tasting room that we stumbled upon after a delicious dinner at the Alchemist Garden was called Indegene Cellars. Everything was open-air seating at the time and all the tables were full. As we stood waiting for a table to open up, a waiter came up to us and asked if we would like to have a tasting, but that we would have to stand while other tables cleared out. We had no problem doing so, as it was a warm summer night and we had just walked a mile from our adorable AIRBNB. Within minutes, a table opened up and we got to meet the owner of the winery himself, Ray. He came over and told us stories and was so incredibly personable and relatable. I went with two girlfriends who usually have similar tastes in wine. Ray came over and even poured us some reserve wines that were not on the list, and in the end, each of us walked away with a few different bottles. My favorite part of wine tasting is taking home a bottle from a winery and opening it up a month after. I get to remember my experience and be able to try an amazing wine all over again!
Having been to Paso Robles three times now in 2020 alone, I can say I've never had a negative experience. I would visit some tasting rooms more frequently than others. The only place that I had slight afterthoughts was at Justin's tasting room. They have a “tasting experience” which allots an hour and a half to tasting their wines. We arrived wanting to taste, unaware of this rule with one hour and fifteen minutes to go. The lady at the tasting room was very strict and stern, leaving us feeling dismissed. It felt as though they didn't want to accommodate out-of-towners because of how mass-produced their brand was. I far more prefer the mom and pop wineries who actually care about sharing their passion for wine with others.
The shell collection was a small tasting room, filled with (I'm sure you can guess) shells. The server was this animated woman who gave us each seashell necklaces upon arrival. She spoke of how she has collected these seashells from around the world and brought them back here to her little shop. Needless to say, my friends and I collectively also purchased a case of bottles from this tasting room.
Serrano Tasting room is the most uniquely branded tasting room. They were a millennial couple who just got out there, started making wine, and they did it! Sarah, one of the owners, loves Harry Potter. If you know me, I LOVE all fantasy fiction novels, Harry Potter being one of my favorites. This past winter of 2020, they had a line of Harry Potter labeled wines. I was so lucky to be able to snatch two bottles of the Horcrux red wines before they were actually released. If you've read Harry Potter, you know the Horcruz is part of Voldemort's soul, separating it into many pieces to never be found, therefore also never able to die. Sarah labeled one of the wines Horcrux because she felt she put her soul into making her wines. How cute is that?!
Calipaso tasting room set up an outdoor seating area, with the barrels as our center tables. The lady serving us had the best energy and our experience there was overall wonderful. Our dinner was at the Hatch down the street, so we were able to put our names down (as there is always a wait) and taste while we waited for our table!
Paso Underground is a group of winemakers coming together to have a collaborative tasting room. At the time of our visit, Gary, the owner of Primitive Wines, was working the tasting room. This hidden gem is tucked away on a side street, but once found you will fall in love with their patio and tasting room! If we are talking strictly about wines, Primitive may be one of my favorites. We only bought a bottle each of us and I regret it, but I will definitely be back to taste and buy more bottles!
I'm saving the best for last because Hoyt Tasting room was my absolute favorite tasting room. We loved it so much that we visited twice during one trip! The vibe and the energy of the people working there, along with their delicious wine, made it hands down my favorite place to visit. I am attracted to good energy and every single worker gave off so much life and love for their wine, it was hard to stay away! On the Hoyt vineyard, which I have yet to visit, they also have two houses you can rent for XXX. Pictures are absolutely breathtaking and I will definitely be staying there my next time around! Click below for a free downloadable itinerary!
Check out my next blog for winery visits and accommodations!