Paso Robles Wineries
When deciding which wineries to visit and if I am new to a region, I usually start by seeing if there are a few clustered together so that I can easily walk to them. It's easier for traveling purposes, especially if you are taking an uber because then you’d only be needing one pick up and drop off location. Always be safe, don’t drink and drive! The first wineries I found were on yelp. From there, I planned out our adventures accordingly.
The first winery I visited was Parrish Winery. It was early in the pandemic and they had just reopened with outdoor seating only. Most places were only doing reservations and we were not aware of that, so we were limited on where we could taste. I called ahead and Parrish was able to accomodate us! We sat in a restaurant style with a waiter who served us tasting by tasting. Our waiter was absolutely wonderful, so much so that my friends and I became wine club members. We also made the decision to return to Paso Robles every three months because of the consistency of the wine club at Parrish. Yes, that means we drive up every three months to taste and pick up wines at Parrish Winery. The wine club is fantastic too because you get to pick whatever bottles you want! Our waiter was kind enough that he kept bringing out more wine for us to try and revisit! The lunch bites were also delicious that we now try to start our day at Parrish Winery with lunch and a tasting and go from there. The winery sits on the top of a hill, with gorgeous views, and delicious wine. I highly recommend this winery!
Just up the road and walking distance (.03 miles) from Parrish Winery is Manucci Winery & Distillery/Wild Coyote B&B. They specialize in Movedre varietals, which for me was great because I love dry medium bodied wines. The winery is full of little teepees which give it a beautiful spanish look. Gianni Manucci, the owner himself served us our wine. He was super cool and we ended up leaving with a few bottles of wine. You can tell Gianni loves what he does and I found out Wild Coyote is one of the first wineries in that area. They have a Bed and Breakfast on site and I will definitely be staying on their beautiful lot next time! Rooms go around $350 a night and their house is about $550 a night.
Down the street, about point three miles from Parrish and Manucci Winery is McPrice Myers Wines. Upon arriving, their winery dog came right up to us and greeted my friends and I. We fell in love with this little pup. He even sat with us for a little while we were tasting wines on their outdoor picnic tables. Most of their wines are single vineyard wines which pretty much means they are superior wines because of the specific criteria used to define a single vineyard label, and the care and attention given to the vines and grapes grown in a single location. We became wine club members for this place and loved how they've pivoted to include virtual tastings for their club members during the pandemic.
Other vineyards and wineries in the area that I loved were Vina Robles Winery and Vineyard and Robert Hall Winery. If you are visiting Vina Robles, definitely come on an empty stomach and make room for food! Their chicken sandwich, mac and cheese, and fries were seriously soooo delicious. Their tastings start at $15, but if you buy a bottle, your tasting is free! They have bottles for under $20, so technically your tasting and bottle to take home come out to less than $20 before tip. That's what I call a deal! Robert Hall Winery reminds me of being out in Boston, with huge exposed brick buildings. They specialize in GSM varieties. GSM stands for Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre blends originally from France. They are an acquired taste in my opinion, being a little too dry and full bodied for my taste.
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