Anyone who knows me, knows I love wine. Buttery Chardonnays, crisp Rosés, bold Cabernet Sauvignons, or velvety Merlots, I truly enjoy every type and flavor. So it seemed only natural for my husband and I to celebrate our wedding anniversary with a wonderful wine tasting weekend getaway in Paso Robles.
Paso Robles is a quaint and quiet town, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The lush oak trees, rambling hills, and miles of picturesque vineyards make you feel like you are in the middle of Tuscany, not Central California. But don’t let this town’s sleepy vibe fool you. Paso Robles is a booming wine destination with over 40,000 acres of vineyards and more than 230 wineries. There are over 40 wine grape varietals grown in this region alone and this diversity makes the wine tasting experience in Paso so amazing.
So what exactly is wine tasting?
For those who have never been wine tasting, let me explain how this process works. Each winery has a tasting room that offers a flight of their wines for a small fee. The average tasting in Paso Robles is $15 per person and consists of 5-6 small pourings of wine. The wine is poured and tasted in order from white to red, with the boldest and most complex wines saved for last. One wine tasting flight is equivalent to a full glass of wine, give or take. My husband and I chose to share the majority of our tastings this weekend. This allowed us to indulge in luxurious wines and spirits without sacrificing our sobriety or wallet.
My husband and I had an incredible and unforgettable experience in Paso Robles. Read about our adventure there and hopefully you will be inspired to visit this phenomenal wine region as well.
The Ultimate Wine Tasting Weekend in Paso Robles
Day One- The Highway 46 West Wine Trail
Tooth & Nail Winery
French chateau meets modern industrial at this stunning winery. Dark wood, overstuffed velvet couches, gothic art, and a huge stone fireplace decorate the chic medieval themed tasting room. The weather was beautiful so my husband and I enjoyed our wine pourings al fresco under an oversized pergola listening to live music. We tasted six different wines, two whites and four reds. Each pouring was decadent and delicious. My personal favorite was the 2015 Rabble Merlot.
We ate lunch at Tooth & Nail Winery and had one of the best meals of our getaway. We split scrumptious pork belly sliders and carnitas tacos. The flavor of the food and wine paired together was heavenly.
After our tasting we were able to explore the castle and see all the beautiful architecture, historical art, and breathtaking views.
Pelletiere Estate
Pronounced “pellah-terry”, this winery specializes in Italian style wines. The quaint tasting room is in an old farmhouse dating from the 1890s. We entered and immediately noticed the large wall of wine barrels inside. These barrels were full of wine that was aging and waiting to be put into bottle. I found it clever and unique for Pelletiere to use their winemaking process as part of their decor. 
Another impressive piece of this winery was the two Italian amphorae flanking the wall of wine barrels. Amphorae are large terracotta urns that were used by the Greeks and Romans since the Bronze Age for storing, aging, and transporting wine. Following the Italian tradition, Pelletiere Estate is making some of their Sangiovese in these beautiful vessels.
We tasted five different wines. The 2017 Mayson Rosé was crisp and complex but the 2014 Nebbiolo was out of this world. It was smoky, sophisticated and had a slight taste of whiskey when it hit your palate.
KROBĀR Craft Distillery
This hidden gem is tucked away on the grounds of the Grey Wolf and Barton Family Winery and is a must visit. The industrial farmhouse styled tasting room is welcoming and comfortable. We walked up to the beautiful dark wood bar and began to sample an eclectic list of Krobār’s spirits. The pink gin, port rye whiskey, and cask strength bourbon and rye make this place a whiskey lovers mecca. Our pourer let us into the back room so we could see the impressive stills and how the liquor was made.
We tasted five different extraordinary spirits and purchased a bottle of the deliciously smoky Rye Whiskey.
Along with their extensive lists of liquors, Krobār also sold the Yes Cocktail Co. handcrafted mixers. This company makes all natural, small batch mixers right in Paso Robles. We purchased the Blood Orange Chili Pepper mixer. That, added to Krobār’s Rye Whiskey, made for one killer spicy Old Fashioned cocktail.
Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Famous for their DBA, the Firestone Walker Brewing Company offered a variety of tasting and experiences for their visitors.
We did our tasting in the brewery’s factory-like visitor center where there were fourteen beers on tap. Unlike wine tasting, where we sampled a set flight of wine at a set price, this brewery gave us the option to choose the type and amount of beer that we wanted to try. We paid per single taste and drank four different beers that ranged in flavor from caramel coffee to earthy and woodsy. It was a great way to finish our first day of wine tasting.
Catch Seafood Bar and Grill
This tasty seafood restaurant is located in downtown Paso Robles. It has a casual atmosphere but the food was anything but that.
We sat at the chef’s counter and were entertained watching the chef and his assistant beautifully prepare and plate each entreé. We started with the calamari appetizer. Unlike the traditional plate of greasy fried calamari rings and legs, this dish featured full calamari steaks that were pounded thin, delicately breaded, lightly fried, then served thinly sliced on our plate. It was incredibly delicious. We also shared a halibut steak prepared Florentine style that was incredible. The portions were generous and we left here with full bellies and happy faces.
1122 Cocktail Lounge
This was an unplanned stop in our wine tasting itinerary but I am so glad we added it to our plan. Our host at KROBĀR recommended this newly opened speakeasy for an after dinner drink. Located off a small side street on the main strip in town, we walked up to a discreet store front with no name or numbers. Just this sign.
So we rang the bell and waited. A small slit in the door soon opened and a face greeted us and asked if we would like to enter. We told our mysterious doorman yes then waited while he prepared a place for us. After a few minutes the door opened and we were escorted into one of the most luxurious, ornate, and beautiful bars I have ever been to.
Art Deco inspired decor, Prohibition Era music softly playing in the background, and leather bound drink menus filled with pages of cocktails and liquors, made me feel like I had been transported to an elegant New Orleans bar in the 1920’s. It was delightful.
We ordered our drinks and then watched in awe as our mixologist prepared them. It was quite a performance; liquid nitrogen to chill our glasses to freezing temperatures, fresh squeezed citrus, and large ice cubes chipped off an ice block by hand are just a few of the many details that went into creating our cocktails. The complexity of aromas, tastes, and the visual experience made this place incredible. We loved 1122 so much we came back the following night to be part of the speak easy experience and taste different concoctions from the artisan mixologists.
Day Two- The Adelaida Road Trail
JUSTIN Winery
We started our day at Justin, one of Paso Robles oldest and most famous wineries.
The newly remodeled tasting room was spacious and elegant with spectacular views of the property.
The weather once again was beautiful so we opted to have our tasting on their spacious multi level patio that overlooks the vineyards. We watched small families of quail and rabbits scamper through the grapevines and grass while we sipped our wine. We tasted five different bottles including Justin’s most famed and award winning red blend, the Isoceles. Our host was very informative and friendly, telling us about the history of Justin and guiding us through the different nuances and flavors of the wine. We purchased a bottle of the light and refreshing 2017 Rosé.
Halter Ranch Vineyard
Halter Ranch is a beautiful estate rich in Paso Robles history.
To reach the tasting room, we had to drive past a historic Victorian house dating from 1885 and cross an impressive covered bridge made of cedar. We continued up a winding driveway to the newly constructed Halter Ranch Winery.
The tasting room was expansive with spectacular panoramic views that overlooked the majority of the vineyard.
Halter Ranch offered complimentary winery and cave tours so we took advantage of this opportunity and reserved a spot for the morning tour. Ryan was our guide and he did an incredible job informing us on the heritage, history and winemaking process of Halter Ranch.
We toured every inch of this winery. The caves were breathtaking. We walked past thousands of barrels, beautiful on their own, but made even more stunning now that we knew the process and story behind how those barrels were filled.
Our tour finished in the gorgeous sunlit tasting room where we were poured a delicious flight of wines. I was highly impressed with the Rhône style blend named CDP and the 2017 Rosé and bought one bottle of each.
DAOU Vineyards and Winery
Daou is the highest vineyard in Paso Robles and the views take your breath away. This Spanish Mediterranean themed winery was opulent, luxurious, and elegant. Alongside wine tasting, Daou also featured food and wine pairing opportunities. Since this was our midday stop, I made reservations for us to try their Cheese and Charcuterie Experience. This turned out to be way more than just eating and drinking.
We were greeted with glasses of Daou Rosé and met our personal wine educator, Oscar, who became our host for the afternoon. He gave us a quick tour of the property and even allowed us to climb to the top of the tasting room’s bell tower. At the top of the tower, we saw a Spanish monastery bell made in 1740. Daou rings this bell three times a year; when harvest starts, when harvest ends, and the on wedding anniversary of the founder’s parents.
After our tour, Oscar brought us to a shaded patio table that was prepared with wine and food fit for a king. We had six different pourings that were matched with six different artisan cheeses and meats from local creameries. Everything tasted divine. My palate was overwhelmed with all the complex and beautiful flavors. Our wine tasting included Daou’s highly coveted Estate Soul of a Lion wine that was out of this world. The Cheese and Charcuterie Experience extravagantly surpassed all our expectations and we purchased a bottle of one of the red wines we sampled named Unbound.
Pasolivo
We took a small break from wine tasting and visited Pasolivo. This delightful olive oil tasting room, surrounded by enormous towering oak trees, was just the respite we needed.
To start our tasting, we were each given a small bag filled with crusty baguette slices and watched our guide pour a tantalizing assortment of olive oils. We then sampled the traditional EVOO and other unique flavors including rosemary, lime, tangerine, and basil.
After we tasted all the olive oils on their own, our host began to add flavor infused salts to the mix. These salts took the oils to a whole new level and enhanced every single one of their flavors. It was hard to choose but we decided to purchase the Sun Dried Tomato salt and the Ghost Pepper salt.
Re:find Handcrafted Spirits
This distillery, located on the same property as the Bodega de Edgar Vineyard, is another hidden gem of Paso Robles. We had the option to sample both the wines and spirits in the tasting room but we opted to try just the liquor.
We were poured five amazing spirits but I thought the Cucumber Flavored Vodka and the Limencello (not pictured because it needed to be kept cold in the refrigerator) were standouts. Each had a crisp, clean, refreshing flavor that was very smooth to drink. Re:find also sold seasonal cocktails and the Yes Cocktail Co mixers. We purchased the Cucumber Jalapeño mixer after we sampled a taste of it combined with Re:find’s Vodka.
The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar
This downtown Paso Robles restaurant was buzzing with people and full of delicious sights and smells when we walked in. The huge brick wall that ran the length of the restaurant reminded me of a trendy Manhattan eatery. The menu was full of upscale comfort food and rotisserie cuisine options. I was told the popular daily specials are regularly sold out by 8pm every night. My husband and I shared a pork belly appetizer and the special of the day, fried chicken. The chicken was amazing; crunchy, crispy and with just a touch of spice on the outside and delicate and juicy on the inside. And just like I was warned, the fried chicken had sold out by the end of our dinner.
Paso Robles was an incredible place to visit. With such variety in the wines and wineries, there truly was something for every taste and budget.
Thank you for letting me share my experience and I hope this prompts you to pack your bags and head out to Paso Robles for some amazing wine tasting adventures! Cheers!
