Paso Robles Weekend Wine Travel Guide
The Paso Robles wine region has come into its own over the last two decades, becoming a world-class wine region in a state with no shortage of excellent wine.
While many of our readers, family, and friends have heard of Paso Robles, they are understandably more familiar with the history and wines of Napa and Sonoma.
Many people do not know that the history of winemaking in Paso Robles dates to the late 1700s and is home to more than a “hot” Zinfandel. Today, the Paso Robles wine region is home to 11 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), over 200 wineries, and grows more than 60 different grape varieties.
Despite this amazing growth, Paso Robles still feels like an undiscovered wine country.
We recently explored this diverse and laid-back wine region and have assembled this guide to help you plan your wine tasting trip to Paso Robles.
Our Paso Robles Weekend Wine Travel Guide shares a brief history of the region, terroir, and where to taste wine, and where to stay.
Paso Robles History
In 1797, Spanish conquistadors and Franciscan missionaries planted the first grapes in the Paso Robles area, and the Padres of Mission San Miguel were the first to produce wine here. In 1882, Andrew York, a settler from Indiana, established Ascension Winery (now York Mountain Winery) and introduced commercial winemaking in the region.
Today, Paso Robles still has an Old West feel, combined with the innovative spirit that has driven the region’s development into a wine destination.
In 1889, El Paso de Roblas, “The Pass of the Oaks, was renamed Paso Robles and was generally known for its hot springs and mud baths.
Fast forward to 1983, the Paso Robles AVA was established and created 11 sub-AVA districts that recognized the distinct topography and soil of the region.
Paso Robles AVA Map provided courtesy of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance
Paso Robles Terroir
If you have been to California’s Central Coast in the summer, you know it gets hot. And, if you’ve visited in the winter, you know it can be freezing at night.
How is it possible to grow anything but table grapes in this area?
The wine region has two major things going for it: the San Andreas fault zone and the Pacific Ocean.
The Paso Robles wine region sits near the San Andreas fault zone: an area where two of Earth’s tectonic plates slide past each other.
Millions of years ago, as these two plates pressed against each other, materials from the ancient sea were brought to Earth’s surface rather than sinking into the planet.
This resulted in soils that were rich and full of minerals, including blocks of calcareous soil, which is ideal for growing exceptional wine grapes.
The tectonic plate shifts also created mountains and hills throughout the region, allowing the vineyards in the area to benefit from dramatic drops in temperature at night. These temperature swings, known as a diurnal shift, cool down the vineyards during those warm summer months.
On top of that, the Pacific Ocean, located about 30 miles from Paso Robles, acts as a giant swamp cooler, cooling down the area throughout the year.
Insider Tip: The warmer weather in Paso Robles makes it a great year-round destination. The summer months – mid-May through mid-September – will be the hottest and the busiest, travel-wise. The spring and fall months are beautiful times to visit and maybe less crowded. Don’t forget to drink lots of water and bring your sunscreen!
paso robles wine tasting - west
Booker Vineyard
The first stop on our journey was Booker Vineyard, a leader in sustainable farming and maker of excellent wines. Did we mention that their brand-new tasting room is fabulous? This stop is a must on your wine tour if you have not been.
Eric and Lisa Jensen purchased 100 acres of property in Paso Robles’ Westside in 2001, intending to grow the best fruit as sustainably as possible. Fast-forward twenty years later, the Vineyard received their organic certification in April 2021 for the entire 100-acres.
While many vineyards talk about sustainability, Booker Vineyards models it, and they produce some of the best quality Rhone grapes in the world.
Our wine tasting experience began with a tour of the cellar and lounge area, located beneath the new tasting room. The cellar is like a library of greatest hits and includes bottles from each wine produced since 2001. We were drooling in anticipation of our tasting when we left the cellar.
The highlight is the Oublie, a Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre (GSM) blend, which has received numerous awards, including acknowledgment as a top ten wine in the world by Wine Enthusiast and as one of the top 100 wines in the world to the cellar by Wine Spectator.
We tried two different productions of the 2018 vintage Oublie. The first was aged in oak for 18 months and the second for an extended period of 22 months. Both were full-bodied and bold, yet soft and approachable. On the nose, we experienced dark fruit, licorice, and cedar. We loved the balance of black fruits, pepper, vanilla, and a touch of earth on the palate.
While both are ready to drink now, they can be cellared and enjoyed through 2035. We brought home a bottle to save for a special occasion, and we can’t wait to see how it evolves!
Our other favorite wine was the Ripper, made with 100% Grenache. This wine has straight sex appeal, with a nose of raspberries and roses and a bit of clove and fresh herbs. It is light to medium-bodied, rich, and creamy in the mouth and has a lovely chalky undertone. You better believe a bottle of this came home with us too!
Insider Tip: Be sure to make your reservation for a tasting well in advance as tastings are by reservation, and the weekends are especially busy.
To make a reservation at Booker, visit their website or call (805) 237-7367. They are open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM and are located at 2644 Anderson Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446.
Halter Ranch
The next stop on our trip was to one of the most beautiful and historic properties in this wine region: Halter Ranch.
In 1996, Hansjörg Wyss bought the original 900-acre property on Paso Roble’s westside and named it after his mother, Alice Halter.
He renovated the 1880s Victorian farmhouse on the property, which was the setting for the movie Arachnophobia, and holds member events today. He built a state-of-the-art, sleek, modern wine production facility and tasting room, where we had our experience overlooking the vineyard.
The vineyard comprises 206 of the 2,700-acre property with more than 30 acres dedicated to walnut and olive trees, a Chef’s Garden, and a citrus grove. However, most of the property has been dedicated to preserving the natural landscape and wildlife of the area.
Point of Interest: The world’s largest coastal live oak, the Ancestor Tree, is on the property and is estimated to be around 700 years old.
In addition to preserving the land, the winery has installed over 1,000 solar panels on the property, helping make winery productions 100% certified sustainable.
The estate grows various Bordeaux and Rhone grapes on the property and has a diverse lineup of wines. Our favorites include:
The Libelle Sparkling Picpoul Blanc - 100% Picpoul, a rarely used Rhone grape, is a real treat! It is light, crisp, and refreshing.
The Grenache Blanc - A blend of Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, and Viognier that is bright and fruity with a mineral undertone. We loved it paired with the seared sea bass dish.
The Rosé - A blend of Grenache, Picpoul Blanc, and Mourvèdre that smells like summer fruit and would be excellent on a warm summer day.
The Syrah - This wine is rich and juicy with black fruits and cocoa. It paired perfectly with the Hanger Steak with Ancestor Walnut Butter we had for lunch.
The Cabernet Sauvignon - Soft and supple for a Cab but still with a solid tannic framework, aromas of red fruits, and a touch of caramel and toasted oak. Cabernet Sauvignon aficionados will love this one.
The Ancestor - A Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot and Malbec. This wine is beautifully balanced with dark fruit, spice, caramel, and truffle.
If you love an incredible landscape, fantastic wines, and history, make sure that Halter Ranch is on your wine tasting list.
To make a reservation at Halter Ranch, visit their website or call (805) 226-9455. They are open Thursday through Monday from 10 AM to 5 PM and are located at 8910 Adelaida Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446.
Paso robles wine tasting - downtown
LXV Winery
There’s a reason USA Today named LXV Wine as one of America's top ten wine tasting experiences. This winery must be on your itinerary if you are looking for a unique sensory experience.
Quick Note: While we placed LXV in the downtown tasting area, they have a tasting room on their ranch in the Willow Creek sub-appellation of Paso Robles.
Neeta Mittal, LXV Wine co-owner with her husband Kunal Mittal, is one of the first Indian women in the U.S. to own a winery. The experience at the LXV Blue Room in downtown Paso Robles is not something you would find at a typical wine tasting room.
The tasting room is vibrant, with bold colors accentuated by plush pillows and couch-style seating. Our introduction to LXV began with the wine and exotic spice pairing. Each wine is paired with a unique spice blend dusted on a mild sheep’s milk cheese. The spice blends are crafted by Neeta and inspired by the marketplace she would visit with her mother as a child in a small village south of Mumbai, India.
As the wine steward prepared our tasting, we were eager to learn more about the winery owners and their journey to Paso Robles.
We learned that the name LXV plays on the 64 arts of the Kama Sutra. Most of us are familiar with one of those arts, the Art of Lovemaking. Neeta added her art, the Art of Winemaking. LXV is the Roman numeral for sixty-five.
We also learned that after a decade of winemaking in the region, Neeta and her husband recently purchased a 13-acre vineyard in the Willow Creek sub-appellation of Paso Robles. The vineyard, named Armaa N., means “the dream” and is where Neeta and her husband Kunal are growing a variety of Bordeaux grapes and two Sangiovese clones. They will be producing wine from the grapes when the vineyard matures.
For our tasting experience, we chose to try each wine with a spiced-blend flavor pairing.
The Spell - A blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, dark fruit nose, and a rich and ripe palate. The wine was paired with an umami blend of black truffle salt, garlic, cumin, black pepper, and onion powder.
The Jewel - A Sangiovese and Petit Verdot blend and a nod to the Super Tuscans that grow so well in the region. The spice blend was Sirroco, made from sumac, mango powder, nutritional yeast, and white pepper.
Rosé of Cabernet Franc – A 100% Cabernet Franc aged in 50% new oak, with notes of strawberry and a hint of red cherry, and strawberries, vanilla, and baking spices on the palate. This wine was paired with Mi Corazon, a blend of saffron, jalapeño, and vanilla sugar.
The Reserve Sangiovese – On the nose, earthly leaf, and spice; on the palate, pepper spice, leather, and a long finish. This wine was paired with Crescendo, a blend of cocoa, honey, Aleppo pepper, and cherry-smoked sea salt.
Sauvignon Blanc was paired with Bells of Bali, a blend of coconut, shallots, cilantro, lemongrass, and Hatch chili.
If you love spices, which we do, you can purchase packets and use them for your cooking and wine pairing adventures. Or you can make a reservation for one of their Friday night deconstructed wine workshops or a pairing dinner!
To make a reservation at the LXV Downtown Tasting Room, visit their website or call (805) 296-1902. They are open daily from 11 AM to 6 PM and are located at 1306 Pine St B, Paso Robles, CA 93446.
paso robles wine tasting - east
CASS Winery
The final stop on our journey was in the east at CASS Winery, located in the rolling, oak-studded hills on the eastern end of Paso Robles.
Although it tends to be warmer on this side of Paso Robles, the 145-acre vineyard is located east of the “Templeton Gap,” which provides a cool breeze in the evening and is ideal for growing wine grapes.
There are several ways to taste wine at CASS and we covered nearly all of them.
The first option is to visit the CASS tasting room, located at the vineyard entrance. You can taste wine inside the beautiful barn or on their shaded veranda. It was a gorgeous afternoon, and we decided to pair our wine tasting with several items on the lunch menu.
CASS Winery offers a standard and reserve tasting option to explore their 100% estate-grown Rhone and Bordeaux varietal wines, and we chose one of both.
Our favorites include the Marsanne, a rarely seen 100% Marsanne cold fermented in stainless steel. On the nose, we experienced blooming white flowers and tropical fruit notes of mango and pineapple on the palate. The finish is refreshing lemon zest and would pair well with a warm summer day on the vineyard, by the pool, or on the beach.
We also loved the Rockin’ One Red, a beautiful combination of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Petite Sirah. If you love GSM blends, you’ll love this one. We experienced black cherry, vanilla, tobacco, baking spice, soft tannins, and juicy acidity.
Our other favorite is the Syrah, which drew us in with a nose of savory spice and fruit leather. A mix of plum, blackberry, and vanilla root beer on the palate, with a pleasant lingering finish.
For lunch, we had the Grilled Polenta Cakes, the Harvest Salad, and the CASS Dip. All the ingredients in these dishes are either grown in the chef’s garden on the CASS Estate or locally sourced.
The polenta was crispy on the outside yet creamy on the inside and came with oyster mushrooms, spinach, and a tomato sauce. Polenta is a surprisingly hard dish to make well, and this one was hearty and delicious and is an excellent vegetarian option.
The CASS Dip is shaved smoked sirloin served with horseradish cream, arugula, provolone, and house-made rustic bread. The au jus sauce is straight fire.
Perhaps the most interesting dish was the Harvest Salad. This comes with both gold and red beets, curried butternut squash, a roasted red pepper vinaigrette, goat cheese, pepitas, and pickled onions. We could seriously eat this salad every day.
The second option to taste CASS Wines is to reserve a room at the Geneseo Inn, which is nestled in the vineyard and offers a stunning view of the surrounding landscape.
Where to Stay
Geneseo Inn at Cass Winery
The Geneseo Inn was built from repurposed shipping crates and was impeccably designed to provide a modern winery retreat. The rooms are named after legendary Rock N Roll songs, and upon entering, you can instantly see that no detail was missed in the design and construction.
We checked into our room around 4 PM and headed to the hotel’s lobby to partake in a complimentary happy hour of CASS Wines paired with cheese and charcuterie. We met several guests and shared our latest travel adventures over a glass of wine.
For our first happy hour, we tried the CASS Oasis Rosé, a blend of 55% Mourvèdre and 45% Grenache. This rosé is dry and crisp and full of ripe strawberries, fresh watermelon, and white peaches. We loved this wine and brought a bottle back to the room for the evening to pair with our dinner.
In addition to wine tasting, the Geneseo Inn offers a variety of activities on-site, such as a personal cooking presentation by CASS’ very own Chef, a vineyard dinner, horseback riding at sunset, archery, electric bike rides through the vineyard, a beekeeping experience, and a private massage in your room. For our visit, we did the private cooking experience and archery.
The Vineyard Dinner at Geneseo Inn is a private dining experience that is a must when staying here.
We loved watching the sunset over the property from our patio while we listened to the birds and crickets, watched the bunnies play among the vines, and sipped a bottle of CASS Winery’s Mourvèdre. Dinner was brought to us at the right moment, just when the afternoon light shifted to golden hour.
It was hard to choose, their menu had so many enticing choices, but we went with the Tuna Poké and the Bouillabaisse.
The quality of the tuna was superb; it was a deep red with an almost buttery texture. We could tell it was incredibly fresh, and the sides of seaweed salad and wonton chips were also delicious.
The Bouillabaisse was indeed a work of art. The broth was delicate and light, with just the right amount of saffron. It was packed with mussels, scallops, shrimp, salmon, and calamari. The chef topped the stew with three large crostini spread with savory saffron mustard. Order this if it is available on the menu.
We paired the 100% estate-grown Mourvèdre with dinner. This wine is full of smoky plum, earth, and spice and is an absolute delight.
Geneseo Inn also offers a complimentary breakfast for guests delivered right to your door. No fighting with other guests for the last piece of bacon or eating inside a crowded hotel banquet hall here.
The executive chef provides a choice of a sweet and savory special each day, complete with strong coffee, fresh-squeezed juice, yogurt parfait, pastries, and fresh fruit. There are also some traditional breakfast choices as well.
We had the Crab Cake Benedict and Blueberry Pancakes with Lemon ricotta sauce, with a side of bacon. FYI: the sausage and bacon are made on-site and are delicious!
Without a doubt, our stay at the Geneseo Inn was a highlight of our trip. It’s the quintessential wine country experience in Paso Robles.
To make a reservation at the CASS Tasting Room, visit their website or call (805) 296-1902. They are open daily from 11 AM to 5 PM and are located at 7350 Linne Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446.
To reserve a room at Geneseo Inn, visit their website or call (805) 239-8969. You can also email the Inn at theinn@casswines.com.
FINAL WORD
There’s so much to learn, explore and taste in Paso Robles wine country. We compiled this guide to help you start planning your Paso Robles wine tasting adventure, and we can’t wait to hear about your visit!