Wine Tasting in Paso Robles is a fabulous weekend getaway in California or a fun place to stop when heading up through the California Central Coast. Located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, it is the perfect stop on a California Road Trip. Not only are the wines less expensive than Napa, but the wines also taste just as delicious. Outside of wine tasting, Paso Robles still has many activities to keep you busy. Paso Robles is an amazing place to spend a weekend.
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History of the Paso Robles Wine Country
Although the first grapes were introduced to the region in 1797, Paso Robles began producing wine in the 1880s. Prior to 1990, Paso Robles only contained 20 wineries. Present day, the Paso Robles Wine Country contains over 200 wineries with many award winning wines. Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignons, and Rhone-style variations are some of the most popular wines produced. However, more than 60 grape varieties grow in the Paso region thanks to the optimal growing conditions. Paso Robles has turned into one of the best wine regions in the United States.
Transportation around Paso Robles Wine Country
In order to get around for wine tasting in Paso Robles, you will need a car. It is the quickest and more convenient way of getting around. If you plan on visiting a lot of wineries in one day, look into hiring a driver. The reception is not the best to try and use Lyft/Uber. There are also many wine tours you can go on as well.
Where to Stay in Paso Robles
Although it is convenient to stay near Downtown Paso Robles, many of the hotels downtown are pricer. If you want to stay in a hotel, opt to stay just north of Downtown. Another option is to stay at an Airbnb. Airbnbs are a nice option if you would like to cook for yourself. Many of the wineries also have accommodations, so make sure to check individual wineries! New to Airbnb? Sign up here to get $55 off your first stay.
These are some great hotel options.
- Oaks Hotel (I have stayed here and it’s fabulous)
- La Quinta Paso Robles
- Best Western Plus Black Oak
- Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites
- Courtyard by Marriott Paso Robles
Paso Robles Wineries
With 200 wineries, it can be intimidating to decide which wineries to visit when wine tasting in Paso Robles. I have highlighted some of my favorites, some popular ones, and some wineries you might want to skip. One nice thing about Paso Wineries is that the wineries did not mind if you shared tastings and the employees were very friendly.
AmByth Estate
Address: 510 Sequoia Lane
Hours: Weekends 9am-4pm by appointment only,
Tasting Room Hours: Fri-Sat: 12pm-6pm, Sun: 12pm-4pm, Mon: 12pm-6pm
Cost: $40 for a tour which includes 6 tastings
A visit to AmByth Estate is a unique experience and one of my favorites when wine tasting in Paso Robles. AmByth is a certified biodynamic and organic winery. This means that all of their wines are unfiltered and do not have any extra chemicals added to them. These wines will be unlike any you have ever tasted.
All tastings are completely private (your group only). Your one to two hour visit begins with the history of the estate and a walk into the fields. After that, you will visit the barrel room to sample some wines. A couple of samples will be poured directly from the barrel to give you a taste of fresh wine. After that, you will get to sample at least 4 of their other wines. If you are interested in just a tasting, visit the new downtown Paso Robles location. I enjoyed all of their wines for their light and unique flavor.
Halter Ranch Vineyard
Address: 8910 Adelaida Road
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11am-5pm, Fri-Sun: 10am-5pm
Cost: $20 for 5 tastings
Founded in 2000, Halter Ranch is the perfect place to start a wine tasting in Paso Robles. The views from Halter Ranch were amazing. The wine hostess, Karla was very friendly and informative. Although this was one of the pricer tastings, they were good quality wines and had quite a variety. Halter Ranch mostly produces Bordeaux and Rhone-style wines. One of my favorites from Halter Ranch is their Rose.
Hearst Ranch Winery
Address:
Hours: Fri-Sun 11am-4pm
Cost: $20 for a Legacy tasting of 5 wines, $25 for a Proprietor’s tasting of 5 wines.
Hearst Ranch has two locations. One at the ever-popular Hearst Castle, and one in Paso Robles. For over 25 years, they have produced wine from their 90 acres of land. They have both a dog-friendly patio and an indoor tasting room. Their Proprietor’s Reserve Chardonnay is one of the best Chardonnays I have ever had. You will not be sorry visiting here when wine tasting in Paso Robles.
Mitchella Vineyard and Winery
Address: 2525 Mitchell Ranch Way
Hours: Thurs-Mon: 11am-4:30pm
Cost: $18 for 6 tastings with cheese pairing
Michella is a small family owned winery that specializes in premium handcrafted wines. The cool part about Michella was that they gave you cheese that paired with each wine that you tried and they had a swing set out back. However, I felt the tasting room was very small and the wines were okay. Also, they only had a porta potty for the bathroom. While a great place to relax, it is not the number one choice for wine tasting in Paso Robles.
Opolo Vineyards
Address: 7110 Vineyard Drive
Hours: 10am-5pm
Cost: $15 or $25 for reserve for 5 tastings
Opolo is a pretty well known Paso winery. This property contains a massive indoor tasting room as well as a large outdoor patio. There is also an Inn on the property. Visitors can opt to take a tour or partake in a wine and cheese pairing, besides wine tasting. There is also a distillery on site.
Although the tasting was not anything special, we liked that you could order off of a small menu for lunch and the patio was a gorgeous place to relax. Many of their wines make great inexpensive table wines and it is an enjoyable stop when wine tasting in Paso Robles.
Pear Valley Vineyard and Winery
Address: 4900 Union Road
Hours: 11am-5pm
Cost: $10 for 6 tastings
Pear Valley, a family-owned vineyard, produces many delicious and tasty wines. The best part about Pear Valley when wine tasting in Paso Robles were the views of the vineyards. There was an inside tasting room, but you could also sit outside and go back inside when you were ready for your next wine.
They offer a variety of white, red, and dessert wines and have something for everyone! Best of all, they are super affordable. I really enjoyed their Muscat Canelli.
Red Soles Winery
Address: 3230 Oakdale Road
Hours: 11am-5pm
Cost: $15 for 6 tastings
Red Soles, an adorable little winery with a decent sized tasting room had an outdoor area with picnic tables to eat food you brought. It also had a walk up window from the outside where you could order a glass of wine. Red Soles is such a fun experiences when wine tasting in Paso Robles.
Debbie, our hostess was so nice and friendly, it made our experience that much better. I liked the variety of wine they offered at Red Soles and especially enjoyed their dessert wines. As part of the winery, they also had a small distillery with four different liquors. They were okay and I would recommend sticking with the wine.
Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden
Address: 5015 Linne Road
Hours: 10am-5pm
Cost: $10 for 8 tastings
Sculpterra is one of my favorite wineries for wine tasting in Paso Robles. The entrance to the winery contains gigantic sculptures. While the main tasting room is inside, visitors are free to wander the property with a bottle and a glass of wine. Outside is a huge area with tables, live music, more sculptures, and vineyards to wander around. Visitors are free to bring their own food to consume outside to enjoy with their wine. Sculpterra’s Pinot Noir is always a favorite.
Sextant Winery (Paso Robles Location)
Cost: $20/person
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 10am-4pm and Fri-Sun: 10am-5pm
Sextant Winery is another favorite winery for wine tasting in Paso Robles. Owned by Craig and Nancy Stoller, this winery began in 2001. Present-day, it boasts two different locations, each with a unique experience. At the Paso Robles location, visitors can take in the rolling hills of the vineyards and see the winemaking in action. A tasting here costs $20 and you will get to sample a mix of both red and whites that Sextant makes. You can read more about the Edna Valley location in this post.
Tablas Creek Vineyard
Address: 9339 Adelaida Road
Hours: 10am-5pm
Cost: $15 for 6 tastings
Tablas Creek had some fantastic wines as well and is one of the most highly rated wines in the area. Tablas is also known for their organic and biodynamic wines. I have visited on two separate occasions and have now tried many of their wines. This winery produces many French Rhône-style wines. Depending on your preference and mood, make sure to check out the Esprit de Tablas and Cotes de Tablas wines.
Tobin James Cellars
Address: 8950 Union Road
Hours: 10am-6pm
Cost: Free unlimited tastings
Any first timers in Paso Robles wine country must visit Tobin James for the full experience. Although the wine is not the best quality, some of them tasted decent and they are inexpensive. Our server Maddie gave us many food pairings that the wines could go with. The best part about this winery was that the tastings were free! You could even try all of their wines if you wanted to.
Turley Wine Cellars
Address: 2900 Vineyard Dr.
Hours: 10am-5pm
Cost: $10 for 4 tastings
Turley produces old-vine Zinfandels and Petite Syrah using some of the most historical vineyards in Paso Robles. The tasting room was not large and it seemed crammed with stuff. There were only 4 wines to sample and none of them were that great. I would recommend avoiding this stop.
Villa Creek Cellars
Address: 5995 Peachy Canyon Road
Hours: Fri-Tues: 10am-4pm, Wed-Thurs: 10am-12pm
Cost: $30 By Appointment Only
Villa Creek Cellars, established in 2001, is another biodynamic winery in Paso Robles wine country. This small winery only does private tastings, so you must have an appointment prior to visiting. At the tasting you will get to try 5 different wines. A cool thing about Villa Creek is there is one server per a group which means you really get to talk to them about the wines. Villa Creek also produces a higher end Maha label. I enjoyed the Villa Creek Cuvee the most.
My Favorite Wineries for Wine Tasting in Paso Robles
The top three wineries I recommend when wine tasting in Paso Robles are Tablas Creek, Sculptera, and AmByth. These wineries give you a good back for your buck and provide a wide sampling of wines. They also all had a fantastic facility that was enjoyable to stay at for several hours. Halter Ranch was a good runner-up as they had great service, it was a decent value, and the facility was pleasant.
Want to do a Wine Tour?
Check out these listings for various wine tours of wine tasting in Paso Robles.
- Sightseeing by Sidecar
- Cass Winery Tour
- Sidecar Deluxe Wine Tour
- After Hours Winery Tour
- Wineries Day Trip with Lunch
- Sidecar Premier Wine Tour
- All-Inclusive Wine Tasting
Drop a comment below with your favorite Paso Robles Wineries.
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