33 Incredible Paso Robles Wineries: the Best Wineries in Paso Robles, California (2024)

Paso Robles, California is the Central Coast’s answer to Napa and Sonoma. Located under an hour from San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, the Central Coast town where my husband grew up, this California wine country town is a trailblazer in its own right, and worth a trip down from the well-worn path of Northern California wine country. It’s one of the best places to visit on California’s Central Coast!

Here’s our guide to the best wineries in Paso Robles and everything you need to plan your trip. And of course, we included the best restaurants in Paso Robles, because good wine should be paired with good food. Plus,our recommendations for the bestPaso Robles lodging to stagger home to after a long day of drinking (no judgment from us).

• Important Note: As of 2020, many vineyards are restricting tastings and requiring reservations for safety. There may be waiting lists, so book in advance if you can! Many tasting rooms have also updated their policies to include tasting room fees to help support their businesses and employees given the current challenges. Those fees are often waived if you purchase a bottle of wine to bring home with you!

Planning a Highway One road trip? We’ve created a detailed 10-day California Coast road trip itinerary to help you plan! Enter your email below and we’ll send you a printable version, plus tips to plan your trip.

Psst: Planning a trip to Paso Robles? Check out some of our other posts!

• 11 Perfect Things to do in Paso Robles, California
• The Best Wineries in Paso Robles, California

We’ve also got a bunch of travel guides for nearby getaways in California’s Central Coast, where I grew up!

• 12 Adorable Things to do in Morro Bay, California
• 12 Charming Things to Do in Cayucos, California
• 41 Marvelous Things to Do in Monterey, California
• 8 Quintessential Places to Visit on California’s Central Coast

And, if you’ll be visiting Paso Robles as part of a Highway One road trip, we’ve got a few travel guides for that, too:

• The 32 Best Pacific Coast Highway Stops
• The Ultimate 10-Day California Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary

This is a hefty post, so pour yourself a glass of wine and get settled.

Things to Know About Paso Robles

The first thing you need to know about Paso Robles is how to pronounce Paso Robles, not because it’s especially important, but because you’re going to get a lot of weird looks if you aren’t aware of this (and also because it bugs me to no end). The actual name of the town, “Paso Robles,” isn’t pronounced like you would think -that is, if you’re a person who speaks Spanish. Throw that Spanish accent right out the window.

Instead, say Paso Robles with basically the whitest sounding pronunciation of any Spanish words that you can imagine. Like pronouncing the L’s in quesadilla, or the fact that the state of Montana was probably supposed to be pronounced Montaña. It’s Paso Robles: not Paso robe-lays, Paso robe-ulls. Paso … Robles.

Ok, now that we’ve gotten pronunciation out of the way, rest assured: we can forgive Paso Robles for its deceivingly Americanized name, because it’s the home of some of the absolutely best food, wine, spirits, and craft beer that you’ll find throughout all of California – particularly on the Central Coast.

Here’s the second thing to know about Paso Robles:it’s not Napa or Sonoma. We heard many folks describe Paso Robles as “What Napa was like in the 70’s,” and if that’s true, then you’ll want to visit ASAP before Paso Robles’ charm evolves into …. well, if you’ve ever been to Napa, you know what I’m talking about. Napa, I love you, but you used to be a LOT less expensive… and crowded.

Anyway, don’t visit Paso Robles expecting it to be a Napa or Sonoma knock-off. They may share rolling vineyards and wine tasting opportunities galore, but that’s about where the similarities end.

Paso Robles is its own, totally unique place, with an awesome laid-back and friendly vibe – and the wine tasting in Paso Robles is just as good as you’ll find up north. We wouldn’t blame you if you went to Paso Robles just for the world class wine, but there’s actually a lot of OTHER reasons to visit Paso Robles, too. Like the craft breweries, or the craft distilleries, all of which are working in tandem to produce some of the best locally produced booze we’ve ever tasted (and yes: we also have a guide to the best Paso Robles breweries and distilleries!)

Or how about the amazing Paso Robles restaurants? The food is locally sourced, expertly prepared, and so incredibly good, all without pretentiousness or exclusivity. Paso Robles, you’re so multi-talented. We’ve got an entire guide devoted to all the amazing things to do in Paso Robles!

And then there’s the people of Paso Robles: friendly, welcoming, super chill, and incredibly passionate when it comes to their community, their town, the land that they’re privileged enough to farm and harvest from, and most of all, their craft. Imagine being able to walk into a winery or distillery and spend a couple of hours chatting with the owner. You could never do that in Napa – heck, you couldn’t even do that in Bourbon Country, Kentucky, and y’all, we’re friendly AF.

But even at the best wineries in Paso Robles, the owners are just as accessible and friendly as the rest of the folks in town. Strike up a conversation with a Paso Robles local, and you’ll be treated to any number of recommendations, glowing praise, and fascinating backstories for other local Paso Robles businesses and attractions. Everyone seems to know each other, and what’s more, everyone is totally supportive of one another, even their direct competitors. (Case in point: many of the wineries we included in this post were recommended to us by other winery owners!)

It’s this unique friendliness and open-arms vibe that gives Paso Robles a small-town charm, even in the midst of worldwide accolades and a booming tourism business.

How to Get to Paso Robles

Paso Robles is located on California’s Central Coast, which is halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. This makes it an easy trip from almost anywhere in California – Northern or Southern.

Paso Robles is quite close to the coast: maybe 40 minutes away, accessible by driving through gorgeous rolling hills and incredible scenery. It’s a quick drive from the Pacific Coast Highway, so don’t skip a visit while you’re road tripping the most beautiful highway/road trip/coastline in the world (not that we’re biased … well we are, but we’re right).

Likewise, when you visit Paso Robles, don’t forget about its sister towns in San Luis Obispo county, such as Morro Bay, Cayucos, or San Luis Obispo itself. You can easily spend a week exploring the Central Coast (and we think you should).

In fact, we have an entire post all about things to do on California’s Central Coast. This entire area is where Jeremy grew up, so it’s near and dear to our hearts. But if you’re foodies, wine snobs, and/or booze tourists (*raises hand*), Paso Robles is the star of the show.

• Travel Tip: Give yourself at least 2-3 days to experience Paso Robles. A day trip to Paso Robles will limit you to only a small handful of wineries and that’s really unfair to yourself. Better make it a weekend getaway instead. Treat yo-self!

If you’re coming from out of state, there are 3 ways to get to Paso Robles.

1. Fly into San Luis Obispo: San Luis Obispo is the nearest city and the only one with an airport. Granted, it’s a regional airport, but it does its job. You’ll find direct flights from Seattle, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. From San Luis Obispo, it’s only a 40 minute drive to Paso Robles.
2. Drive from LAX or SFO: If you’re after that California Highway One road trip experience, Paso Robles is a fantastic destination from either San Francisco or Los Angeles.
   • From San Francisco, we recommend driving down Highway One, which is the best road trip in the world and also the most beautiful drive in the world and we’re not lying it really is so just do it and thank us later. (Oh, and check out our guides to the perfect Highway One itinerary & the best stops along the PCH.) On Highway One, it will take 6 hours to get to Paso Robles, but it’s absolutely freaking gorgeous. On the 101, which is still pretty but not the most beautiful highway in the world, it will take only 3 hours.
   • From Los Angeles, it takes 3 hours driving up the 5, or 4 hours driving up the 101 to get to Paso Robles. The 101 is prettier and, we think, worth the extra hour.
3. Amtrak: It’s not the quickest way to travel to Paso Robles, but it’s definitely just as scenic and relaxing. If you’d rather ride the rails from a nearby city, you can do so on Amtrak. Paso Robles has its own Amtrak station platform (PRB is the abbreviation) where you can get in and out of the city. There are regular trains that pass through Paso Robles from San Francisco (~6 hours one way) and Los Angeles (~8-9 hours one way).

How to Get Around the Paso Robles Vineyards

The biggest question people have when they’re planning a day of Paso Robles wine tasting is how to get around to the wineries in Paso Robles.Does somebodyhave to miss out on the wine and DD? Should I just take Lyft everywhere? Can I even afford to go to multiple wineries in Paso Robles?!

It’s a valid concern, especially since the wineries in Paso Roblesare mostly clustered together on opposite sides of town: there’s the East Wineries, and the West Wineries, on opposites of Paso Robles’ Highway 46. While both sides boast truly incredible wineries, we think driving through the West side is more scenic.

You’ll need to be careful when planning which wineries you want to visit and assign someone to be a DD, or take a lot of expensive Lyfts between wineries.

Or, take the easy way out, and book a wine tour,like this one!Getting a wine tour in Paso Robles won’t break the bank, and it’s the stress free way to get around to wineries in Paso Robles.

• Paso Wine Tasting tip: Do wineries first – in the late morning / lunchtime. Pace yourself or do a tour. Then, head downtown to the tasting rooms so everyone can drink and you can walk it off as you explore and wait around until dinner.

Paso Robles Wine Tours

There are two main wine tour companies in Paso Robles: The Wine Line, and The Wine Wrangler.

• The Wine Line

The Wine Line is a fantastic option if you’ll be staying outside of Paso Robles and just popping in for a day of wine tasting! Instead of being a pre-set wine tour,The Wine Lineacts like a budget-friendly hop-on, hop-off option that works like your personal ride. You’ll choose 4 wineries in Paso Robles from the Wine Line’s extensive list and enjoy a comfortable shuttle between them.

It’s the perfect option for anyone who doesn’t want to be tied to the constraints of a tour.And if you aren’t sure where you want to go, The Wine Line will help you create a day of wine tasting in Paso Robles that fits your preferences.

You can book the Wine Line’s hop-on, hop-off wine-tasting tour on Viator. Just choose whether you want to be picked up in Morro Bay, Cayucos, San Luis Obispo, or Pismo Beach.

• The Wine Wrangler

The Wine Wrangler is a great option if you’re staying in Paso Robles proper. You’ll be picked up in Paso and shuttled to 4-6 wineries, learning all about wine along the way. Plus, they’ll keep you hydrated and fed!

The Wine Wrangler’s tours stay small and their itineraries are customizable – you can pick/request specific wineries, or sit back and let the pro’s decide where to take you. There are options for full-day or half-day, but we think the 5-hour full-day tour is the better value. Check prices & availability here.

Now that we’ve got the logistics out of the way, let me talk about why we’re all here: the wine. Here are the best wineries in Paso Robles!

The Best Wineries in Paso Robles

There are SO MANY wineries and drop-dead gorgeous places to go wine tastingin Paso Robles: estimates on how many wineries there actually are range anywhere from 100-300, depending on who you ask. This makes the task of whittling determining which spots are must-see wineries in Paso Robles incredibly difficult.

Luckily, we’ve done most of the work for you. To determine the best wineries in Paso Robles, we relied on our own experiences over many years of visiting Paso Robles, as well as the advice of locals: from Jeremy’s Central Coast friends, to our friendly Paso Robles wine tour operator, to the winery owners themselves – all of which had their own favorites – to pretty much everyone else we met, from servers to baristas to our host at our Paso Robles accommodation. Everyone in Paso Robles, it seems, is well versed in which wineries are worth a visit.

We’ve categorized our favorites in terms of their main appeal: each of these wineries in Paso Robles serves up incredible, high-quality wine, but each also has a unique attraction that makes them special and, we think, a cut above the rest. We’ve also included all of the vetted recommendations we haven’t had a chance to visit ourselves yet, for a total of 33 truly incredible wineries in Paso Robles!

So let’s get to it, shall we?

Scenic Paso Robles Wineries

If you’re looking for a glass of wine with a view, Calcareous and DAOU are the most scenic wineries in Paso Robles. From the winding drive to reach each of these stunning wineries, to the view from the wine tasting room and the surrounding areas, you’ll be treated to sweeping vistas of Paso Robles and the Central Coast.

DAOU Vineyards

Panoramic mountain vistas. Culinary pairings. Incredible wine. DAOU vineyards is a cut above the rest of the wineries in Paso Robles, for several reasons – not the least of which is its status as the direct descendent of the first gravity-flow winery in America and first commercial-scale winery in Paso Robles.

What makes DAOU Mountain special – other than those to-die-for views – is its terroir. Its soil, calcareous clay mixed with limestone, is famously found in Saint-Émilion and the right bank of Bordeaux. Combined with a higher elevation, hot sunny days, and cooling Pacific Ocean breezes, the climate is perfect for Bordeaux varieties.

So, yes: you’ll find deep, rich Cabernets Sauvignons and intense, fruity Bordeaux here! Which, personally, are my favorites.

While DAOU is definitely NOT one of the more budget-friendly wineries in Paso Robles, their wine is well worth the higher price – as is the experience of sitting on their stunning patio and sipping wine while taking in the view.

• DAOU Website | Address: 2777 Hidden Mountain Road, Paso Robles

Calcareous Vineyard

If your ears perked up at the word “calcareous,” you get a gold star! The name of this stunning vineyard refers to its soil: situated on one of the highest limestone plateaus on Paso Robles’ west side, the Calcareous estate sits atop solid calcareous rock reaching 1,800 feet above sea level.

The unique setting and mix of marine air, fog, and sun is the perfect setting for Bordeaux, Rhone, and Burgundy varietals. Plus, Calcareous grows several other varietals at its 2 other vineyards, so your wine tasting experience can be customized to your preferences.

The adage here is “come for the wine, stay for the views,” and we have to agree: the stunning patio and sweeping views make Calcareous one of the most scenic wineries in Paso Robles!

Calcareous Website | Address: 3430 Peachy Canyon Road, Paso Robles

Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden

At the family-owned Sculpterra Winery, pristine landscaping enhances the multi-million dollar sculpture garden that looks like it belongs out of an avant-garde Italian film.

Pieces from Central Californian and other American artists are featured throughout the impressively-tended gardens surrounding the winery, as well as on display in Sculpterra’s tasting room.

The wines are equally remarkable – make sure to try their excellent Rhone Style and Bordeaux blends!

• Sculpterra Website | Address: 5015 Linne Rd, Paso Robles

Budget-Friendly Wineries in Paso Robles

Paso Robles has a reputation for being more affordable than Napa, and we have to agree – Paso Robles is one of the few wine countries in California where you can still find complimentary tastings, tours, or pairings. But there’s no sacrifice in quality at these budget-friendly wineries!

Eberle Winery

Both Eberle Winery and Halter Ranch Winery offer complimentary winery & cave tours, which is an awesome opportunity to see the making of wine behind-the-scenes (or in this case, under-the-ground).

We were especially impressed with the quality of the wine at Eberle: for a free wine tasting, we expected subpar wines, but they were actually some of the best we tasted during our entire visit!

• Eberle Winery | Address: 3810 CA 46 Highway, Paso Robles
• Halter Ranch: Make a Reservation | Address: 8910 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles

Tobin James

Most folks who visit Paso Robles know about Tobin James. The winery is centrally located in town just off of the highway, and they’re insanely generous with the pours included in their complimentary wine tastings.

The fan favorite is Liquid Love: we hear it’s the perfect red wine to pair with dark chocolate!Ooh la la.

• Tobin James Website | Address: 8950 Union Road, Paso Robles

Eco-Friendly & Sustainable Wineries in Paso Robles

Social responsibility is incredibly important to us: both because we love the environment, and the human race, and would like to see both of them co-exist for many years to come; and also because we’ve discovered that many environmentally friendly wineries employ helpful and adorable animals to assist with the tasks of old-school vineyard maintenance, which is our favorite thing.

Niner Wine Estates

The first thing you notice upon entering Niner Wine Estates is a gigantic heart made of trees on a hill. Appropriately, this vineyard (one of 3 vineyards in Paso Robles under Niner’s ownership) is called Heart Hill.

The next thing you notice is how gorgeous the tasting room is. With features made of wood and stone, a roaring fireplace, and ceilings tall enough to accommodate a bunch of giraffes playing Quidditch, it doesn’t get much more beautiful.

But when it comes to visiting Niner Wine Estates, it’s not all about aesthetics. They’ve recently installed solar paneling that accounts for 110% of their energy usage. No that’s not a typo. If that’s not enough, their facility has been LEED Certified (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design) by designing their buildings in a way to not waste a single drop of water and cut back on energy usage.

Still not impressed? Well, get this: Niner was the first winery in Paso Robles to be granted SIP Certification (Sustainability in Practice), which means that in addition to sustainablefarming, they adhere to a set of rigid guidelines regarding the 3 P’s of sustainability: People, Planet, and Prosperity.

What does this mean to you as a consumer? You’ll be helping a business be not just globally responsible, but socially as well.

Oh, and obviously, the wine is fantastic.

• Travel Tip: Niner has a fantastic restaurant, as well as a lovely outdoor patio. It’s a great spot to grab a fancy lunch, or bring your own for a gorgeous outdoor picnic with a glass of wine.
• Niner Wine Estates Website | Address: 2400 Highway 46 West, Paso Robles

Tablas Creek Vineyard

When we heard that Tablas Creek – an organic and environmentally sustainable winery in Paso Robles – was home to a herd of Alpacas, we knew we had to visit (ever since we met a herd of Alpacas at a winery in Chile, we’re obsessed with winery alpacas).

As it turns out, the alpacas at Tablas Creek Vineyard aren’t so much a herd as a team, and their job is to guard a much larger flock of sheep, who are also employed at the winery. The sheep’s job is to munch the crops that grow around the vines, stomp their tiny little hooves to mulch the soil, and generally bring adorableness and joy to the world.

Touring Tablas Creek Vineyard, we didn’t get a chance to meet the busy sheep & alpacas working elsewhere on the property, but we did get to hear the details of this biodynamic winery. Founded in partnership with a French vineyard, Tablas Winery brought Rhone varietal grapes to Paso Robles – which makes it sound a lot easier than the actual process, involving a particularly dodgy-looking suitcase full of sticks getting stuck in custom for several years – and these French varietals have since become one of the hallmarks of Paso Robles wines.

In addition to bringing a slew of new French wines to California, Tablas Creek Vineyardis committed to producing wines that are as delicious as they are environmentally friendly.

• Tablas Creek Vineyard Website | Address: 9339 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles

Paix Sur Terre

A sustainable boutique winery, Paix Sur Terre – French for “Peace on Earth” – is known for its truly creative wines, stunning abstract art labels (created by an artist from Oakland), and their focus on sustainability. You’ll often find the winery owners in the tasting room sharing their passion for wine with guests.

They also have a gorgeous outdoor shaded patio with comfy seats and a beautiful pastoral view, the perfect place to bring along a picnic basket or charcuterie! (Yes, it’s allowed!) Pick one up at Vivant Fine Cheese or Di Raimondo’s Italian Market and bring it with you.

Make sure to try their single vineyard Mourvédre wines in your tasting flight!

Note: As Paix Sur Terra is small, family-run winery, make sure to book a tasting appointment on their website beforehand.

• Paix Sur Terre Website | Address: 5070 Vineyard Drive, Paso Robles

Shale Oak Winery

Shale Oak Winery was founded on principles of environmentalism and sustainability. From the outset, they wanted to make great wine without harming the environment.A team of environmentally minded experts were brought together under the unified belief that “form follows function” and they designed Shale Oak Winery with that in mind.

Like Niner Wine Estates, Shale Oak Winery also has LEED certification. Everything from the first vine to the beautiful stain glass windows in the tasting room were placed with sustainability and efficiency in mind.

Oh, and they have an adorable ball of fluff and love named Cooper who will let you pet him as you drink wine. HUGE plus in my book.

• Shale Oak Winery Website | Address: 3235 Oakdale Road, Paso Robles

Minority-Owned Wineries in Paso Robles

Paso Robles features some incredible minority-owned wineries, which not only produce delicious award-winning wines but also offer some of the best tasting experiences in the area!

LXV Wine

LXV is an Indian-owned winery that embraces a holistic and sensory tasting experience, pairing their flavorful wines with custom spice blends created sne shipped by the owner’s mother in India. Their tasting room is also one of the most beautiful in Paso Robles, decorated with vibrant jewel tones, cozy day beds and plush pillows.

We’ve never tried an LXV wine we didn’t like, but we highly recommend upgrading your tasting to include a cheese and spice pairing: your wine will be paired with a different spice blend (served on a mild cheese) that complements, matches, or contrasts with the flavors in the wine. You’ve never experienced a tasting quite like this before!

After 4 wine and spice pairings, we took the plunge and joined the LXV wine club – our first and only wine club membership! Each wine club shipment includes hand-mixed spice blends and an accompanying recipe that pairs perfectly with each bottle of wine, like a fancy, gourmet date in a box. Over the past few years that we’ve been members, the recipes have helped us experiment with new ingredients: we’ve made fresh pasta from scratch, quail with edible rose petals, and oysters with champagne vinegar – and they all paired perfectly with the provided spice blend and wine!

• LXV Wine | Address: 1306-B Pine Street, Paso Robles

Indigenè Cellars

Indigenè Cellars is a small Black-owned winery run by Raymond Smith and his family. Raymond creates an award-winning variety of wines using local grapes, including many aged red wines.

Indigenè Cellars’ tasting room is conveniently located in downtown Paso Robles, where you can often meet and talk directly with Raymond about his wines and the story behind the winery’s name.

Your wine tasting includes artisanal cheese and charcuterie, because the only thing better than delicious wine is delicious wine served with a fancy platter of food! Be sure to try the fruity Riesling, as well as the Philanthropist, a rich, smooth red blend which donates 40% of all its sales to local charities.

• Indigenè Cellars Website | Address: 815 12th St Suite B, Space 101 Paso Robles

Kitá Wines

Kitá Wines is a Native American-owned winery run by winemaker Tara Gomez of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Situated on the eastern most edge of Santa Ynez Valley, Kitá Wines’s Camp 4 vineyard is home to 19 varietals focusing on Rhone and Bordeaux grapes and provides an ideal microclimate for a long growing season and maximum flavor development.

They produce small batch wine, including Cabernet Sauvignon with aromatics of blackberry, boysenberry, sweet tobacco, pink peppercorns and cedar and Pinot Noir with layers of allspice, earth, tomato vine, and brightness. They even produce Sangiovese grapes for LXV Wine.

Gomez says that “Growing wine grapes is truly a partnership with Mother Earth. It is about finding that connection to the land, soil and climate. It’s not only about taking what we need, but by giving back in sustainable ways so that we can preserve the land for the longevity of our future generations.”

This is a fabulous place to check out a new generation of winemakers!

• Kitá Wines | Address: 300 North 12th Street, Unit 1A Lompoc, CA

Paso Robles Wine Tastings with the Vintner

Several of Paso Robles’ many boutique, family-run wineries offer the unique opportunity to get away from the crowds and talk one-on-one with a Vintner, aka winemaker – a rarity at the more popular California wine countries!

Wine tastings at these small wineries may be more expensive but are well-worth every penny: you’ll get to taste wines along with the vintner that made them and learn first-hand why and how they do what they do.

Torrin Wine

This boutique winery known throughout the region for its exquisite Rhone style blends is owned and operated by Scott and Viquel Hawley. The Hawleys have a strong commitment to sustainable production and opened their tasting room in late 2018 after twenty years of producing small batch wines.

Scott only makes around 2,000 cases of wine per year, so the wine that you taste is truly unique and hard-to-come by. Make sure to try the Duvarita Pinot Noir – one of the best Pinot Noirs in the area! Tastings are by appointment only so make sure to book in advance via their website or call ahead.

• Torrin Website | Address: 6360 Peachy Canyon Road, Paso Robles

Clos Solène

Owned by French natives, this small family-owned winery produces wines known for their incredible texture and purity.

Try out their dessert wine, Sweet Clémentine, and their bubbly wines, Cuvée Jean and Cuvée Juliette, while you are there – these favorite wines of Guillaume are named after their three young children!

Clos Solène also offers virtual wine tasting events, so you can taste from home! The winery will ship a selection of wines to you and Guillaume will walk you through the tasting online and give you more information about the vineyard.

Clos Solène also has a great Youtube channel, where Guillaume talks about the winery’s different releases and takes you on tours of their different vineyards.

• Clos Solène Website | Address: 2040 Niderer Road, Paso Robles

Hope Family Wines

Hope Family Wines is a family owned and operated winery who has been farming in Paso Robles for over 30 years. Their small production wines are served up in eclectic and cozy tasting spaces, including outside on the cabanas overlooking the estate vines.

Fellow Cab lovers, take note: be sure to try the award-winning Austin Hope 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, rated as one of the best in the world! Wine Mag described it as having “earthy aromas of black currant, black plum, lush oak, and caramel, accented by a hint of olive and loads of clove and nutmeg” and I’d really love whoever writes Wine Mag’s descriptions to just follow me around and describe everything I eat in sultry detail.

There’s no food served at the tasting room, but visitors are free to bring their own food and enjoy the picnic area among the scenic vineyards!

• Hope Family Wines Website | Address: 1585 Live Oak Road, Paso Robles (Treana)

Other Must-See Wineries in Paso Robles

Here are our picks for other must-see wineries in Paso Robles.

Barton Family Wines

Pulling into Barton Family Wines, we felt a bit like we were invading someone’s personal property. It honestly looks like a sweet little house, complete with a couple of friendly dogs, a cat, and some chickens.

But this unassuming little winery, backed with rolling green hills covered in vines and swaying rye fields, is home to TWO unique Paso Robles wine tasting experiences – Barton and Grey Wolf – plus one of the best winery restaurants in Paso Robles, and a craft distillery (read more about that in this post). And a cute little shop, too!

Oh, and about that winery restaurant: the Kitchen Window is literally just a large window (… yes, a kitchen window) serving up absolutely incredible and budget-friendly food on weekends. Don’t miss out on their amazing house-made chips with jalapeno citrus aioli and truffle salt.

• Barton Family Wines Website | Address: 2174 Highway 46 West, Paso Robles, CA

Cypher Winery

While Cypher Winery may not offer the sweeping vineyard views of some of our other suggestions, everything about Cypher is bold, refreshingly untraditional, and unexpected, from its riot grrrl, punk rocker babe theming to its unusual blends.

What makes this place so unique is the owner, Susan A. Mahler, makes experimental tasting pairings to match back to the wines. I’m talking goat cheese + sage + blueberry paired phenomenally with a Rhone varietal blend with notes of dark berries and Provencal herbs. Um, what?! And a peppery rosé jam made from a previous vineyard rose paired with a fruity, crisp rosé! Now you’re just being ridiculous.

Seriously, the food and the wine (definitely try the Anime series), paired with one of my personal favorite tasting rooms, makes Cypher a place worth decoding.

• Cypher Winery | Address: 740 Pine Street, Paso Robles, CA

Mitchella Vineyard & Winery

Some things just go so well together it’s hard to imagine them apart: Bert and Ernie, Hall and Oates, Nicholas Cage and Blockbuster Flops, and above all, wine and cheese.

If you’re looking for that combination while wine tasting in Paso Robles, look no further than Mitchella Vineyard & Winery. It’s rarely ever crowded, which makes this a great hidden gem to stop by. Their taster option gives you 6 wines to try – with a complimentary cheese pairing!

• Mitchella Vineyard & Winery Website | Address: 2525 Mitchell Ranch Way, Paso Robles

Zenaida Cellars

Beautiful Zenaida Cellars has incredible wine, and they offer a choose-your-own-adventure wine tasting: 5 pours of your choice, for $10!

We had the privalege of staying in the wine-clubonly vineyard lodging located above the tasting room, and to our delight, Zenaida Cellars was home to some of the best wine we tasted! Our particular favorites:

• 2016 ZC Pink: a savory Rose with strawberry notes that is a perfect representation of that quintessential Paso Robles dry Rose (who know you could have Rose’s that aren’t super sweet?)
• 2014 Zephyr: A heavenly Syrah-heavy red blend that’s actually co-fermented with a white grape! Crazy, right? But it totally worked. We were also hooked up with a sample of the 2009 Zephyr, which was the best thing we’ve ever tasted, but it sold out to Wine Club members before it even hit the shelves (and that’s why you need to become Wine Club Members!)
• 2014 Wanderlust: I mean, obviously, it has our name in it, so we have to love it. Any wine named Wanderlust must be a travel-friendly wine, right? But it was also delicious: dark, fruity, and a little bit peppery, it lived up to its name.
• Zenaida Cellars Winery | Address: 1550 Highway 46 West, Paso Robles

Even More Awesome Wineries in Paso Robles

We haven’t been to these wineries ourselves, but they were recommended to us to check out. We’ll be visiting them on our next trip!

• Law Estates
• L’Aventure
• Ledge Vineyards
• Nicora
• Jacob Toft
• Top Winery
• Benom
• Epoch
• Linne Calodo
• Levo
• Hubba Wines
• Dilecta
• Denner Vineyards
• Booker
• Lost Blues
• Turtle Rock

Map of the Best Wineries in Paso Robles

Save this map on your phone and take it with you on your trip!

The Best Restaurants in Paso Robles

Before we let you go forth and imbibe, can we just talk about food for a sec?? The restaurants in Paso Robles are just as incredible as the wine: locally sourced, made with passion and precision, and of course, absolutelydelicious.

You’ll find most of the Paso Robles restaurants clustereddowntown, but we also found some other incredible restaurantssprinkled nearby that are worth a trip. Here are for of our favorites:

• The Hatch, one of the best restaurants in Paso Robles, is located right downtown and calls itself “A Simple Rotisserie and Bar.” But with menu items like bone marrow, burrata on toast, and grilled octopus, it’s anything but simple. Be sure to order the special of the day, and don’t forget to pair it with a craft co*cktail or local beer.
• Thomas Hill Organics is a farm-to-table foodie spot with a gorgeous patio tucked a corner of downtown Paso Robles. For a special night out, try the bone marrow crusted rib-eye and follow it with a bourbon pecan tart with Chantilly cream, all paired with a Raspberry Surprise from Central Coast Brewing Co.
• La Cosecha, in downtown Paso Robles, features the best South American food we’ve had outside of South America, served up by a Honduran chef alongside incredible craft co*cktails. We recommend the Honduran empanadas, the fresh ceviche, flavorful grilled octopus, and the Clover Club South co*cktail, which reminded us of a raspberry Pisco Sour.
• Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ: Located in downtown Paso Robles, Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ serves up generous portions of delicious BBQ dishes, including BBQ topped Mac n Cheese and slow smoked pork belly ribs. The California Central Coast is known for its local specialty, the tri-tip sandwich, and Chef Jeffry serves up an amazing one with a Zinfandel BBQ Sauce (because wine country). The menu is also fabulously budget-friendly, so don’t miss out on their Paso Paella (Chef Jeffry is a four-time winner of the Paso Pinot and Paella Festival)!

Where to Stay in Paso Robles

We’ve stayed in a few places during our many trips to Paso Robles, and we highly recommend either staying within walking distance to town, or staying near (or on) the picturesque vineyards that Paso Robles is known for! Here are our picks for either option.

Stay Near Farms & Vineyards

There are tons of unique vacation rentals in Paso Robles, offering one-of-a-kind experiences like waking up on a vineyard or in an olive grove! That said, we recommend booking directly through VRBO or Plum Guides because they have fewer fees and more flexible cancellation policies than Airbnb – also, we’re not fans of Airbnb’s unethical track record, poor customer service andlax security.

Here are our favorite vacation rentals in Paso Robles:

• On the outskirts of Paso Robles is the gorgeous Olive House set in the middle of a working olive farm! The olive oil orchard is located in Paso Robles’ wine country on a high ridge, with sweeping views of a picturesque valley filled with rolling hills, olive trees, ranches and vineyards. Sit on the arched outdoor terrace sipping wine from a local winery and dipping fresh-baked bread into award-winning olive oil while watching the sun set over the orchard and vineyards!
• Stay directly on the Adelaida Road Wine Trail in this jaw-dropping rustic lodge, originally designed and constructed by the set designer of Little House on the Prairie. This beautiful cabin spent half a century as a working cattle ranch before a local purchased it and turned it into one of the best vacation rentals in Paso Robles we’ve seen! Curl up next to the huge stone fireplace and live your best rural life surrounded by vineyards.

Stay Near Town

Staying within walking distance to Paso Robles’ central plaza means you’ll also be walking distance from coffee, incredible food, and the many tasting rooms located around the square! There’s nothing better than walking around exploring Paso’s charming boutiques and tasting rooms before stumbling home, safe and sound.

Here’s where to stay near town:

• Paso Robles Inn is located in the center of downtown Paso Robles, just off the central plaza and around the corner from our favorite coffee shop in town, Spearhead Coffee. It’s the perfect starting point to walk to the best restaurants & tasting rooms in Paso Robles! Your winery-themed room also comes complete with its very own mineral hot springs, fed into a jacuzzi tub on your own private balcony. And, yes, it is as romantic as it sounds. And if your own in-room mineral hot spring wasn’t enough, head through the gardens to take a dip in the heated pool.
• This Spanish-style bungalow is walking distance to downtown and comes with 3 bedrooms. I’m digging the exposed beam ceilings and wood-burning fireplace, as well as the outdoor patio, BBQ and fire pit! This is a perfect centrally-located spot for a small group. We recommend booking directly through TurnKey to get the best deal!

Want more suggestions? We dug through hundreds of options to round up 7 of the best Vacation Rentals in Paso Robles (for both couples and groups)!

Well, I’ve officially finished my bottle of wine, so I guess that means it’s time to wrap this up… and maybe head back to Paso Robles for a refill.Are you dying to visit the best wineries in Paso Robles? Drop us a comment!

Psst: Planning a trip to Paso Robles? Check out some of our other posts!

• 33 Incredible Wineries in Paso Robles, California
• The 7 Best Airbnbs in Paso Robles, California

We’ve also got a bunch of travel guides for nearby getaways in California’s Central Coast, where I grew up!

• 12 Adorable Things to do in Morro Bay, California
• 12 Charming Things to Do in Cayucos, California
• 41 Marvelous Things to Do in Monterey, California
• 8 Quintessential Places to Visit on California’s Central Coast

And, if you’ll be visiting Paso Robles as part of a Highway One road trip, we’ve got a few travel guides for that, too – and a printable itinerary:

• The 32 Best Pacific Coast Highway Stops
• The Ultimate 10-Day California Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary

Looking for more spots to drink wine in California? Mendocino is located several hours north along California’s scenic Pacific Coast Highway. And don’t forget to stop in Guerneville along the way to taste some Korbel champagne!

Planning a Highway One road trip? We’ve created a detailed 10-day California Coast road trip itinerary to help you plan! Enter your email below and we’ll send you a printable version, plus tips to plan your trip.

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Disclaimer: This post was originally sponsored by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and Travel Paso, but has been updated many times since as we’ve taken several subsequent, un-unsponsored trips. As always, all opinions, inaccuracies, and bad jokes are completely our own!