New boutique wineries in Paso Robles

I first learned about and visited Paso in 2013 when I was working for a company that owns a winery out there and it’s been so fun and cool to see how Paso has evolved with more and more new amazing wineries. They say the barrier to entry is a bit lower compared to Napa, enabling more young up and coming wine makers to create and build their own brand.

I’ve previously shared a list of Paso wineries to visit if you are looking for dark and bold Napa style red wines, but Paso also is great for Rhone style varietals (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) and blends. and some of the new boutique wineries are making excellent wines across various varietals.

  • Torrin: Super friendly tasting room started by the wine maker from Law just a few minutes down the road. They focus on Pinots and GSM and was overall a great experience if you are looking for an intimate small winery

  • Clos Soléne: Tasting room in a romantic setting with a romantic story behind it! Wine maker and his wife met in France and moved to Paso to start their own winery. Lovely french style wines

  • TOP: They often sell out of wines because of their small production but also because the wines are really good! Tasting room is slightly off the main vineyard/tasting area but close to town. If they happen to have a few different bottles open for tasting, definitely a good stop

Paso has an industrial park Tin City where wine makers host tastings before they build their own tasting room. Worth stopping by to taste wines from different producers in one spot!

Paso Robles wineries for red wine lovers

I first learned about Paso Robles in 2013 when I used to work for the company that owns Justin Wine and it’s always been one of my favorite weekend trip destination from LA or SF. Wineries are mostly family owned and tastings tend to be more intimate and casual. Not to mention that tasting fees are usually much lower compared to Napa (usually around $10-30, sometimes over $40 for a more elevated experience). Region produces a lot of Zinfandels but there’s no shortage of other good bold red wines in Paso.

Here’s my list of recommended wineries if you like drinking Cabs and other reds

  1. Denner: Located on top of the hill, worth a visit just for the view but their wines are equally good. They have a number of red blends and Cabernet Sauvignon. $20, waived with purchase

  2. L’aventure: Primarily focuses on French inspired Rhone style blends, which are fun to try for those who drinks Napa reds or French CDPs. They also have a really good Cab-Syrah blend that will please red drinkers. $40 tasting fee, only waived with membership

  3. Parrish Family: Another winery where I found a Cab-Syrah blend and surprisingly loved. It’s named Silken and yes, it is really smooth. $25 tasting fee, waived with purchase

  4. Austin Hope: You’ve probably heard about this wine if you like Paso Cabs or Cabs in general. Worth a visit to try a variety of reds and whites. $25 tasting fee

  5. LXV: Located in downtown, they have a great lineup of red wines that are all pretty tasty. $15 tasting fee