Napa Valley and Sonoma are some famous wine-tasting destinations, but Paso Robles is worth visiting if you are looking for something more authentic. There are plenty of wineries and fun things to do in Paso Robles.
Located on the Central Coast of California, Paso Robles is considered a paradise for wine enthusiasts. It is famously known as the land of cowboys and wine. Besides what’s in your glass, it offers beautiful scenery, various elegant restaurants, and the historic California charm.
They are more than 200 wineries in the region, and has continued to grow, becoming one of the most popular California wine tasting regions.
For years now, many people have said that Paso Robles is just like Sonoma and Napa in the 70s – that’s to say it’s a more laid-back wine and food-loving destination that offers the best wine experience in the country.
Paso Robles is the most significant AVA in California but with unique characteristics. The average daytime temperatures fluctuate more than any other region creating a microclimate that provides optimal growing conditions for the grape varieties including Roussanne, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Viognier.
We have chosen the 12 best wineries in Paso Robles in our list below. These wineries offer an incredible wine tasting journey, warm customer service, amenities, and fun things to do.
Best Wineries in Paso Robles
Best wineries map:
1. Justin winery
Justin Winery should be on top of your must-visit wineries. It is the largest and the most organized winery in Paso Robles, combining Old World methods with New World technology to create bold Bordeaux –style wines.
Justin offers excellent Bordeaux-style blends with 10 different tasting experiences ranging from chocolate and wine pairing to a cave tour to an estate tasting. It brings out romantic farmhouse vibes with flowers and a vegetable garden everywhere.
Also, if you can get to enjoy lunch or dinner at their restaurant patio overlooking the vineyards, their delicious farm-to-table dishes paired with Justification or Isosceles Reserve wine give you an out-of-this-world feeling. You can ask for a table outside near the vineyards so you can watch the hawks soar above the vines.
And if you love to spend the night in a Vineyard, Just Inn offers some delightful options.
And not to mention, Justine Vineyards are also recognized for unique cave systems that house about 2700 to 3200 barrels at a time at 60 degrees all year round. Then, there is a gorgeous Isosceles library located deep within the labyrinth of the cave you don’t want to miss.
2. Daou Vineyards
Daou is one of the most recommended places in Paso Robles. Even in winter, it offers some of the best hilltop views in California
It is a mountain top estate with a sprawling Mediterranean-style tasting room featuring an indoor and outdoor patio. Enjoy the stellar wines and atmosphere with the various seating positions facing the rolling hills of the vineyard.
Reservations are recommended; even on a winter day, the winery is often packed with limited parking at the tasting room. However, they direct visitors to another parking lot and provide a shuttle to take them up the hill.
DAOU award-winning wines are expertly paired with a tasting flight or a gourmet meal. The wines are made from Bordeaux and Rhone varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot , Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc.
However, prepare for the cold and wind up the hill. The good news, DAOU staff wraps you up with the softest blankets that keep you warm.
3. J.Lohr Vineyards & Wines
J.Lohr Vineyards is a family-owned business with vineyard holdings extending North to Napa Valley and Monterey.
One of the largest and best-known wineries in the central Coast celebrated globally for its Chardonnay, Bordeaux, and Rhone varietals and blends, Sauvignon blanc, and Pinot Noir.
J.Lohr has a picnic area and a tasting room where you can sip down the elegant wines. Its label comprises Ariel non-alcoholic wine, four reasonably tiers of wine, and Painter Bridge and Cypress Vineyards budget labels.
4. Tablas Creek
Tablas Creek is one of the Pioneers of Paso’s wine history promoting Rhone valley grape varieties. It is a family-owned winery that was founded by Jean-Pierre, Francois Perrin, and Robert Haas. Interestingly, these are the founding fathers of Paso Robles as a wine destination. They imported vines that were not available in California and shared vine grafts with other producers and winemakers. This winery carries enough history to make it a must-visit.
It produces cloned grape varieties, including Syrah, Grenache Blanc, Counoise, Marsanne, Mourvedre, Picpoul Blanc, Grenache, Roussanne, Tannat, and Vermentino.
Besides, it has a large outdoor patio with alpacas and sheep grazing about; as you enjoy your tasting flight, you may be lucky to meet the wine dog, Sadie.
5. Tobin James Cellars
If you are approaching the community from the east, Tobin James is the first winery you see. Its leafy and rustic front courtyard, complete with the rotating blades of towering water, creates a lively ambiance for a wine-tasting adventure mood.
It is a fabulous little gem with various outdoor seating types, including lawn, seated, and picnic tables. You can also sit down at the antique mahogany bar and enjoy complimentary wine tastings served by the wine professionals behind the bar.
The rustic tasting room is built on an old stagecoach stop location with an old west salon theme. Its tasting menu comes with over 30 options ranging from varietal wines made from Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Merlot to traditional dessert wine and Rhone-style and Bordeaux blends.
Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash and kept to the picnic area. What’s more? You can sign up for the James Gang wine club without a fee. How awesome!
6. Halter Ranch
Enjoy the scenic hills west of Paso Robles; Halter ranch sits on top of a hill offering serene vineyard views. It provides a complete experience with a beautiful tasting room, cave tours, horseback vineyard tours, and a restaurant.
They offer elegant Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon wines in their tasting room while offering beautiful vineyard views. You can also enjoy seasonal food in their restaurant with a pairing tasting menu. The ranch offers locally sourced lunch daily.
And if you are more adventurous, Halter ranch offers an Excursion tour that takes you through a two-hour adventure through their historic ranch in a restored 1984 Land Rover. Or you can enjoy a guided horseback ride around the elegant vineyard and cave tour reserve tasting. Plenty of options to enjoy your stay!
On top of it all, Halter Ranch is a beautiful place to stay, offering accommodations on the ranch.
7. Eberle Winery
Eberle Winery is one of the must-visit wineries, a pioneer of Paso Robles founded more than 40 years ago. It ranks among the top 10 gold-medal award-winning wineries in the country and one of the highest award-winning wineries in the US.
It offers a scenic picnic deck overlooking Paso Robles, remarkable cave tours, wine by the glass, complimentary tasting, cornhole, and bocce ball court. The cave tours are offered every day.
Besides, it is pet-friendly and features a well-designed Wild Roar Room where winemakers’ dinners are held and a VIP room perfect for intimate experiences.
8. Broken Earth Winery
Broken Earth Winery was one of the first large-scale wine producers in Paso Robles.
They produce estate-grown wines harvested and bottled in Paso Robles. The winery is 100% solar-powered and has remained adaptable to sustainable farming techniques to tailor each winemaking project.
Relax in their tasting room or take a picnic on their patio.
The epic wines produced include Bordeaux –style blend, Merlot, dessert, Albarino, Chardonnay, Grenache, Malbec, red Rhone-style blend, Zinfandel, Viognier petite Sirah, among others.
And if you are hungry, they have a restaurant La Cucina that is open 7 days a week from 12 to 6 featuring hand-crafted, wood-fired pizzas from their Stefano Ferrara oven.
9. Niner Wine Estates
Niner Estate, also known as Heart Hill vineyard, is well recognized for its lovely heart-shaped grove of trees on top of a hill. Niner Wine Estates is an excellent start if you look for the best scenic wineries on top of exquisite wine.
It produces delicious Rhone-style and Bordeaux varietal blends and wines from varieties such as Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The gorgeous tasting room is characterized by tall ceilings of stone and wood and a roaring fireplace for a fantastic tasting experience.
And not to mention, Niner Wine Estates has installed solar paneling to account for 110% of the energy usage.
Besides, if you are hungry, Niner Wine Estates has a great restaurant and a lovely outdoor patio where you can grab lunch or bring a picnic snack and enjoy a glass of wine.
10. Robert Hall Winery
Robert Hall is well known for its delicious reds. This winery is just 10 minutes away from downtown Paso Robles.
It has received various awards, including the Paso Robles Winery of the Year by the New York International Wine Competition in 2017.
It unleashes the essence of Paso Robles with the unlimited –production of wines and 16000 square feet of usable cavern space. Robert Hall has the most extensive underground caverns on the Central Coast.
Enjoy a picnic on the terrace, play the various outdoor games(connect four and giant Jenga, bocce ball) while enjoying the beautiful views, indulge yourself with delightful wine and cheese pairing, and take a tour around the expansive caverns.
Besides, they have live music every Friday evening during summer and offer guided educational tours daily to learn about the winery and the wine caverns.
11. Adelaida Cellars
Adelaida offers an epic Zinfiedal that keeps you coming back. It offers both spectacular wines and views. Their tasting room offers standard seating, but there is a hilltop experience. A van drives you up to the highest elevation in Paso Robles, where there is a private table with a cheese board full of their estate-grown walnuts. Enjoy your wine with stunning views from the top.
Adelaida vineyards are famous for their bold red and white Rhone-style wine blends made from Viognier, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties.
This winery gives vibes of an authentic ranch experience. It allows reservations to walk around the estate vineyards, lush walnut orchards, or a wine experience at the hilltop.
12. Sculpterra Winery & Sculpture Gardens
Sculpterra Winery & Sculpture Gardens offers one of the best entertaining wine-country experiences, from the full-bodied cabernet sauvignon to bold and fruity statuesque to a spicy viognier.
It is known for a wide array of delicious wines, including the Rhone blend wines, Tuscan-style blend, and Meritage.
It is not your usual winery visit; it presents the art of the gallery as much as the winery. The wrought iron gate at the entry gives you a taste of what to expect. From fluttering dragonflies to a stalking puma, there are sculptures throughout the front and back courtyards and tasting rooms.
You get an introduction at the indoor tasting room before taking a stroll among the sculptures and enjoying a wine sample at the outdoor bar.
Enjoy the vineyards that run right up to the country yard and views of the winery framed by Paso’s classic majestic oak trees.
Besides, you can get a sandwich or street taco at the food trucks that stop by the winery or engage in games in the tasting room’s Central Park West gaming area.
Wineries in Paso Robles: FAQs
What is the Largest Winery in Paso Robles?
Justin winery is the largest winery that specializes in Bordeaux-style varietals using old-world techniques.
What are the Best Wineries to Visit in Paso Robles?
There are many unique wineries in Paso Robles. Still, the best include JUSTIN, Daou, J.Lohr, tablas creek, Tobin James Cellars, Halter ranch, Eberle, broken earth, Adelaida, Niner, Robert Hall, and Sculpterra winery.
How Many Vineyards are in Paso Robles?
Paso Robles is home to about 200 wineries throughout the region, offering regular tasting flights and standard tasting hours. The wineries allow you to have a taste of the diverse wines in the region. Besides, some are pet-friendly and offer various other outdoor experiences apart from sipping wine in a glass.
Is Paso Robles Known for Zinfandel?
Yes, Paso Robles is known for its epic Zinfandel, Rhone-style wines, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
What Other Things to do in Paso Robles Besides Wine Tasting?
Start by heading to halter ranch vineyard. They offer various tasting experiences and excursions, including a reserve tasting in their wine caves, horseback, and ranch tour in a landrover defender.
Have lunch at the restaurant at Justin winery. Try their mac and cheese special, which involves jalapeno jam and candied bacon, or their burger, which is to die for.
Head for lunch at Thomas Hill Organics that serves up organic cuisine.
Visit the field of light at Sensorio at sunset so you can see the sky change and the lights become brighter at night.
Wrap up your dinner at Allegretto’s restaurant, Cello, and try their Mediterranean-inspired cuisine or head to Fish Gaucho restaurant for modern Mexican cuisine. Try their delicious pork chop.
Or you could treat yourself to a spa day at one of the Paso Robles hot springs. Locals recommend the historic Paso Robles Inn and River Oaks Hot Springs.
Besides, you could go olive oil tasting, visit cave tours, the Heart Castle, and museums such as the Paso Robles Pioneer museum and the Estrella Warbirds Museum.