It’s no secret that baby boomer travelers love wine, and wine tasting has become one of their favorite pastimes.

According to the American Association of Wineries, an estimated 27 million winery visits currently take place annually, and the US Wine Market Council states that U.S. per capita consumption was estimated to reach 3.04 gallons in 2010 with an annual production of 71 million cases with a current market value north of $3 billion.

However, what may be a secret is that Paso Robles, California is steadily becoming a hotspot for the nation’s oenophiles.  In fact, Wine Spectator magazine just proclaimed Saxum James Berry Vineyard Paso Robles 2007 the #1 bottle of wine in all the world (link)!

We recently spent a few days wine tasting in Paso Robles.  We loved it so much, we called friends from Michigan and invited them to join us for a second trip only weeks later.

Paso Robles is California’s third largest and fastest growing wine region!

Paso Robles Fun Facts:

• The official name for Paso Robles is “El Paso de Robles”, Spanish for “The Pass of Oaks.”
• Drury James, the uncle of the outlaw Jesse James, was one of the city’s original architects.
• Paso Robles’ original claim to fame, in the late 19th century, was its healing hot springs and mud baths.
• By the roaring 20s, Paso Robles became the home of the famous concert pianist Ignacy Paderewski and had become an entertainment destination for the likes of Jack Dempsey, President Theodore Roosevelt, Douglas Fairbanks, Boris Karloff, Bob Hope, and Clark Gable.
• Later, Paso Robles became known as  the “Almond City,” and possessed the world’s largest concentration of almond orchards until the Central Valley gained access to plentiful irrigation.
• With irrigation came wine producers, and today Paso Robles is California’s third largest and fastest growing wine region.

Wine Tasting Tours in Paso Robles

When considering a wine tasting vacation, an important consideration is the potentially harmful combination of alcohol consumption and driving.  If no one in your group volunteers to be the designated driver, than a wonderful solution to the problem is a chauffeured tour.

In our first visit to Paso Robles, we used a company called The Wine Wrangler to chauffeur our day of wine tasting:

Note:  click here if you can’t see the video.

The Paso Wine Centre

If you don’t have the time, or inclination to drive to various wineries, the Paso Wine Centre just might be your ticket to experiencing Paso Robles wines.  Here, under one roof, you can sample over 200 Paso Robles wines.

Even more fun, nearly 50 wines are dispensed using an Italian Enomatic wine serving system.  It’s like an adult soda fountain!

Note:  click here if you can’t see the video.

Self-guided Paso Robles Wine Tasting

If your preference is a self-guided wine tasting tour of the Paso Robles wine country, then we strongly encourage you to consider a designated driver.  Better safe, than sorry!

The Paso Robles wine tasting country is geographically divided into two distinctly different areas.  The wineries east of Paso Robles are in predominantly open, hilly terrain with the wineries west of Paso Robles predominently in mountainous terrain.

If you have two days to explore the Paso Robles wine country, then we recommend that you split your wine tasting between the eastern and western regions.

Wine Tasting Tip: allow at least 60 minutes to explore each winery and realistically understand that you can probably visit no more the three to five wineries in any given day.

Eastern Paso Robles Wine Tasting Guide

Here are a few recommended wineries to visit east of the city of Paso Robles:

1. J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines.  Wine Enthusiast’s 2010 American Winery of the Year.  Know for their Rhone-style varietals with 3,700 acres of vineyards and annual production exceeding 1 million cases.
2. Mitchella Vineyard and Winery.  A small family owned estate vineyard and winery.  We enjoyed a picnic lunch on their patio.  We recommend the 2009 Shameless Estate Rhone Blend, and also enjoyed the 2009 Ambitious.
3. Pear Valley Vineyards.  Family-owned vineyard and winery producing 100% estate grown (their own grapes) wine.  We recommend 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.
4. Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden.  Offering hand-crafted wines and a magnificent sculpture garden.  We recommend the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.

View Eastern Paso Robles Wine Tour in a larger map

Western Paso Robles Wine Tasting Guide

Here are a few recommended wineries to visit in the mountainous western region of Paso Robles:

1. Terry Hoage Vineyards. Former NFL player, Hoage, and his wife Jennifer, purchased a 26-acre vineyard in the beautiful Paso Robles in 2002 and began their label. Six years later, they were pronounced Top New California Wine Producers by Wine Spectator.  We recommend the 2008 5 Blocks Syrah Cuvee.
2. Calcareous Winery. Named after the limestone soils, they produce award-winning Rhone and Bordeaux varietals and blends. You’ll also enjoy 50-mile panoramic views from their tasting room.  We recommend the 2007 Calcareous Meritage.
3. Justin Vineyards and Winery. Internationally acclaimed Bordeaux blends that Wine Spectator says are in a class by themselves.  We recommend the 2008 Isosceles.
4. Epoch Estate Wines. A boutique producer of ultra-premium Rhone, Tempranillo, and Zinfandel varietals.  Also, the road to Epoch is absolutely stunning.  Make certain that you drive the full length of York Mountain Road.  We recommend the 2008 Tempranillo.
5. Rotta Winery. Founded in 1908 by the Rotta family, it is the only remaining family-owned “original winery in the region.  We recommend the 2006 Heritage Zinfandel.

View Western Paso Robles Wine Tour in a larger map

How To Taste Wine Like a Pro

While visiting the Calcareous Winery, Hospitality Manager John Teeling shared with us the 5S’s of wine tasting.

Note:  click here if you can’t see the video.

Well, there you have it, the ultimate wine tasting guide for Paso Robles, California.  We hope you enjoyed Paso Robles as much as we did.

After you’re finished with your own wine tasting of Paso Robles, come on back and share your favorite experiences with our audience in the comments section below.

Now, have fun, and be safe!

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