Clos Solène

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This was one of the first wines that changed the way I looked at Paso Robles. The estate was established in 2017, and Guillaume is using more fruit on the estate in his blends, with the hope of becoming 100% estate wine in the future. These wines are next-level velvety smooth and very complex. Decant for 6+ hours for the full effect.

• Wines are mainly Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cabernet Sauvignon 
• Price: Tastings are $50 per person, no discount for bottle purchase
• Average bottle price: $90
• Reservations required
• AVA: Willow Creek
• Personal favorite: La Rosé
• Website

This is the second label for Guillaume, in partnership with his brother, Arnaud Fabre. Located in Tin City (East Side Paso) the fruit is sourced from many vineyards across the Central Coast. Although the style of wine is a little different, the vintages are approachable early but a few years in cellar is encouraged. 

• Wines are mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Grenache, Graciano
• Price: Tastings are $30 per person, no discount for bottle purchase
• Average bottle price: $80
• Reservations required
• AVA: Various
• Personal favorite: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (Origin)
• Website

One of the pioneers of Paso, Stephan Asseo left Bordeaux in search of a more experimental wine culture. In 1998, Stephan brought his family to Paso and began planting vines in what once was a hay field. Now, nearly 25 years later, L'Aventure is a pillar of the French wine influence in Paso Robles. These blends are velvety but complex, approachable now but can cellar for decades. Jeb Dunnuck has recently scored some of these wines at 100 points.

• Wines are mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre
• Price: Tastings are $50 per person, one tasting waived for every 2 bottle (red wine) purchase
• Average bottle price: $100
• Reservations required
• AVA: Willow Creek
• Personal favorite: CÔTE À CÔTE
• Website

This is a sub-label of Caliza Wines. The wine was created for the average wine drinker to have a decent bottle that doesn't break the bank. Mission accomplished! I tasted 5 of their wines in Tin City and was surprised by the quality of the wine for the price. The Albariño was refreshing and crisp. The 2018 Shellstone Grenache had been held in bottle for an extra two years to soften before release and has a nice balance of spice and fruit. You can find many of these wines in local stores, so grab a bottle to have with dinner. 

• Wines are mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Grenache, Mourvèdre
• Price: Tastings are $20 per person, one tasting waived for every 2 bottle purchase
• Average bottle price: $30
• Reservations not required; walk-ins welcomed
• AVA: Various
• Personal favorite: Red Cuvée, Albariño 
• Website

According to the tasting room staff, Turley is all about the old Zinfandel vines. For example, the Ueberroth is from a vineyard in Paso near Opolo where the vines were planted in 1885. How's that for "old vines"? The original Turley vineyard is in Napa, but they don't have a tasting room there. The Pesenti Vineyard next to the tasting room in Paso is considered the Estate wines, planted in the 1920's and some vines regrafted in 2001. These wines have a variety of flavors and profiles, anywhere from light and fruity to dark and tannic. If you are a fan of Zinfandel and old-world wines, add this stop to your tour.

• Wines are mainly Zinfandel. Some Petite Syrah, Grenache Noir/Blanc
• Price: Tastings are $25 per person, one tasting waived for every 2 bottle purchase
• Average bottle price: $40
• Reservations not required; walk-ins welcomed
• AVA: Willow Creek
• Personal favorite: Paper Street Zinfandel
• Website

This is a small boutique winery located on Railroad Street behind downtown Paso Robles in a roll-up door "tasting garage." If you like the idea of buying wine that donates to local charities, this is the place to shop. Half of all profits are donated to charities like Paso Cares and Wine4Paws. But let's talk about the wine. It's solid and affordable which is a nice combination. I tried the two Chardonnays (1 in oak and 1 stainless) which were fascinating side-by-side. The Tempranillo Rosé was light, acidic, and fruit-forward. I enjoyed the Pinot Noir, but not as much as I wanted to - I'm picky about my Pinot. La Macha was the most interesting, as a blend of four Spanish varieties. They were sold out of the Rhône Rodeo GSM and Warrior Cabernet blend wines, so I'm sure those must have been crowd favorites. I will be looking out for the next release on those. Winemaker Ted Ross shares production space with Enrique Torres from Diablo Paso.

• Wines are a little bit of everything. 
• Price: Tastings are $15 per person, one tasting waived for every 1 bottle purchase
• Average bottle price: $40
• Reservations not required; walk-ins welcomed
• AVA: Various
• Personal favorite: La Macha
• Website

Enrique Torres has over 21 years of experience working with locally grown Spanish Grape varietals and it shows. This is my go-to for any of these wine varieties like Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Mataro. The tasting room, located in downtown Paso Robles, offers two tasting menus. One side is the standard wines, and the other side lists the Reserve menu. I like everything Enrique makes to some degree and have been a member for the past year. One of the benefits of membership is 20% off wine purchases along with free tastings. Generally, these wines are aromatic, high alcohol, fruit-forward and acidic. 

• Wines are a little bit of everything. 
• Price: Tastings are $20 per person, one tasting waived for every 1 bottle purchase
• Average bottle price: $40
• Reservations not required; walk-ins welcomed
• AVA: Various
• Personal favorite: Albariño (sells out fast)
• Website