As Paso Robles becomes recognized as one of the world’s premiere producers of Cabernet Sauvignon and red Bordeaux varietals, the area has seen significant growth in red Bordeaux plantings. Today, more than 57 percent of Paso Robles vineyard acreage are made up of Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties. The resulting wines are approachable, complex and age-worthy, and continue to win over critics and wine enthusiasts alike with their terroir-driven nuances.
Situated inland on the Central Coast, but close enough to the Pacific Ocean to enjoy maritime influences, Paso Robles is a superb region for growing grapes. Here, mountainous slopes, diverse soil types and large diurnal shifts in day to night temperatures result in idyllic growing conditions for grapes.
“Paso Robles is a rare phenomenon,” shares Daniel Daou, Co-owner and Winemaker of DAOU Vineyards & Wines, “it has the soils of Bordeaux and the climate of Napa, and when you put this combination together, it’s something that is rare and special. It allows us as winemakers to take a very minimalist approach to making wine.”
Adds Doug Filipponi, Co-owner of Ancient Peaks Winery, “The climate here in Paso is quite unique. We get heat during the day, but at night we have these intense diurnal shifts in temperature, putting more minerality into the berries and creating unique flavor profiles.”
Vino Vargas
Vino Vargas produces award-winning, limited production wines from Paso Robles and other regions of California. The family-owned and operated winery assures you receive personal service and attention among the beautiful views of nearby vineyards. Vino ...
Explore Vino Vargas →A ready-made itinerary to turn these tours into a full Paso Robles wine trip.See the itinerary →
Know the wines of Paso Robles
Wineries to visit
Best time to visit Paso Robles
Paso Robles grows more than 60 grape varieties and, per the local Wine Country Alliance, has a greater day-to-night temperature swing than any other California appellation — the cool nights that keep its bold Rhône, Bordeaux and Zinfandel wines fresh. Base yourself around the walkable downtown park square, ringed with tasting rooms and farm-to-table restaurants, and explore the olive-oil groves alongside the vineyards.
Fall is peak, with harvest running September–November and the marquee Harvest Wine Weekend in mid-October (book well ahead); spring brings mild weather and green hills.
More about Paso Robles
Wineries to Visit in Paso Robles
Paso’s 200-plus wineries spread across scattered rural districts — the Adelaida and Willow Creek hills hold many of the calcareous-soil estates. A few standouts (reserve ahead):
- Tablas Creek Vineyard (Adelaida District) — a Rhône specialist founded in 1990 by the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel; the first Regenerative Organic Certified winery in the U.S. (2020).
- Eberle Winery — founded 1979 by Gary Eberle, the “Godfather of Paso Robles,” with 16,000+ square feet of underground wine caves and a complimentary cave tour and tasting.
- JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery — a Bordeaux-focused estate founded 1981, home of the flagship ISOSCELES blend, plus the JUST Inn and a Michelin-starred restaurant on one property.
Paso Robles Wine Tours
With wineries scattered across a 612,000-acre appellation, a guided tour makes winery-hopping easy (downtown tasting rooms are walkable on their own):