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Vineyard Drive and
the "Far Out" Wineries
| For this fabulous Paso Robles wine country tour,
leave downtown Paso Robles, go South on Highway 101 and take Vineyard
Drive Exit from Highway 101. Drive west for two and a half miles
to the first winery on this tour, the Turley Wine Cellars. Later,
on the wine trail, you will cross Highway 46 and head for the wineries
that call themselves the "Far
Out" Wineries. Don't forget to bring a picnic lunch. Finish
the day with a delicious dinner at any of the fine restaurants
in Paso Robles. |
Tablas Creek Vineyard |
Winery Descriptions, Driving directions, Tasting Room Hours
Turley Wine Cellars
Turley is relatively new to Paso Robles but not to winemaking. Turley
Wines Cellars based in Napa (no tasting room) recently purchased
one of the oldest wineries in Paso Robles, the Pesenti Winery. Turley
recognized the potential for making a great wine from the acres
of old vine Zinfandel on the Pesenti ranch. And that is exactly
what they have done. The Turley Pesenti Zinfandel is a fabulous
wine. The price is a bit steep, but this is a delicious wine as
are all the other wines made by Turley. The wines are in such demand
that there is a two-year wait just to get on their mailing list.
Tasting fee is $10 and includes a Riedel wineglass.
Tasting room open daily 9 am to 5
Phone: 707-963-8683, E-mail: tasting@turleywinecellars.com, Turley
Wine Cellars
Opolo Vineyards
Continue on Vineyard Drive which will take you to 46 W. Cross 46W
and continue on Vineyard Drive to Opolo Vineyards. Watch carefully
for the entrance to Opolo. Take the short drive on the gravel road
to the tasting room and winery buildings. It’s a very pretty
drive alongside oak trees and the vineyards. Once in the tasting
room you will be treated to the tasting of six wines. The Viognier
is delicious, but the emphasis is on the reds. Be sure to try the
Pinot Noir, a fruity and heavy Pinot grown on the northern cool
slopes of the hillside vineyards. The two Zinfandels are both excellent
and worth comparing. Opolo also produces a Sangiovese, which is
medium bodied and refreshing.
Tasting room open daily 11 am to 5, Phone: 805 238-9593
E-mail: sales@opolo.com, Opolo
Vineyards
Norman Vineyards
You will find Norman Vineyards a short distance from Opolo on Vineyard
Rd. Like Opolo, the Norman Winery makes several noteworthy reds.
Norman makes four different Zinfandel wines and you might try comparing
these. Be sure to taste the Vino Rosado, a very dry and light Grenache
wine. It is an excellent wine and especially good as an aperitif.
The winery has a very nice picnic area and you may want to enjoy
a picnic lunch here with a glass of the Vino Rosado. There is a
tasting fee of $3.
Tasting room open daily 11 am to 5, Phone: 805 238-9593
E-mail: info@normanvineyards.com, Norman
Vineyards
Tablas Creek Vineyard
Continue on Vineyard Drive after leaving Norman and turn left at
Adelaida Road. Tablas Creek is the most interesting winery on this
driving route. The winery is a partnership between the Perrin Family
of the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape winery Chateau de Beaucastel,
and Robert Haas, an American wine merchant. The site of the winery
was chosen after a long search for a climate and soil that matched
that of the Chateau de Beaucastel in France. They also wanted to
use identical Rhone varietal type grapes so the winery imported
cuttings from France and grafted them on to rootstock. The result
is some excellent Rhone type wines that you won’t taste at
any other California winery. We recommend the tour, which is not
your ordinary winery tour. Much of the tour takes you through their
nursery where you will learn how they graft their vines from the
original cuttings from France. One other interesting note, the grapes
are all organically grown here. There is a $5.00 tasting fee
Tasting room open 10 am to 4 daily, tours at 10:30 and 2:00
Phone 805.237.1231, Email info@tablascreek.com, Tablas
Creek Vineyard
Justin Vineyards and Winery
To get to Justin, continue on Adelaida Rd and turn left at Chimney
Rock Road. The winery is located in a very beautiful, picturesque
setting of rolling hills in the Adelaida Valley of Paso Robles.
The estate wines have received raves from wine experts, especially
the wine labeled ISOSCELES. This wine is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Production of this wine is
limited and the wine sells out quickly, even at $40 plus per bottle
price. Besides the winery, the owners, Justin and Deborah operate
a Bed & Breakfast establishment complete with gourmet dining
area called Deborah’s Room. This is a beautiful spot to stay
and enjoy the pleasures of wine and find dining. There is a tasting
fee of $5.00 unless you are a guest at the B& B.
Tasting room open daily from 10am to 5 pm
Phone: (805) 238- 6932, E-mail: Info@JUSTINwine.com, Justin
Vineyards
Option
After leaving Justin you can get back to Paso Robles quickly by
heading back on Chimney Rock Drive and then right on Lake Nacimiento
Dr. Or, you can visit another very good winery by taking Adelaida
Road towards Paso Robles. This beautiful backcountry road will take
you to the Adelaida Cellars.
Adelaida Cellars
Adelaida is also a family owned winery producing 15,000 cases annually
of good quality wines. The tasting room is located in the main wine
facility where it can be noisy but fun. When we last visited they
were completed sold out of all their white wines, which is indication
of the demand for these wines. In the reds, the Zinfandels and the
Pinot Noir are very good choices. The Schoolhouse label of wines
is a great value. There is a $3.00 charge to taste and that includes
the glass.
Open daily from 11am to 5 pm
Phone: (805) 239-8980, E-mail: wines@adelaida.com, Adelaida
Cellars
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