Which are the best wineries to visit in Paso Robles?

We first posted our Paso Robles Wine Trails section on WineCountryGetaways.com in 2004. Maybe at that time there were 100 wineries in the area. Since that time, the area has experienced astonishing growth and now the number of wineries stands at over 200. The last couple of years, we have visited the Paso Robles wine country on several trips with the goal of revising and adding wine trails to our Paso Robles wine region.

When we first began exploring Paso Robles, the wine region was most noted for its big and bold Zinfandel wines. Peachy Canyon, Tobin James and a few others were gaining attention and popularity for their Zinfandel wines. But things are changing, and particularly on the Westside of 101, with many wineries concentrating on Rhone-style wines. The pioneer winery in this area is the Tablas Creek Winery. They imported the rootstock of several Rhone varieties from France and planted them on land they felt was similar in soil and climate to that of southern France. Tablas Creek has a nursery, and local wineries can purchase budwood and grafted vines to pursue the making of Rhone wines.

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Paso Robles – Winery Overload

When we first ventured down to Paso Robles to visit wineries in 1998, the locals would proudly tell us that there were 70 wineries in Paso Robles. Today, that number stands at 230 wineries. We were back in Paso Robles in February and then again last week. I have to tell you we were suffering from winery overload. Take Vineyard Drive, for instance. I remember when there was just Opolo and Norman on this road. Now, there are so many on this road it boggles the mind. Should we stop at this winery or that one?

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