Mitchella Vineyard & Winery (Paso Robles)

This is a smaller winery next to Robert Hall. They do small batches of wine. We followed the signs to their tasting room, and it wasn't too hard to find.

The tasting room is very small, with no more than 5 stations inside, with some seating outside as well. The server we had was very friendly, and understood the ins and outs of the winery. It was near the end of the day, so he had enough time to give us a bit more information about the different wines and vintages.

They didn't have any white wines available, only red. He said they had sold out of the white wines at this point in the year. The red were a little pricey, with most being 25 or more, but several were worth the price. They also had some cheese samples, and chocolate samples to try with the port tastings.
The port tastings were quite interesting. They had 1 white and 3 red, and we brought one home, it was so good.
They have two dogs that hang out in the tasting room. It was a little odd, but it didn't bother us too much. But others might find it off putting. They also had an old asteroids arcade game which I was dying to try... I wish I did :)

If you are stopping at Robert Hall or Vina Robles, it's worth a stop, especially if you like ports or old asteroid arcade cabinets.

Robert Hall (Paso Robles)

A large brick building, with a big blue fountain in the center, this winery isn't easily missed. What brought us here is the Orange Muscat which we have purchased several times at local shops, and really like.

We noticed they offered free bocce ball for visitors, and the tasting room is large and can easily fit 30 or more tasters. The setting is quite lovely.
The server didn't offer any information on the wines we were tasting, but the wine itself is excellent.
The reds were sophisticated and aged beautifully, and in our opinion, under-priced. The whites were also well done, and interesting.
The Viognier surprised us the most, and is known as a favorite with tasters at this winery. We brought home a bottle of the Viognier ($20), and a bottle of Orange Muscat ($15). We didn't learn much from our visit, but the staff were friendly and the wines were delicious.
They had many items for sale, but I didn't see any food available.

Vina Robles (Paso Robles)

We tried only white wines at the Vina Robles winery today. Our server, Donny, was great. He really knows his stuff and was incredibly friendly. The woman who greeted us at the door was also really nice. She made sure we had a spot at the wine tasting counter, and really made us feel welcome.

We only tried white wines, but they had great variety and were delicious. The Rose' was one of the best we've had. And the wine prices are very reasonable. We heard about Vina Robles from Wine Enthusiast, and had come here years ago for a wedding. Wine Enthusiast gave a high rating to their White 4, and we have to agree, it is excellent. For those who like Chardonay, I also reccommend trying that one as well.

The tasting is $7 per person, and is waived with purchase. We ended up bringing home a bottle of their Rose' ($13) and a bottle of White 4 ($16). If you join their wine club (free to join), the prices are even lower.
We also heard they are building a large music venue, so locals can look forward to a lot of fun events. If you plan on wine tasting on the 46, I recommend making a stop here.

BevMo (San Luis Obispo)

I know, who does wine tasting at BevMo?!  Well, we happened to be there, and there was a sign up, so we thought "why not"?

First Impressions:

They weren't exactly ready for us. They had to find somebody to do the pouring, and find the glasses. They had five wines for the tasting, and they were all a part of their featured "90 point wines, under $20" sale.

These were the wines available for tasting:

No-oak Chardonay
Chardonay
Pinot Noir
Sangiovese
Cabernet Sauvignon

I wasn't prepared to take notes when I walked into Bevmo, so unfortunately I can't tell you the names of the wine.  I can tell you that the no-oak Chardonnay was from France, and was actually really good. We purchased a bottle to take home. The other Chardonnay was just okay.
The Pinot Noir had no flavor at all. It was incredibly strange. The weakest red I've ever tasted. I'm racking my brain, trying to remember what is what called, but no luck just yet.  The Cabernet Sauvignon was the best hands down.

Take Note:

The Bevmo tasting was $2 per person, so reasonably priced. The pourer didn't know much about the wine which was disappointing. And the sign promised us chocolate, and there was none, or he forgot about it, I don't know which.
If you happen to be in Bevmo, and you have a couple dollars, I would say go for it. But I wouldn't make a special trip for the tastings.

Edward Sellers Vineyards (Paso Robles)

This weekend was a wine shipment "pick-up" day, so we decided to stop at a couple other wineries while we were out.

First Impressions:

They are located among some other wineries on highway 46 and were easy to find. The tasting room was big, and allows for a large number of people. There was only one other couple there, so we practically had the place to ourselves. The woman pouring was very nice, and gave a little bit of information about each wine as she poured. Overall, we really enjoyed their wine, and had an excellent experience.

These were the wines available for tasting:

2011 Le Passage
2011 Viognier
2011 Rose
2008 Mayhem (Red Blend)
2007 Cognito
2006 Vertigo
2009 Inception
2005 Cuvee des Cinq
2006 Syrah Selectionnee

Wines we tried:

2011 Le Passage ($35)
This was a delicious white wine. It had hints of citrus and minerals, and not very fruity.

2011 Viognier ($29)
I really enjoyed this wine. It was fruity and sweet, that reminded me of honeysuckle. An easy and refreshing wine.

2011 Rose ($18)
We are huge fans of these wines, so we just had to try it. One of the best local roses we have tried, and we purchased one to take home.

2008 Mayhem (Red Blend)   ($18.75)
This was a bold red wine, that would be good with a nice meal. Not one I would sip on it's own.

2007 Cognito  ($37)
I'm a sucker for wanting to try any 90 point or higher wine, and this one is a 90 (Robert Parker). It got a little lost, after trying the Mayhem blend, but I found it to be similar but less 'in your face'. I would pay extra and get the Syrah.

2006 Syrah Selectionnee  ($45)
It had a heftier price tag than I'm used to, but the wine did not let me down. A delicious syrah, classic.

Take Note:

Tasting is $10 per person, and waived with a purchase. You can choose any six wines to taste from their list.  They also allow two people to share one tasting. They have a wine club, that offers discounts. We ended up purchasing two bottles of the Rose, and one bottle of the Viognier.

Claiborne & Churchill (San Luis Obispo)

We were driving into Arroyo Grande when we got a little turned around. As we tried to make our way back home, we came upon this winery. We've seen their wine in restaurants before, and our curiosity got the better of us, so we made a stop.

First Impressions:

The winery is a little bit off the beaten path, which was nice because it was less busy then some other places. The tasting room was a good size. Not too large, but enough to hold several parties of people.
The tasting room is in the same room as the wine barrels, which I always enjoy, because you really get to see what is going on "behind the scenes".

The staff greeted us right away, and were very friendly. She told us about some of the events they have at the winery, including an Astronomy Night in October presented by a professor from Cal Poly. I can tell that they really appreciate their members and guests.

These were the wines available for tasting:

2011 Dry Gewurztraminer
2011 Dry Riesling
2010 "Twin Creeks" Pinot Noir
2009 "Runestone" Pinot Noir
2011 "Douce Amie" Sweet Orange Muscat

Wines we tried:

2011 Dry Gewurztraminer ($20)
We are both big fans of Gewurztraminer, so this was a treat to see. Unfortunately for those of us who don't like dry wine, this one is true to it's name. Otherwise, it was a good wine, dry and not too sweet.

2011 Dry Riesling ($20)
This wine was great, and not as dry as the Gewurztraminer. A little tart, with an aroma of orange.

2010 "Twin Creeks" Pinot Noir ($36)
Fruity, without being overly sweet. Quite tasty, and a little tart at the end.


2009 "Runestone" Pinot Noir ($40)
Absolutely loved this wine. A little bitter, but otherwise a favorite. I wish the price wasn't so high, but I'm not surprised given how good it was. This one was marked as Barrel Select, with just a few cases left.


2011 "Douce Amie" Sweet Orange Muscat ($16)
This one was a dessert wine, which smelled wonderful. I can honestly say it's one of the best dessert wines I've ever had. It wasn't too syrupy or thick, like many that I have tried. And it wasn't too sweet for us either. We ended up purchasing this to take home, we were so impressed.

Take Note:

Tasting is $10 per person, and waived with a purchase. They also allow shared tastings, and have a wine club. They had a unique selection of wines, as far as, taste profiles that surprised me and were very good. I recommend making a stop here.

Autry Cellars (San Luis Obispo)

Today we decided to head to southern San Luis Obispo, to some of the tasting rooms near the airport. One of these included Autry Cellars. 

First Impressions:

We followed the sign down the road to the tasting room. It's a large property that they are still doing renovations on.  This is a small winery, with a small tasting room owned by a sole proprietor Steve Autry. There was three other people tasting when we walked in, and there probably wouldn't have been much room for many more.
There was one staff member pouring, and he greeted us as we walked in, and was very welcoming.
There were five wines available to taste.  While we were there the owner stopped by, and we got to chat with him. It's a small winery, but it's obvious that he puts a lot of time and work into every bottle.

These were the wines available for tasting:

Sangiovese
Sauvignon Blanc 
Tempranillo
Petit Syrah 
Zinfendel

Wines we tried:

Sangiovese ($29)
A good red wine, but a little pricey compared to other local wines. We purchased a bottle
of this to take home.

Tempranillo 
My favorite of all of them. A smooth and fruity wine.

Petit Syrah 
A very sweet wine, best as a dessert wine.

Zinfandel  
Complex and delicious

 Take Note:

Tasting is $5 per person, and waived with a purchase. Autry Cellars has a wine club with a couple different options. The owner is also distilling brandy, and is currently the first winery in San Luis Obispo to do so.  According to his newsletter, it will be ready for purchase in late 2012. I plan on going back to try the brandy.

Cayucos Cellars (Cayucos)

While driving through the center of Cayucos, we spotted this tasting room. We weren't sure how long until we'd end up this far north again, so it seemed a good opportunity to try another Central Coast winery on our list.

First Impressions:

This is the only tasting room in Cayucos, and they are located right on the main street in Cayucos, so they are hard to miss.
It was a small room, but only one other couple was there tasting. There was one staff member pouring, and he was very friendly and knew a lot about the winery. It had a low-key and casual atmosphere.
It's a local family vineyards, with an interesting history in the area. There were pictures of the family and other local photography on the walls.

These were the wines available for tasting:

2007 Chardonnay
2007 Pinot Noir
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (New Release)
2004 The Rustic One
2007 Syrah
2005 Devils Gate Zinfandel
2003 Late Harvest Zinfandel

(Library wines available for purchase)

Wines we tried:

2007 Chardonnay ($24)
The description from the winery was "...the promise of apple cider", and that is the best description
of this wine. It was a bit too much apple for us.

2007 Pinot Noir ($32)
This wine had a lot of flavor and tartness. It was jammy, and full.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (New Release)  ($32)
Very woody wine, and too much oak for me.

2004 The Rustic One ($25)
A blend of Cab, Zin, and Pinot. It was fruity and a little sweet, almost like a candy. I really liked it.

2007 Syrah ($30)
Flavors of plum and quite good. Didn't like it enough for the price though.

2005 Devils Gate Zinfandel  ($42)
This wine reminded me of the 2007 Syrah, but with more tartness.

2003 Late Harvest Zinfandel ($25)This was their desert wine selection. It reminded me of Honey wine. It smelled a little like cocoa, and was excellent with chocolate (they had some samples at the counter). Very sweet and rich.

Take Note:

Tasting is $10 per person, and waived with purchase of wine. We didn't end up purchasing anything that day. They have a wine club with 20% discount on all wine purchases.

Turley (San Luis Obispo)

Today was another sunny Saturday in San Luis Obispo, and a perfect day for wine tasting.

First Impressions:

When we first walked in, there was a fun and lively vibe. The long tasting room counter was full of smiling tasters. We found one empty spot on the end, and were greeted quickly.
The staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the wines and vineyards. It was obvious they were proud of what the winery offers.
The tasting room doubled as a sitting room, with tables and comfortable chairs. Wine and central coast related gift items were on display along the walls. The gift items were unique and good quality, and we noticed we weren't the only ones who couldn't resist checking them out.
We also really liked the music they chose to play over the speaker system. It was just loud enough to hear over people talking, but not too loud to be distracting. Overall, we found this tasting room to have a nice ambiance, a great tasting selection, and friendly staff.

These were the wines available for tasting:

2010 "Old Vines" California Zinfandel
2010 "Dusi Vineyard" Paso Robles Zinfandel
2009 "Ueberroth Vineyard" Paso Robles Zinfandel
2006 "Turley Estate" Petite Syrah Napa Valley

Reserve Tasting:
2009 "Hayne Vineyard" Napa Valley Zinfandel
2006 "Hayne Vineyard" Napa Valley Petite Syrah

Wines we tried:

2010 "Old Vines" California Zinfandel ($28)  
2010 "Dusi Vineyard" Paso Robles Zinfandel ($48)  
2009 "Ueberroth Vineyard" Paso Robles Zinfandel ($55)  
2006 "Turley Estate" Petite Syrah Napa Valley ($44) 

Reserve Tasting:
2009 "Hayne Vineyard" Napa Valley Zinfandel ($86)  
2006 "Hayne Vineyard" Napa Valley Petite Syrah ($86)  

Unique & Rare Finds: 2010 "The White Coat" California Roussanne & Grenache Blanc (Our 'best kept secret') ($38) Desert Wine

Take Note:

Tasting is $10 per person, and waived with a 2 bottle purchase. The reserve wine tasting is $5.

Edna Valley Vineyards (San Luis Obispo)

Edna Valley Vineyards is a well known winery in the San Luis Obispo area, so we decided to spend part of a Sunday tasting their wine.

First Impressions:

Their large parking lot was crowded, and inside at the tasting bar it was even more crowded. The staff working that day were very friendly and helpful, and greeted us right away. They helped us find a spot at the wine bar, despite the crowd.
 The bar was facing a large picture window, showcasing a stunning view of the vineyards. They had 5 wines available to taste, which included mostly reds with two whites.

These were the wines available for tasting:

2010 White V Blend
2009 Reserve Chardonnay - Edna Valley2010 Pinot Noir - Edna Valley
2009 Syrah - Edna Valley
2009 Meritage - Paso Robles

Wines we Tasted:

2010 White V Blend ($20)
Well balanced wine, with citrus notes, and a mineral finish
 
2009 Reserve Chardonnay - Edna Valley ($30)
A sippable wine, with oak flavors

2010 Pinot Noir - Edna Valley ($22)
A delicious, very smooth wine, and light on taste. It would do better with foods not too strong in flavor.

2009 Syrah - Edna Valley ($18)
A complex wine that would be perfect with steak.

2009 Meritage - Paso Robles ($28)
We were told this wine might remind us of a cherry jolly rancher, and they were not kidding!
A tasty and interesting wine. 

Take Note:

Our overall impression was that they had earned their reputation for good wine.

We brought home 2 bottles of the white wine we tasted. The 2010 White V Blend and their 2009 Chardonnay.

Their website boasts that their Tasting Room is consistently voted the best in San Luis Obispo by locals in the annual newspaper poll.
They have seating inside and outside of the tasting room, where you can enjoy the view with a glass of wine.

Tasting is $10 per person, and one tasting is waived for every purchase of 2 bottles. They have a wine club, and they also sell a small selection of cheeses.

Wonderful!