Years ago, all anyone ever talked about when looking into wine weekends was Napa, Napa, Napa. Not so much anymore. There are so many new possibilites of wineries to explore. Temecula is one, Sonoma is another, but don't forget about Paso Robles. We didn't forget and ended up enjoying a lovely, long weekend among the vineyards and restaurants in that area.
Having two couples, we decided a bed and breakfast might be a good option. That way we had a common area to hang in, breakfast included, and the personal touch of feeling like we were part of the area as opposed to hotel guests. We chose the Orchard Farm Bed and Breakfast. This, in my opinion, was the caveat of our weekend. We booked the Fireplace suite and the Country room suite. It turns out, by booking both rooms, we had our own little "house" in Paso Robles with the benefit of an amazing, fresh, and foodie-worthy breakfast every morning. It even included a cheese plate and bottle of wine when we checked in. If you are heading to Paso Robles, I highly recommend you check this place out!
Then, we took a service called My Wine Driver. This company meets you at your hotel or Bed and Breakfast and takes you IN YOUR CAR, around to the wineries you want to see. The big benefit is the cost. Our driver was both friendly and knowledgeable about where she needed to go.
There are way too many wineries to recommend one over another, it is a matter of taste. But I would say that you can get a great experience if you check the wineries around you and call the place you will stay to ask their opinion based on the type of wines you like. Some are commercial and busy and others are small personal wineries. I always recommend scheduling a winery that serves lunch mid-way through your touring and always bringing lots of ice water on hand for between each winery. We tried to drink one bottle of water in between each stop and that worked well for us.
Some of my favorite places were:
Halter Ranch- Very friendly staff, lovely grass area to enjoy out front of the tasting area.
Villicana- They not only make wine, but they also make brandy which is on their tastings list. Also a nice, friendly staff.
Having two couples, we decided a bed and breakfast might be a good option. That way we had a common area to hang in, breakfast included, and the personal touch of feeling like we were part of the area as opposed to hotel guests. We chose the Orchard Farm Bed and Breakfast. This, in my opinion, was the caveat of our weekend. We booked the Fireplace suite and the Country room suite. It turns out, by booking both rooms, we had our own little "house" in Paso Robles with the benefit of an amazing, fresh, and foodie-worthy breakfast every morning. It even included a cheese plate and bottle of wine when we checked in. If you are heading to Paso Robles, I highly recommend you check this place out!
Then, we took a service called My Wine Driver. This company meets you at your hotel or Bed and Breakfast and takes you IN YOUR CAR, around to the wineries you want to see. The big benefit is the cost. Our driver was both friendly and knowledgeable about where she needed to go.
There are way too many wineries to recommend one over another, it is a matter of taste. But I would say that you can get a great experience if you check the wineries around you and call the place you will stay to ask their opinion based on the type of wines you like. Some are commercial and busy and others are small personal wineries. I always recommend scheduling a winery that serves lunch mid-way through your touring and always bringing lots of ice water on hand for between each winery. We tried to drink one bottle of water in between each stop and that worked well for us.
Some of my favorite places were:
Halter Ranch- Very friendly staff, lovely grass area to enjoy out front of the tasting area.
Villicana- They not only make wine, but they also make brandy which is on their tastings list. Also a nice, friendly staff.
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