Hundreds of cars lined the streets in front of the similarly-looking buildings. I drove around and soon realized I was hopelessly lost, for buildings looked much the same, and narrow passageways were everywhere. The Tin City sign loomed before me as I turned into the complex. Located near Paso Robles, Tin City is one of the most unusual purposedly designed developments I have ever experienced. My New Zealand lamb lollipops, marinated and grilled, topped with a mint pesto, and served with a garden salad, were the perfect accompaniment to the wine and stunning view. An umbrella kept the noon-time sun off me while I enjoyed their 2020 Chardonnay. With lunchtime rapidly approaching, and after browsing the menu, I asked to be seated outside in the beautiful landscape gardens.
Thank goodness, at 1,500 feet, the area flattens out, and before me lay a beautiful Calcareous Vineyard tasting room building perched near the edge of the hill. Then Google Maps tells you to make a right up a road that appears to go straight up. Sometimes when an organization puts an attraction on your schedule, you wonder about their wisdom as you wind your way on a narrow two-lane road through Salina Valley. As for that non-descript building, it is a well-appointed wine-tasting room used during cooler days. After an individualized wine tasting, people can move to them and continue their winetasting adventures. Thus, the reason for the barista tables I saw coming in. The steward smiled and revealed that because of the individual seating areas, their biggest issue now is getting people to move on so they can invite others to have the same experience. Once again, it came up that they work with their neighbors by renting/loaning their land and sharing varieties of grapes to enable wineries to develop new blends.Īlas, it was time for me to go. Even more impressive was a table sign: “Welcome, Kathy Condon.” The wine steward shared the history of this 23-year-old winery that produces high-end hand-crafted wines. Sitting down, I noted a wineglass and bottle waiting for me. Think outdoor lounge sofas with comfy gray cushions and red umbrellas. Since I had a reservation, I was greeted by the wine steward and escorted down a path around a hedge and into a lovely seating area. Alongside it were barista tables with umbrellas dotting the entire building length. With noon rapidly approaching and the sun shining brightly, I pulled into the Hope Family Winery parking lot and noticed a nondescript building. As a result, you are often called by name when you walk in the door and are escorted to a seating area. Thus, they know the number of staff members they will need. You go to the winery’s site to make a reservation for the day and time you plan to arrive.
Now Paso Robles wineries use a reservation system. Often the longer the bar, the longer the wait to get attention. We have all been there, standing at a long bar in a tasting room, vying for the server’s attention to refill our glass and regale us with the information about what she was about to pour.
Here are the experiences that made my time in Paso Robles wine country so delightful. It was amazing how often I was referred to another winery to taste a newly released wine or directed to see the spectacular grounds I may have missed had I been exploring on my own. Frankly, from my visit, it appears to be working well, for nary a negative word was uttered about others. Instead of wineries competing, they help each other in every way, believing they will thrive together. A recent count revealed 300-plus wineries are now dotting the area.ĭuring a recent sponsored visit, a phenomenon revealed itself repeatedly. The explosion of new wineries and distilleries has surprised even locals. The nearby Pacific Ocean provides an accommodating breeze, and variations in elevation offer the perfect atmosphere for entrepreneurial families to create new wineries and distilleries. When I think of Paso Robles, California, I visualize rolling hills with giant oak trees scattered throughout the countryside.
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