The concept of Chronic Cellars came about in the midst of harvest in 2004. We had used the term “The Chronic” to describe likable objects before, but we had never considered it a suitable descriptor for wine. We sat alongside the crush pad one evening in our wine stained clothes and wet boots laughing about the idea of a wine that targeted a casual lifestyle.

Jake and I were raised in the heart of Paso Robles wine country. Wine and the art of wine making have been apart of our lives since the early 80’s. After graduating from college we both returned to Paso Robles and joined the team at Peachy Canyon Winery. After a decade each of immersing ourselves in all aspects of the wine industry we decided to do our own project. We wanted to try something new and put the tools we have gathered to work on our dream. We had a vision and a desire to make our statement in the wine industry that we could not deny. After four years we took our first step toward Chronic Cellars.

The distinctive tasting room at Clautiere Vineyard is known to wine-lovers everywhere as a Paso Robles destination to relax, let your hair down and have a little fun with the wine-tasting experience. The tasting room has vibrant colors and patterns, winding garden paths, rock circles, metal sculptures, magical mosaic cubes and spheres. Visitors are encouraged to join the fun by selecting a brightly colored wig or hat to wear while experiencing the equally bold and beautiful current release wines. Experience the fun side of Wine. Visit Clautiere for a wine & gourmet cheese pairing plus excellent customer service in a fun atmosphere. The colorful décor and famous “Playroom” has a magical way of bringing out the “Child Heart” in everyone.

THE ASUNCION RIDGE EXPERIENCE

The journey began when Winemaker, Philip Krumal and Entrepreneur, Michael Dilsaver met in a wine appreciation class in 1995. Their love of fine wine, great food and inspiring friendships lead to the ultimate dream of “living the wine country dream.” Their first Pinot Noir vineyard was planted in 2002 in the Santa Lucia Mountains overlooking Morro Bay, thus starting the Asuncion Ridge story. Philip and Michael’s philosophy is a simple one…”wine begins in the vineyard.” To this end, a watchful eye is given to every step of the process from “the vineyard to the bottle.”

It is Philip and Michael’s hope that you will join them in this journey.

August Ridge was established by John Backer and Jill Zamborelli Backer in the spring of 2001 with the purchase of 40 acres of rolling hills in Creston. From the beginning their goal was to produce wines that combine the robust styling of the best California wines with the restrained elegance of the classic wines from northern and central Italy. Their passion for the project comes from a love of cooking, eating and sharing meals with friends which leads directly to August Ridge wine style. This dream is a natural extension of both the Backer and Zamborelli families. John’s family has been growing grapes for four generations dating back to the 1800’s while Jill’s family brings the robust Italian food and traditions from a small town just outside of Rome, Italy.

Demeter Family Cellars is a family owned micro winery producing small lots of award winning wines. Listen to music you choose from their collection of over 500 vinyl records. James and Diane will make your visit memorable in their mid-century modern tasting room. 6990 Kingsbury Rd., Templeton, demeterfamilycellars.com, (805) 712-0002

Vino Vargas is nestled in the rolling hills of the Northwest Paso Robles region. Our modern winery is both an efficient example of winemaking and a warm place for you, your friends and family to discover some truly unique wines. Your tasting appointment will be personal, educational and fun. This means that you get to interact with our winemaker Pedro or our sommelier Vicky and really talk about the wines, winemaking philosophy or just sit back and enjoy the magnificent view.

PERSONALIZED WINE TASTING.

Please give us a call at 805-369-1440 to make a reservation for your personalized wine tasting at our Paso Robles winery.

Tastings by appointment

Four Lanterns resides on 35 acres on the west side of Paso Robles in the formidable Willow Creek AVA. This area, renowned for hot days, cool nights and soil riddled with calcareous stone, provides a perfect environment for making exceptional wines. Jackie’s Vineyard, located in the Templeton Gap AVA, is the location where their Bordeaux varietals grow.

Specializing in wine varietals native to France’s Rhone Valley & Bordeaux regions, Four Lanterns focuses on making estate wines, capitalizing on the natural strengths of their land. The resulting wines are beautifully complex, balanced, and wonderful to drink.

Mitchella is a small family owned estate vineyard and winery located on the eastside of Paso Robles along the HuerHuero Creek, we are committed to making small lots of premium handcrafted wines and believe it starts by attentively cultivating quality wine in the vineyard. You will only find our wines at the winery or in select wine bars, shops and restaurants. Read more: https://www.slovisitorsguide.com/paso-wine-country/mitchella-vineyard-and-winery

Ray and Pam Derby moved to the Central Coast area in the early 1990’s with the intention of retiring. In 1998, they purchased their first vineyard property, now known as Derbyshire Vineyard and their thoughts of retirement were replaced by the inspiration of being a part of the wine world. In the years following, Ray next acquired the historic Laura’s Vineyard (in east Paso) and then the Westside property, now called the Derby Vineyard. Needless to say, their plans of retirement never came to fruition.

After experiencing nearly a decade as a grape grower, the potential strengths of each property became apparent and in 2008, Ray and Pam launched Derby Wine Estates. They are extremely selective in terms of what goes into the bottle under the Derby label. The commitment to the land is appreciable, with only 20 hand-selected acres being used to provide fruit for their own brand. Grapes from the remainder (some 90%of their total acreage) are sold to some of the finest wine producers in California.

Located in the heart of the picturesque Paso Robles wine region, Le Vigne Winery produces quality wines that feature Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Syrah. If you are traveling to the area be sure and stop in for our reserve wine tastings that feature a wine and cheese pairing that is both educational and fun. Opened in 1995 the winery includes a tasting room that features a relaxed atmosphere, premium wines, and gourmet food items. A must see stop to make any visit to Paso Robles wine country complete. Read more here: https://www.slovisitorsguide.com/paso-robles/cheese-chocolate-and-wine

Father and daughter Lloyd Messer and Dana Brown realized their dream of finding a place to express their passion for wine in 2000, when they established Calcareous Vineyards on one of the highest limestone plateaus on Paso Robles’ west side. Both Lloyd and Dana, experienced wine distributors in their native Iowa, recognized that the west side of Paso Robles had potential to produce world class wines. Their acquisition of 342 acres atop solid calcareous rock reaching 1,800 feet above sea level confirmed their dedication to producing the highest quality, terroir driven wines possible. It is a labor of love to cultivate fruit on this challenging land, but the reward is immediately apparent when tasting the wines. Calcareous has for over a decdade now, produced a collection of world–class blends and varietal wines that exhibit Paso Robles’ claim to being “distinct, different”. Lloyd passed on in 2006, and Dana advances their vision with the help of her sister Erika.

Alapay Cellars Established over a decade ago. Producing high quality and handcrafted French oak barrel-aged wines. 2000 square-foot Ocean theme tasting room. Just a stones-throw away from the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Featuring whites, reds and dessert wines. 415 1st St Downtown Avila Beach, alapaycellars.com, (805) 595-2632