Page 111 - San Luis Obispo Visitors Guide - Summer 2025

slovisitorsguide.com SUMMER 2025 111
From villainess to vintner, how Carol
Hoyt became an accidental winemaker
When Carol and Stephen
Hoyt were just married,
a stay at a working vineyard in-
spired them to have a vineyard of
their own. At the time, Carol was
a working model and actress, best
known for her popular character,
the Villainous Divatox, in the
Power Rangers series. Upon start-
ing a family, Carol took a break
from performing, and she and Ste-
phen moved to Malibu. There they
planted their first vineyard – in
their backyard! Having no idea of
what they were getting themselves
into, Carol soon discovered they
would have a lot of fruit, and
quickly learned to make
her first wine in
their kitchen.
Long gone
are the days
of making
wine at
home.
Carol
now
makes
wine
and
grows all
her grapes
in the heart
of Paso Robles.
Nestled in the re-
nowned Willow Creek
District, Hoyt Family Vineyards
is a gem among local wineries.
Hoyt Family Vineyards Ranch
is a unique experience. “We are in
the heart of some of the best win-
eries, just a hop, skip, and a jump
from nearby vineyards and tasting
rooms. You can have the experi-
ence of going downtown to their
tasting room or book a vineyard
tour right there on the ranch,” said
Carol, who is the owner and wine-
maker of Hoyt Family Vineyards.
Hoyt Family Vineyard Downtown
Tasting Room is located at 1322 Park
St. in Paso Robles. Open Thurs-Sat,
from noon- 8 p.m., Sun noon- 5
p.m. Hoyt Family Vineyards Ranch
is located at 2015 Township Rd. in
Paso Robles. For more information,
visit hoytfamilyvineyards.com or call
(805) 369-1092.
— Sadie Mae Mace
The
vine-
yard
tour is
like Mr.
Toad’s
wild
ride! Join
the host,
and Co-pilot
Riley, the winery
dog, on an ATV tour
around the 130 acres, learning
about viticulture and what it
takes to grow grapes. You never
know what wildlife you will
encounter, from quail, hawks,
turkey vultures, owls even bob-
cats! Along with feeding goats
and picking farm-fresh eggs, it’s a
one-of-a-kind experience!
“The views around Paso are
pretty spectacular, and we feel
lucky to have some that rival the
best! Truly amazing,” said Carol.
Where ‘wine pairs
best with friends’
The downtown Paso Robles
tasting room offers a beachy,
laid-back feel for guests. Chillax,
enjoy its cool vibe and sip im-
pressive wines by the flight, the
glass, or the bottle. Make sure
to try all their award-winning
wines, including their most re-
cent Gold Medal winners. Recent
Gold Medal winners from the
2025 San Francisco Chronicle
Wine Competition include the
2022 Zinfandel and the 2022
Grenache. If you favor Chardon-
nay, check out the 2021 and 2022
Hoyt Vineyard Chardonnays,
both taking Gold Medals at the
2024 San Francisco Chronicle
Wine Competition.
“We like to say ‘Our Wines
Pair Best With Friends’ and we
look forward to when people
come visit us at the tasting room
or the ranch. We want them to
feel like family,” Carol said.
Wine Tasting
Stephen and Carol Hoyt.