Page 100 - SLO Visitors Guide Fall 2025

100 FALL 2025 slovisitorsguide.com
Wine Tasting
VISIT CASTORCELLARS.COM FOR RESERVATIONS • @CASTOROCELLARS
1315 N. BETHEL ROAD • TEMPLETON, CA 93465 • 888-DAM-FINE
WALK-INS and RESERVATIONS WELCOME • 10AM - 5:30PM DAILY
Let us make your visit an experience!
Glunz Family Winery in Paso Robles
blends tradition and value
Glunz Family Winery opened
in Paso Robles in 2014 with a
focus on quality and value. “Since
opening Glunz Family Winery in
2014, our primary goal has been
to produce exceptional wines at
accessible prices, and we’re proud
to say we’ve achieved just that,”
General Manager Stephan Glunz
said.
The winery sits on 40 acres, with
10 acres dedicated to zinfandel and
Bordeaux varietals. Grapes are also
sourced from vineyards in Paso
Robles, Edna Valley, and Santa Bar-
bara County, allowing the family
to produce a diverse lineup. Many
of the wines have earned strong
reviews while maintaining prices
between $28 and $65 per bottle.
One of the most rewarding
aspects of the last decade, Stephan
said, has been the people they’ve
met in Paso Robles. “In Paso
Robles, there’s a strong sense of
community and a genuine willing-
ness to help one another,” he said.
“It seems everyone, from winemak-
ers to vineyard managers and cellar
workers, is ready to lend a hand
when needed.”
Stephan said the winery has
grown alongside the region’s
increasing popularity. “It’s been
exciting to witness the remarkable
growth in Paso Robles since we
acquired our property in 2013,” he
said. The tasting room is open daily,
and Glunz Family Winery is now
establishing distribution in multiple
states, which Stephan called “a very
exciting development for us.”
Affordability and approachabili-
ty remain core to their winemaking
philosophy. “As fourth-generation
owners, my brother and I grew up
in the wholesale side of the business
in Chicago, where we learned the
importance of overdelivering on
quality while maintaining attractive
pricing on the shelf,” Stephan said.
The winery’s standard tasting
fee is $20, but it’s waived with any
wine purchase. Complimentary
tastings are also offered on Wednes-
days through a collaboration with
Tobin James Winery, a neighbor
and longtime friend of the family.
While the family preserves
tradition, they also embrace in-
novation. “I wouldn’t say we’ve
flipped the script, however, we are
always exploring new techniques in
the cellar and experimenting with
different vineyard sites, oak treat-
ment, and yeast strains each year,”
Stephan said.
A hallmark of that tradition
is the Mission Angelica, a dessert
wine produced in a solera style.
“We’ve continued the tradition
started by my grandfather and
father in the 1950s, adding to
the solera and taking out a small
Fourth-generation
winemakers
welcome guests for
tastings, tours, and
conversation
Stephan and Matthew Glunz (fourth generation) with Matt and Will Glunz (fifth generation).