Page 103 - SLO Visitors Guide - Spring 2026

slovisitorsguide.com SPRING 2026 103
Wine Tasting
(805) 237-1425
asuncionridge.com • 180 Bella Ranch Rd. (off of El Pomar)
Walk-ins welcomed!
Open 11-5 Thurs-Sun
Mon, Tues & Wed by Appointment
Reservations recommended for larger parties.
SUMMER 2026
MUSIC & FOOD
FRIDAY NIGHT
MUSIC SERIES
525 Riverside Ave., Paso Robles • (805) 238-6300
at Derby Wine Estates • 6-9PM
5/15 Five Parts Devil • Chocos Mexican Grill
5/22 Ghost • Monster • Del-Licious
5/29 Up In The Air • Get Yo Fil
6/5 Dulcie Taylor • Central Coast Cuisine Pizza
6/12 Talie & The Trouble Makers • Del-Licious
6/19 Rob Faucette • Colony Culture Pizza
6/26 Neighborhood Katz • Chocos Mexican Grill
Bruce Hansen’s personal history
with winemaking goes back to his
childhood in Michigan. “Dad made
wine at home and I helped him,
which didn’t make Mom happy,” he
reports. As an adult, he picked up
winemaking tips and lessons from
the various winemakers he worked
with when constructing their win-
ery buildings.
The friendships he made dur-
ing his construction years helped
launch Hansen Vineyards & Win-
ery. When the time came for him
to make wine, he bought a former
almond orchard in 1992. After
ripping out the old trees, he started
planting rootstock, which has be-
come 30 acres of 10 to 20-year-old
vines growing mostly cabernet sau-
vignon grapes. Hansen Vineyards
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon was his
first release.
“I had some great mentors,” said
Bruce as he listed off names includ-
ing Gary Eberle, Craig Reed, now
at Castoro Cellars, Alan Kinne,
winemaker at Martin & Weyrich,
and Christian Roguenant, now at
Lightpost Winery in Morgan Hill.
Since its first release, Hansen
Vineyard & Winery has become
known for excellent, award-
winning wines. Bruce oversees
everything with precise detail, from
planting, growing, and harvest-
ing to barrels, fermentation, and
bottling.
The vines grow in soil consist-
ing mainly of nutrient-rich black
adobe with an abundance of shale
and limestone. The wines are aged
in 100% French Oak barrels for
two and a half to four and a half
years, accounting for the amazing
results and the reason the wine is
so drinkable shortly after being
bottled. He produces around 1500
cases a year.
Hansen wines were awarded
gold and silver medals at the 2024
American Fine Wine Competi-
tion. The Hansen Cab House
2019 Cabernet Franc and the
Hansen Cab House 2021 Cabernet
Franc both won gold medals. The
Hansen Cab House 2017 Cabernet
Sauvignon and Hansen Cab House
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon both
won silver medals.
Visit the winery and experi-
ence some serious wine. Chat
with Bruce. Learn more about his
winemaking, hear some tales from
the wine roadshow, and maybe get
a hot tip on when the Cab Chal-
lenge is returning!
Visit the Hansen Vineyards
and Winery tasting room at 5575
El Pomar Dr. in Templeton; open
Friday- Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
except for major holidays. For more
information, visit hansenwines.com
or call (805)-239-8412.
—Jackie Iddings