This winery is a must see/taste. The winemaker/winegrowers - Frank and Teena are truly special. Their passion translates into every bottle of wine. They have a very nice selection of both white and red wines that will appeal to just about every taste.Take a beautiful drive up to Narrow Gate and check them out!
We were given the opportunity to check this place out through the wine tour we scheduled. Their operation is also one of the most intimate experiences you will have in terms of a winery visit. You literally taste their wine on some super comfy patio furniture in the middle of a field/clearing right next to their vineyard! The owner, Donny, is very knowledgable and guides you through his wines.
Changala Winery is a boutique family-owned and operated winery located in the Willow Creek District on the West side of Paso Robles.
Our winemaker specializes in creative red blends and offers unique single varietals. The wines are sourced from local Paso vineyards as well as our own Willow Creek Estate fruit for over 20 years, with a focus on making wines that represent the best of Paso Robles.
The Irving family immigrated to the United States from Nova Scotia. Grandfather John Irving worked in the Comstock Lode silver mines near Virginia City, Nevada before moving to Jackson, California to mine gold. In 1890, they acquired an 84 acre ranch east of Placerville. It was known as the four mile ranch because it straddled the main road east, formerly the route of the Pony Express. An existing house on the property was present at the time of their acquisition and is listed on the county tax rolls from 1885.After years of clean up and restoration, the ranch has become one of the show places in the Apple Hill area. The property has approximately 16 acres of wine grapes, as well as, peaches and eight varieties of apples farmed by a local retail fruit operation.
Tyler and Trevor Grace, fourth great-grandsons of Lewis Grace, have established themselves as skilled winemakers through years of education and hands-on experience.
Tyler began his journey with an Earth Science degree from Dartmouth, but after a brief period as a field geologist, he pivoted toward winemaking, earning a degree in enology and viticulture from Fresno State. His global experience started with a year of travel, working at notable wineries such as Heitz Cellars in Napa and in Coonawarra, Australia. This "endless harvest" gave Tyler invaluable opportunities to work under expert winemakers during wine's most crucial stages of development.
Returning to California, Tyler deepened his skills as an enologist at Quail Ridge Winery in Rutherford, followed by a role as assistant winemaker at Bell Cellars in Yountville. There, he specialized in Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, while gaining experience with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Viognier. In 2007, Tyler arrived in El Dorado County to help establish the family vineyard and winery. His exposure to both traditional winemaking and hand-tended boutique wine production has shaped his current winemaking philosophy. Today, Tyler focuses exclusively on Lewis Grace wines, combining his Napa Valley expertise with Sierra Foothills practices to create high-quality, boutique wines.
Trevor Grace, holding a master's degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis, brings 15 years of winemaking experience in El Dorado and Amador County. Trevor has worked with over thirty grape varieties, honing his craft with an emphasis on high-elevation winemaking, a key aspect of his family’s vineyard. His ongoing mastery of these subtleties complements Tyler’s experience, together producing exceptional wines under the Grace family name.
The Parrish family has deep roots in the Paso Robles area. Earl Henderson is David Parrish’s grandfather and was one of the first people to plant in Atascadero during Prohibition. In fact, he had P.O. Box 1. Today, his home is the site of the Atascadero Historical Museum.
In the 1920s, Henderson planted 540 acres and managed approximately 740 acres of wine grapes including Alicante, Charbon, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel. The Zinfandel cuttings were purchased from the famed Paderewski Ranch.
Henderson grew grapes through the beginning of Prohibition and then got into the golf course business.
Inspired by his grandfather's stories, David Parrish set out to test his own green thumb. After graduating from U.C. Davis in 1974, he pursued his passion for grape growing by establishing A&P Ag Structures, a vineyard trellising company. His expertise caught the attention of Napa Valley's Robert Mondavi, leading to collaborations on trellising installations for Mondavi's vineyards and other renowned wineries like Beringer.
Nearly two decades later, Parrish returned to California's Central Coast, aiming to carry on his grandfather's legacy of grape growing. In 2004, he produced the first vintage under the Parrish Family label, now managing 70 acres in Paso Robles.
In 2018, marking another milestone, the Parrish family opened a wine and food destination on Adelaida Road. The tasting room offers vineyard walks, winery tours, food and wine pairings, tastings, bottle services, event spaces, and conference facilities. Indoors and outdoors, guests can explore their palate preferences, relax with wine, and find inspiration. The property even features a putting green with complimentary putters and golf balls for those looking to unwind.
Wine Tasting Experience:
Open Daily 11am-5pm (last reservation at 4:15pm)
Reservations for Visiting - They try to accommodate walk-ins when we can, but cannot guarantee.
When Kory Koehler acquired the property in 1997, all of the estate grapes were being sold to local wineries. Koehler soon recognized that some of the best wines in the valley were being produced with grapes harvested from her own vineyard so she made the resolved to launch her own winery and tasting room. From the start, Kory Koehler's vision was to create a world-class winery committed to making premium wines at affordable prices.
Image: Saman Teher - Pixabay
This winery is fun! They're only open the third weekend of the month. Tucked away down Redwood Retreat Road about 3.5 miles from Watsonville Road, the drive to get here is truly spectacular. They are only open the third weekend of each month and passport weekends. They ask that you sign in and they then give you name tags with your first name on it. The staff was friendly and the owners Therese and Dan were walking around greeting people. Dan and Therese Martin clearly have a passion for making great wine. They have scores of awards for their wine but that's not what they lead with. Their tasting room is welcoming and intimate. The vibe is comfortable and engaging. Martin Ranch produces a variety of wines from Chardonnay to Cab Franc, Sauvignon Blanc to Sangiovese.
Unconventional by Nature - Winemaker Robert Morse
Terroir is everything, but so as they say is location, and sometimes those aren’t the same place. We have chosen to stay at our vineyard, winery and estate tasting room to allow our customers to experience our unigue terroir. Opposed to what might seem apparent by the concentration of valley wineries, the best vineyard sites are not necessarily alongside the pre-existing major thoroughfares.
In the Foothills, we can grow any warm climate varietals but focus on those that perform at their best in granitic soils. Italian and Rhone varietals benefit from our consistently ideal climate. Our vineyard and winery’s location straddles ridgelines above an elevation of 2000 ft, benefitting from cooling afternoon breezes, abundant sunshine and low yielding rocky soils resulting in our unique terroir.
The Il Gioiello, “the jewel,” name comes from the final home of famed astronomer and scientist Galileo Galilei. Our 2 Roads brand name was inspired by my favorite Robert Frost poem and Morse is my name and most importantly the name of my parents. All three have inspired a slightly different approach to my choices and my respect for integrity, honesty and hard work.
Our wines and winery reflect these values; unpretentious, no concentrates or additives, just wine grapes and great value wines. In my life, the right wine has always been the wingman of a good meal, not the star of the meal. I recall great meals far better than other pleasures and that is why we make “food wines”.
As the French proverb says, “to have a great meal, one requires great hunger”. Having 17 unique estate varietals and clones allow us to create complexity and balance in our wines difficult to achieve with single varietals.
When asked about my favorite wine, the answer is always the same, “what are we eating”. If I’m having a glass of wine without the benefit of food, our 2 Roads blends Crossroad and La Strada are soft, fruity and complex.
photo - courtesy photographer Randy Caparoso
Nestled in the warmest edge of the Russian River Valley, Merriam Vineyards invites guests to cross cultures while tasting California-crafted Bordeaux-style wines in a beautifully appointed tasting room designed with the comfort and warmth of a New England-style home. This new winery, representing an east meets west experience, lies in the hub of three major California appellations, Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and Alexander Valley, and is the gateway to Healdsburg’s wine country.
THE PROMISE OF GOLD
California was founded on the promise of gold, a standard that 1850 Wine Cellars upholds to this day. Inspired by the state's breathtaking natural beauty and a spirit of discovery, 1850 Wine Cellars exemplifies the gold standard in winemaking. By sustainably farming and sourcing grapes from vineyards primarily in Amador County, Fair Play, El Dorado County, and other Sierra Foothill growing regions, they craft high-quality wines designed to complement every adventure.
MEET THE WINEMAKER: BRIAN DARWAZEH
Winemaker Brian Darwazeh has deep roots in California agriculture. Raised in a small farming community in Northern California, and with a grandfather who worked the land, Brian's connection to California-grown fruit is personal. For him, working with local harvests and experiencing the rhythm of the land and seasons is a labor of love. Brian is drawn to the Sierra Foothills for its diverse microclimates and the wide variety of grape varietals that thrive there. His passion lies in creating fruit-driven wines that express the true character of each varietal, with minimal intervention.
