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Croad Vineyards & Winery

pouring red wine - Pixabay

Croad Vineyards is nestled within California's wine country surrounded by the majestic views of west side Paso Robles. The winery & tasting room are located near Vineyard Drive in Paso Robles.The Mission style architecture blended with New Zealand "KIWI" influence bring a truly unique experience to your visit.  

Seven Angels Cellars

Seven Angels Cellars, a charming family-owned boutique winery nestled in the heart of Paso Robles, California! This delightful winery kicked off its winemaking journey in 2009 with a small batch of Petite Sirah and has since expanded to produce around 3,000 cases a year. At the helm is Greg Martin, the passionate owner and winemaker, while Pamela Martin expertly manages social media, food pairings, wine clubs, events, and their website. The name “Seven Angels” is a heartfelt tribute to their blended family, which includes seven wonderful children.

Greg’s love for wine began in rural California, where he spent his childhood learning the ins and outs of winemaking from his neighbor, who grew grapes. His passion continued during his time in the US Coast Guard, stationed in the Bay Area, where he had easy access to the fabulous wineries of Sonoma and Napa. Pamela, on the other hand, hails from a family of foodies and wine lovers. With a background in winemaking courses and experience as a home economist on a cooking show, she’s developed an obsession for pairing food and wine to create delightful culinary experiences.

Married in 2008, the couple dove into winemaking the following year. Specializing in Rhône blends and single varietals, Greg is hands-on in every step of the process, from vineyard to bottle, while Pamela brings her expert palate to the blending process.

Seven Angels Cellars has made quite a name for itself, with many of their wines earning impressive ratings in the 90s from Wine Enthusiast, along with numerous gold medals at California and international wine competitions. Recently, their 2024 Orange County Wine Society and Central Coast Wine competition recognized their new whites, awarding gold medals to the 2023 Chardonnay, 2021 Estate Chardonnay, and 2022 Viognier. The accolades continue with a Double Gold for the 2019 Merlot and gold medals for the 2019 Chosen One, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, and Syrah.

The winemaking philosophy at Seven Angels is simple: “less is best.” They focus on minimal manipulation and embrace natural methods, with Greg experimenting with different types of oak in their barrel program. Their wines are designed to be food-friendly and approachable, both in flavor and price.

Tercero Wines

Tercero Wines Santa Barbara County

tercero wines is the brainchild of Larry Schaffer, owner and winemaker. He began the brand shortly after graduating with his Masters Degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis – but this was well after he had completely switched directions in life and charted a new and exciting path.

Larry started his college career at UC Davis as an undergraduate, but had no interest in wine. The idea of getting into wine was something he had considered in the past – but more on the sales and marketing side because of his background. After graduating with his degree, he joined the winemaking team at Fess Parker Winery, where he stayed for nearly a decade before it was time to branch off and concentrate 100% on his own brand – and he could not be happier today.

Larry is adept not only at winemaking but at explaining the process in a very user-friendly manner. Visit his tasting room or follow him on social media to see for yourself.

Saxum Vineyards

Saxum Label for Broken Stones wine

Saxum Vineyards focus is primarily with Grenach, Syrah and Mourverdre based blends from the Templeton Gap/Willow Creek area of Paso Robles, California. This Central Coast Winery produces 3,000 to 4,000 cases a year from these winegrapes.

Imagery Estate Winery

wine and cheese - Pixabay

They have a beautiful scenic panoramic view. The staff are very personable, knowledgeable, and always willing to be of help. The outdoor patio is perfect for these summer months. They even have horse shoes!!! Nice selection of some pretty nice wines.

Claiborne & Churchill Vintners

pouring wine into glass - Pixabay

Claiborne & Churchill is a small, premium family-owned winery located in the Edna Valley of San Luis Obispo. Founded in 1983 by Claiborne (Clay) Thompson and Fredericka Churchill Thompson, former University of Michigan teachers, the couple transitioned from academia to the vineyards of California in 1981 to pursue a new life in the wine industry.

With its first crush, Claiborne & Churchill announced its special focus by producing 565 cases of Dry Riesling and Dry Gewürztraminer, inspired by the fruity but dry dinner wines of the French province of Alsace. Today, Claiborne & Churchill produces about 8,000 cases of wine each year, sourcing grapes from vineyards in the cool maritime valleys of California’s Central Coast and its own small estate vineyards.

Denner Vineyards & Winery

Corks and glass - Pixabay

The Denner Winery was completed in time for the 2005 harvest. Ron and John believe that great architecture blends with the environment. Denner Winery, therefore is designed to fit into the rolling hills and is complementary to the geography and culture of the Central Coast and the wines they produce.

A. Nonini Winery

A. Nonini Winery logo

A. Nonini Winery (aka Fresno's best-kept secret) was founded in 1936 by Antonio and Angiolina Nonini, and the business carries on managed by the fourth generation. We were pleased to tour the winery, starting with the 1941 Garolla grape crusher from Italy and ending with the finished product resting in the redwood tanks, which can easily be arranged by calling James Jordan.  They also have facilities for hosting special events. Be sure to try the Nonini Winery's Ruby Cabernet. The winery opens its tasting room from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.~

Hours:

Mon - Sat - 9:00AM to 4:00PM
Sunday                Closed

Cantiga Wine Works

pouring glass of wine by Pixabay

Cantiga Wineworks is a small family winery nestled in California's Sierra Foothills. They craft wines using classical methods that are rarely seen today, reviving the art of winemaking designed for long-term cellaring. Their focus is on producing food-friendly wines, reclaiming wine's traditional role at the dinner table. Cantiga’s wines are made through gentle, minimal intervention techniques, and are fermented without malolactic fermentation to preserve the natural varietal character, acidity, and balance. They also use minimal sulfites and avoid unnecessary processing.

Winemaker Rich Rorden has been involved in winemaking for as long as he can remember, learning much of his technique from his father, Bud. In making wine for Cantiga Wineworks, Rich seeks to preserve the family’s winemaking methods while adapting them to meet the unique challenges of commercial production. Before founding Cantiga, Rich worked as a mechanical engineer in the aerospace industry. A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, he spent over a decade at TRW in Manhattan Beach, designing satellites for both commercial and government projects. Rich now applies the same meticulous attention to detail to his winemaking craft.

 

 

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