Walter Teachworth developed his taste for cabernet sauvignon by drinking aged Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Latour. Joan started sharing Walter's fondness for fine cabs when they met in 1976, and by the early 1990's they knew it was time to move to the Napa Valley. After living in St. Helena a few years, they found the perfect spot to build their own home on Diamond Mountain, south of Calistoga.
Melani, Owner & Winemaker
Melani’s love of wine started when she was a Navy nurse stationed in Naples, Italy, in 2009. While living in Italy, she traveled throughout Europe and gathered wines along the way, creating an impressive collection. She fell in love with the way wine brought people together. Over the next 10 years, she hosted wine gatherings, taught and took classes, and took an informal but fun approach to learning about wine.
In 2017, Melani began volunteering at the Tackitt Family Vineyards for a Warrior Helping Warriors fundraiser, where she fell further in love with the winemaking process, the people, and Paso Robles. She offered to assist the Tackitts at their events and started to learn more about the intricacies of winemaking and viticulture under the tutelage of Leon Tackitt- this is where she realized her dream of owning a winery. Melani knows the importance of the translation of the Bon Niche name- “a good place.” Through the years, she has come to realize that life is about enjoying the people, the place, and the moment. Wine has brought many people, places, and special moments to life for Melani, and her dream is to create a very good place with great wine.
Brochelle Vineyards is located in Paso Robles and has some really nice wines. Their flagship is Zinfandel but their Petite Sirah and Chardonnay speak for themselves as well. The tasting room is very nice, a great find! Two locations for your tasting pleasure:
1. Westside Location: 6996 Peachy Canyon Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446
2. Eastside location: 2323 Tuley Rd #130, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Starr Ranch is a family owned and operated ranch located in the central coast of California specializing in altar, premium wine, group, production.
Starr Ranch is a family-owned and operated ranch situated on the Central Coast of California, specializing in ultra-premium wine grape production. In addition to wine grapes, the ranch also cultivates walnuts, a variety of fresh fruits, and persimmons.
After an extensive search throughout California, the owners discovered the hills of Adelaida, where they found a ranch with the potential to produce exceptional ultra-premium wine grapes. Like others before them, including Tablas Creek and L'Aventure, they conducted a thorough investigation before choosing Paso Robles as their vineyard home in 2000.
Blue Oak Merlot, which is named for the regal blue oak tree in the backyard, is perhaps California's best merlot — Chicago Tribune. We look forward to visting with the folks at Blue Oak, then we can share a little more with our readers.
Winemaker Peter Kirilov, and Kukeri Wines is based out of Sebastopol. Peter has sourced the grapes for his 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Veeder of the Mayacamas Mountains that separates Sonoma from Napa. The clay and volcanic soils that are characteristic of this area produce small, intense fruit. A rich, ruby red color, the wine is remarkably smooth and balanced considering its relatively young age. Though Kirilov has just recently launched Kukeri he’s no stranger to wine making or the wine industry. He’s a full time wine-maker for two other wineries and founded VinoEnology.com, an industry website that offers winemaking solutions for vintners, including calculators, tools and marketplace. This boutique winery and winemaker is a good one to keep an eye on. Small production wines with the fire of the winemaker’s passion for the wines he makes. Peter offers a Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
On a trip to Paso Robles years ago, Douglas Ayres was awed by the beauty of the land, the warmth of the people and the promising wine region. While later traveling through some of the most celebrated wine and cultural areas of the world, the memory of Paso Robles inspired him to return with a vision of owning vineyards, making world-class wine and developing a destination driven wine country resort.
Painting by Agata Zaborowski
Mac got into food and wine during his early twenties via his friends and coworkers at Trader Joe's in Southern California. He soon began taking trips up to the Central Coast to just to taste, but quickly found himself volunteering his time on his days off to help out at a number of wineries. After learning the process for a few years and spending more and more time on the Central Coast, Mac was ready to start making wine for himself.
When Matt and Maureen Trevisan founded Linne Calodo in 1998, they played a pivotal role in ushering in the modern wine era in Paso Robles. By the early 2000s, Paso Robles had transformed from an unproven wine region to an unstoppable force, thanks in large part to Rhône variety blends that garnered widespread critical acclaim. Linne Calodo was at the heart of this movement, and the rest is history.
This passion for the unconventional endures at Linne Calodo. The defining characteristic of all their wines can be encapsulated in one word: intentional. Matt Trevisan is far from an absentee winery owner; he is the farmer, winemaker, cover crop sower, fix-it man, amateur electrician, and sheep herder. Every Linne Calodo wine is meticulously guided from the field to the bottle under his dedicated care.
Satori Cellars features an inviting outdoor tasting cabana, surrounded by 15 acres of flourishing, pampered grapes from the Santa Clara Valley. The tasting room is open to the public on the first, second, and third full weekends of each month, Saturdays and Sundays, as well as on the fifth Saturday, from noon to 5 PM. Guests can enjoy private VIP tastings and large group celebrations on the fourth (or fifth) weekends of the month, available by reservation. The winery proudly showcases award-winning, estate-grown reds, including Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Petite Sirah.
While the focus is on exceptional wine, the atmosphere is equally appealing. Satori Cellars is dog-friendly, kid-friendly, and perfect for families and groups. Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic, listen to live music, catch the game, play bocce, and unwind in a relaxed setting where a memorable Satori story is sure to unfold.
Tastings are offered at $20, which includes one white wine and four red wines. Additionally, guests can enjoy wine by the glass, refreshing mimosas (sparkling wine and orange juice), and a seasonal homemade special-recipe sangria.
While reservations are not required, they are highly recommended to ensure a delightful experience at Satori Cellars.
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People enjoying wine - wine artist Agata Zaborowski
