Living like Nobles in Paso Robles
Originating from its Spanish counterpart of ‘El Paso de Robles’, Paso Robles translates in English as ‘The Passage of the Oaks’, and is the rare Californian jewel that finds itself to be a sublime hybrid of being both the Wine County and Cowboy Nation. Every ounce of this place screams culture, pretty aesthetics, and nobility in its truest sense. So, how does one plan a vacation and more importantly choose Paso Robles as a must-visit destination when travelling to the United States of America? Read on!
Getting there
If you find yourself on the West Coast, with California on the agenda, make sure to spend at least two or more days in Paso Robles. Situated in SLO (San Luis Obispo) California, with an equidistance to both the major cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, Paso Robles is situated in the centre and is easily accessible via roads, railways, and airways.
Though it’s highly recommended to travel via airways as the county is connected to airports from every direction, with San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport being the closest, you could also drive down from either north, south or east, as the town has accessible highways. It also has good railway connectivity as it is accessible by train from numerous cities. Touted as one of the 10 best small towns in USA by Country Living Magazine and one amongst the 52 must-visit places by New York Times, Paso Robles is a divine destination boasting of many charms to attract one and all.
Things to do
Vine yards and ranches are not the only attractions here, it also offers a host of distilleries, craft breweries, and artisanal olive oil for the refined taste of tourists. For the cultural and historic geeks, there’s an array of art galleries and museums to choose from, and for those seeking an adrenaline rush through sporting activities, there’s zip-lining and water sports at Lake Nacimiento. Naturally, you ought to giddy-up for horseback riding in Cowboy-country too!
The list just doesn’t end here as Paso Robles hosts year-long family-friendly events that keeps everyone on their toes with anticipation. The town has some delectable cuisine options that are offered in the many restaurants (specialising in serving up some organic produce in their farm-to-table dining restaurants), a field of Light at Sensorio — one of California’s largest immersive art exhibitions — and even hot springs, all of which will be covered in depth
Diving in wine first!
You cannot come to wine-country and not start with wine first! It’s considered as quite the cardinal sin here. So, without further ado, let’s take you through all that there is to know about wine in Paso Robles, the best spots for wine-tasting, the right meal pairings, and what not, all of which left us on cloud wine, courtesy of our partners in wine, Winnie and Aku Bedi.
My family and I were recently vacationing for a fortnight in the States (more on that later), and had our return flights scheduled from Los Angeles, so exploring California was definitely on our radar, what wasn’t even remotely there though, was Paso Robles. Indeed, the very first time we heard of this magical little town was through Mr. and Mrs. Bedi, who are also the proud owners of La De Vi Winery there, and who deftly mesmerised us within a few minutes to not only make Paso Robles our two-day pit-stop towards Los Angeles, but anticipate it more than any other destination on the list!
La De Vi Estate and Vineyard
Our gracious hosts had invited us to stay with them at their beautiful 72-acre estate, replete with a stunning holiday home, a swimming pool, a diverse terroir of a vineyard and memories to last a lifetime. An experience that can be enjoyed by one and all through visiting their estate and booking the stay at Airbnb.
What I loved most about our stay here was that it was nowhere near a commercial or business-as usual stay that you’d get to experience in most other vineyards, but rather a homely and an all-embracing escapade. This family-owned vineyard is the legacy of the Bedis which shines brightly in the commitment and care they have given to this estate. From growing a myriad variety of grapes to crafting wines from hand-picked grapes (from vineyards to wine bottle), to incorporating sustainability in every aspect of farming and wine-making. Above all, valuing the wine community in the equitable and belonging fashion it deserves.
Currently, the boutique-winery houses five artisanal wines from their 2021 reserve:
Cabernet Sauvignon: This wine is a burst of fruitful flavours such as currant, blueberry, plum, along with notes of blackberry. It also packs bolder flavours of espresso, tobacco, and spice to give it a smooth lingering finish.
Petite Sirah: A dark pit of swirling flavours await you in a glass of this wine. Red fruit, currant, chocolate, cocoa, bosynberry, brown sugar, and baking spices leaving a deep tingling aftertaste on your palate to make you crave more.
Tryst: An easy red sipping wine with hints of leather, herbaceous cherry, chocolate, blueberry, blackberry, and tobacco flavours that are bottled to perfection to create this masterpiece.
Sauvignon Blanc: This bright white blend is citrusy and one can feel the flavours of honey, lemongrass, gooseberry, and pear. When served chilled, it gives a crisp acidic taste. A hot summer day and an ice-cold blanc is a match made in heaven!
Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest: Tantalise your tastebuds with mead, golden raisins, floral tea, apricot, marzipan, poached pear with cinnamon, and apple that offer an ideal blend of sweetness and acidity.
To mention that the hospitality, views, and experiences at the La De Vi estate was spectacular would be an understatement, for it was above and beyond! And what’s better, is that any of us can become a member of their wine club from the comfort of our homes, by just subscribing online, post which four premium wines of your choice will be delivered to your doorstep every quarter. For more information about their wines as well as their pricing, visit their website: www.ladeviwines.com.
While Day 01 went by in a wink and a sip in the presence of the charming Bedis, little did we know that they had just begun spoiling us silly, for Day 02 rolled in Robles with quite the heavy-duty, laborious task of wine-tasting at not one but two vineyards, starting as early as 10am. Imagine our plight! (read: delight, obviously).
Daou Vineyards and Family Estate
Another family-owned vineyard and family estate, the Lebanese brothers — Georges and Daniel Daou — are renowned for actualising their childhood dream into a Daou family legacy. While the story of the inception of this legacy makes for a fascinating read in itself, I would leave the readers to chance upon it themselves on their official website, and rave rather about the gem that is their Paso Robles Vineyard and Estate.
Set atop a 22,000 feet inclined mountain (known as Daou Mountain), this estate is breathtakingly beautiful from the moment you enter and it offers some of the best panoramic views of not just the estate but also Paso Robles. The humble and eager staff at the estate were a delight to be hosted by, for they assist you with just the right pairings of food and wine (depending on the tasting package you’ve booked) and under their tutelage, even a novice could speak wine like a sommelier.
Our hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Bedi, were of course with us there to showcase some of the best and most eclectic sips of rose, red, and white wine Daou has to offer, having of course not only been here several times but also as one of their grape-suppliers. If I were to pick my favourites here, I would say the lightness and fresh zing of the 2022 Reserve Rose and the richness of the Bordeaux-style 2021 Eye of the Falcon were most amenable to my palate. This was of course all washed down with a perfect charcuterie platter, under the bright golden rays of the Sun and a luscious view. Stuff that dreams (and movies) are made of!
Opolo Winery and Estate
Buzzing merrily from our morning tour, we headed then to the Opolo Winery, a storied estate in the Westside Willow Creek District that offers its guests and members delectable food pairings, winery tours, and spectacular views.
Opolo too, is a winery that has family and friendship at the heart of its establishment. Founded in 1999 by friends Rick Quinn and David Nichols, Opolo is famous for its Mountain Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Their indoor bar and restaurant has a rustic appeal, with barrels of wine lining up the entire arena, giving it the befitting ambience for the wine’s aroma.
You may choose and book between a Classic or Reserve tasting flight for sampling. What’s unique here is the estate’s hand-crafted distillery flight for those whose choice of poison is stronger than wine. Just like all other estates in the neighbourhood, Opolo too, has wine-club perks reserved exclusively for its members, so be sure to check out their site for more.
While this was just our two-day sojourn into the joyous wine-country, there is much more for you to explore for The Paso Robles American Viticultural Appellation (AVA) is home to over 250 wineries and approximately 40,000 acres of vineyards. With the grape varieties matching that of Bordeaux’s and a temperate climate as good as Napa’s, Paso Robles is a force of heritage grape-land to be reckoned with.
To have this place be known only as a wine-country though, would be a gross understatement. It is the foci for sumptuous restaurants, breweries, distilleries, outdoor recreations, historic sites, retail therapy, and as mentioned earlier, to experience agrofarming that aids in sustainable growth.
Downtown
Since our pit-stop here was short, we took a nap after the wine tastings and swiftly got up, just in time, to explore downtown (or the city centre) with the sun going down. The town square is where the hubbub is for families, solo travellers, music enthusiasts, couples, and basically whoever’s in the city. For it is here that you’ll find all the restaurants, shops, children’s playground, historic sites, and Downtown City Park.
Historically, Downtown City Park has been the anchor of the city centre, ever since the late 1800s, when the town founders, James and Daniel Blackburn, had designed it. Lit with fairy lights in the evening, complete with a gazebo, the City Park has benches and trees that have been donated and memorialised by the city folks over the years, giving this park the significance of being cherished as a community.
The Park is especially cherished as it is home to number of events that take place in Paso Robles all year-round, such as the Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, live and free concerts during the summers, the Olive Oil Festival, Farmers’ Market, and so much more.
Events
The most popular event in Paso Robles that most Californians and Americans in general look forward to is the California Mid-State Fair, a summer event that happens in July every year. From concerts to carnival rides, food pop-ups, animals, and more, this is the “Biggest Little Fair Anywhere” that people of all ages look forward to.
Popular musicians such as Justin Bieber, Nickelback, Aerosmith, Rod Stewart, Cardi B, and Blake Shelton, among others can be spotted performing on the Main Grandstage Arena from time to time. Other events that fill up the calendar during summers are Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival, FARMstead ED’s Open Farm Days, and Distillery Trail Weekends. For fall, there’s the Whale Rock Music and Arts Festival, Harvest Wine Month, and Paderewski Festival to watch out for. Come November and you have America’s 4th-Hardest Cow Themed, Wine Country Gravel Fondo Experience awaiting. Moreover, there’s The Bovine Classic weekend and for the wine lovers, there’s Garagiste Festival. There are plenty of other events lined-up that happen seasonally.
Restaurants and Bars
The only thing I regret during our short stint is to have missed out on the celebrated restaurants and bars. When you find yourself in Paso Robles, be sure to check out some of the following restaurants, bars, and crafted breweries to get a taste of the town.
Michelin Star-awarded fine dining options such as the Six Test Kitchen, The Restaurant at JUSTIN, The Hatch Rotisserie and Bar, In Bloom, Parchetto, BL Brasserie, and Goshi can be explored. Casual gourmet comes alive at eateries such as Pappy McGregor’s, Fish Gaucho, and Eleven Twenty Two Speakeasy and Cocktail Lounge, to name a few.
