Paso Robles wineries like Tablas Creek (pictured
here) are located on hilly terrain between 700 &
2000 feet in elevation, 8 to 25 miles from the Pacific. |
In addition to Tablas Creek Vineyard, there are more than 180 other wineries in the Paso Robles AVA (American Viticultural Area) as well as hundreds of independent vineyards.
These vineyard and wineries include specialists in Zinfandel, Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet and Merlot, and (of course)
Rhone varietals like us.
Where is Paso Robles?
Paso Robles is located in Calfornia, midway between Santa Barbara and Monterey, about 4 hours south of San Francisco. It is bisected by highway US-101 and the Salinas River, and has excellent (and quite different) growing regions on both east and west sides of town.
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Why Paso Robles?
Paso Robles has a unique combination of attributes that make it ideal for growing grapes. These include:
- The highest diurnal (day/night) temperature variance of any viticultural area in the United States: In the summer months, it is routinely in the mid 90s to low 100s during the day. However, our dry climate and our proximity to the ocean give us exceptionally cool nights, often down in the low 50s.
- Incredibly diverse microclimates: Paso Robles has wide differences in elevation and proximity to the Pacific Ocean, which gives enormous climatic diversity. Its cooler areas (principally the Templeton Gap area) specialize in Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel. Its higher-elevation, mid-climate areas (principally the Adelaida Hills area in the north-west quadrant of town) is producing award winning Zinfandel and Rhone Varietals, while its warmest areas (east and north of town) specialize in Bordeaux varietals. No other American AVA has as much diversity.
- A reliable climate: Paso Robles is far enough south that it rarely rains before November, allowing growers and winemakers the opportunity for long hangtime and optimally ripened grapes. At the same time, the hot days are balanced by the cool nights, leading to harvests in late September, October and often November.
- Tremendous soils: Paso Robles has wonderfully diverse soils, including the largest exposed limestone clay layer in California. Limestone is common in many of the great wine regions in Europe, including Burgundy, Alsace, the Loire, Chablis, and the southern Rhone, but rare in California. It is not found in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, the Central Valley, eastern Santa Barbara County, or Southern California. It is, in fact, only found in a narrow irregular band stretching through the Central Coast.
What happens in Paso Robles?
Paso Robles has three large festivals each year, the Zinfandel Festival in March, the Wine Festival in May, and the Harvest Festival in October. These are organized and publicized by the
Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA).
There is also a wonderful festival dedicated to Rhone Varietals that draws producers from around the country and around the world to Paso Robles every May or June. The
Hospice du Rhone is held at the Mid-State Fairgrounds in Paso Robles each year.
Where can I learn more about Paso Robles?
We'd love to tell you more. You are encouraged to
contact us, or learn more about
visiting Tablas Creek. Our
tasting room is open daily from 10:00AM to 5:00PM, and we hold
special events every month. You can also read posts with the tag "Paso Robles" on the
Tablas Creek Blog.
Organizations to help plan your visit:
Groups offering wine tours of Paso Robles (both guided and self-guided):
