Paso Robles

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In addition to Tablas Creek Vineyard, there are well over 200 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) Rhône varietals like us.

Where is Paso Robles?

Map of Paso RoblesPaso Robles is located in Calfornia's Central Coast, 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.

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 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 April or May. The Hospice du Rhône 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 about 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):

Upcoming Events

Real Men Drink Pink, June 23rd

Join us, along with a dozen Paso Robles rosé producers for the ultimate summer wine revel! Held at Star Farms in San Miguel, complete with a half-acre blue lagoon pool, white sandy beaches and tropical palm trees, the afternoon begins with a rosé Grand Tasting and continues with great live music and revelry. Proceeds benefit the Cancer Support Community. Details & more events »

Tablas Creek News

Featured Wine for May: 2011 Cotes de Tablas Blanc

In May, we're featuring our 2011 Cotes de Tablas Blanc at a 10% discount. In 2011, our Viognier crop was cut by 80% due to spring frost, leaving a tiny, intense yield of less than one-half a ton per acre. The resulting wine is rich and tropical, with stone fruits and honey, but at the same time firmly dry, with a very long, saline & mineral finish. Details »

On the Blog: Tablas Creek is a finalist for Best Winery Blog

May 20, 2013

We are proud to have been named a finalist for "Best Winery Blog" at the 2013 Wine Blog Awards. This is the sixth consecutive year we've been finalists, and we've taken home the trophy twice, in 2008 and 2011. We'd love to make the 2013 awards a three-peat, and look back at nine favorite posts of the last year. More »