A Wine Weekend in Paso Robles
Rolling vineyards, Rhône-style wines and a wonderfully relaxed spirit—plus the three wineries I return to again and again.
There are wine regions you visit because they’re famous, and then there are the ones you find yourself wanting to return to.
For me, Paso Robles is the latter.
About halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Paso has all the ingredients of a great California wine weekend—beautiful vineyards, serious wines, excellent food and increasingly sophisticated places to stay—but it still manages to feel wonderfully unpretentious.
That’s what I love about it.
The landscape is a little wilder than Napa, the tasting experiences feel intimate, and there is still a sense that you’re discovering something.
We’ve visited a number of wineries here over the years, but there are three I particularly love and would build my next trip around: L’Aventure, Clos Solène and Booker.
L’Aventure: The Wine I Come Back For
If you’re going to understand why Paso has become such an exciting wine region, L’Aventure is a very good place to start.
Founded by French winemaker Stephan Asseo, the winery is known for bringing together Rhône and Bordeaux varieties—an approach that produces the kind of rich, complex reds I particularly enjoy.
But this isn’t just a stop for the wine.
The setting on Paso’s west side is beautiful, and the experience feels intimate and focused rather than overly produced.
Today you can choose between a vineyard-view tasting on the covered patio or a more in-depth private experience inside the winery’s expanded caves, where tastings can include both current and older vintages. Reservations are required.
ONE OF MY FAVORITES
If you love big, expressive reds as much as I do, put L’Aventure at the top of your list.
L’Aventure
Clos Solène: A Little Bit of France in Paso
Clos Solene
Clos Solène has an entirely different personality.
There’s a romance to this one.
Created by French winemakers Guillaume and Solène Fabre, the winery feels deeply personal—right down to its name—and its beautiful estate in the Willow Creek District has an intimacy that I love.
The wines lean heavily into Rhône varieties, but it’s the combination of wine, setting and story that makes the experience memorable.
Clos Solène currently offers private seated tastings at its estate, as well as more immersive experiences that explore the vineyard, terroir and winemaking before finishing with a guided tasting.
It’s the kind of place where you don’t want to rush off to the next appointment.
WHAT I LOVE
The intimacy. Clos Solène feels less like visiting a tasting room and more like being welcomed into someone’s wine-country world.
Booker: The Cool One
Booker
And then there’s Booker.
If Clos Solène is romantic, Booker feels decidedly more contemporary.
The winery has a beautiful modern tasting space integrated into the vineyard, with underground caves and indoor-outdoor areas overlooking the estate.
But there’s also a playful quality to the experience that keeps it from feeling overly serious.
The current classic tasting is a seated flight overlooking the vineyards where you’re actually encouraged to request music. There are also more elevated terrace, cave and library experiences for anyone wanting to go deeper into the wines. Reservations are currently required.
And the wines are excellent.
This is definitely one I wouldn’t skip.
Three Wineries, Three Personalities
This is exactly how I like to organize a wine-tasting day.
Not five wineries that start to blur together by late afternoon.
Three places that each give you something different.
L’Aventure for the wines and French-meets-Paso philosophy.
Clos Solène for intimacy and romance.
Booker for contemporary design, energy and exceptional reds.
And then stop.
Have a late lunch. Go back to the hotel. Take a nap. Sit by the pool.
Wine country should feel indulgent—not exhausting.
Beyond the Wine
One of the things that makes Paso such an appealing weekend is that the experience doesn’t end when the tasting rooms close.
Downtown Paso has become a destination in its own right, with restaurants, tasting rooms and shops clustered around the town square.
I like having a day in the vineyards and then coming back into town for dinner rather than spending the entire weekend driving from winery to winery.
And if you’re staying a little longer, give yourself time simply to explore.
Drive the country roads.
Stop somewhere you hadn’t planned.
Have a long lunch.
Paso rewards a little spontaneity.
Why I Keep Coming Back
Napa will always be Napa—and I love it.
But Paso gives me something different.
It’s warmer, more relaxed and a little less expected.
You can taste extraordinary wines in a beautiful setting without feeling like every moment of the weekend has been choreographed.
And perhaps that’s the real luxury of Paso Robles.
Really good wine without taking itself too seriously.
That’s my kind of wine country.
If You Go
TASTE
L’Aventure
Best for: Big reds · Serious wine lovers · Cave experience
Current tastings range from the vineyard-view Discovery Flight to a private Reserve experience in the caves. Reservations required.
Clos Solène
Best for: Intimacy · Rhône wines · A romantic tasting
The estate offers private tastings and more immersive vineyard experiences; visits are by appointment.
Booker
Best for: Design · Rhône-style reds · A livelier tasting experience
Choose from the classic tasting or elevated terrace, cave and library experiences. Reservations required.
STAY
We’ve typically rented a house through Airbnb or VRBO rather than staying at a hotel.
BEST FOR
Couples · Friends’ weekends · Wine lovers · California road trips
MBELLISHED TIP
Book three wineries a day, maximum. Give yourself enough time at each one to actually experience it—and arrange a driver if everyone plans to taste.
Winery experiences and pricing change, so confirm current offerings when making reservations.