Time away is hard for my husband due to having his own business, but I insisted on a small excursion for our wedding anniversary. I can’t believe it’s been twenty years! Where better to go than wine country. We chose Paso Robles, a small quaint town known for their wineries and olive groves. My only regret is that we only had two days to take everything in.
We chose to stay at the Allegretto because of the beautiful pictures and great online reviews and we were not disappointed! We were surrounded by endless natural beauty with a European flair. Artifacts and art were brought in from all around the world and displayed. There were many interesting pieces. We arrived late and were pleasantly surprised that the happy hour ran late and the house wines were a deal!
The first winery we visited was Eberle Winery because we wanted to do a cave tour. They offer free tastings and a free cave tour. Their cellars were interesting and our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. The winery has won many awards for their wines. They are known for many wine variations including Cabernet’s to Viognier and Ports. Our favorite was the Cabernet Sauvignon. They also offer a very picturesque picnic area overlooking the vineyard. They are open daily and offer a discount to the military. Can’t wait to go back with friends and enjoy a private tasting in the caves!
The second winery we just had to visit was Justin. We enjoy their Cabernet Sauvignons on a regular basis so of course we joined the wine club. Sometimes when you visit a winery, the wines are fabulous at the time but then you bring them home they taste differently. This is certainly not the case with Justin as their wines are consistently great. It was a bit of a drive but worth it! The scenery on the way to the winery was absolutely beautiful. The tasting room is hip and modern and they offer free tastings if you join their club. Our favorite wine was their famous Isosceles, a red blend consisting of cabernet Sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot.
This was my favorite stop and we almost missed it! Pasolivo ranch lies in the heart of the wine country and is situated on 140 acres of olive trees. They produce the most wonderful olive oils. Our tasting gal was wonderful and offered a variety of mouthwatering oils flavored with everything from truffle salt to cinnamon. We joined the club! They offer many varieties of olive oils, seasonings, balsamic vinegar , and even bath products. This is a chefs dream. We purchased the lemon and basil infused oils, blackberry balsamic, curry seasoning and truffle salt on our first visit. I have been consistently using the products for cooking and salads and am not disappointed!
Our last stop was happy hour at Hotel Cheval (16 room boutique luxury hotel) in downtown Paso Robles. What a darling place! It is located half a block off the historic town square. We were actually able to sit and enjoy our appetizers and drinks while listening to the music from a concert at the park. I plan on staying at this hotel the next time I am in town. I love that it is centrally located and you can walk anywhere in the downtown area.
