Paso Robles Off The Beaten Path Tips by TRimer Top 5 Page for this destination

Wine Tasting @ Maloy O'Neill

Another small family owned and opererated vineyard and winery. They specialize in premium estate grown wines that they produce in limited quanitities. They are one of the wineries in the area that still hand bottles their wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship variety, but other premium varietals include Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Muscat Canelli, and Malvasia Bianca. In all, Maloy O’Neill Vineyards in Paso Robles offers up to 36 wines each year — all within a total production of 5,000 cases.

They have recently built a new tasting room which has a large bar area.

5725 Union Road

Other Contact: Open Fri/Sat 10-5

Phone: 805-238-7320

Website: http://www.maloyoneill.com

Wine Tasting at Hansen Winery

Bruce Hansen makes wine for himself and for his wine club- period. He is passionate about it and uses only organic materials. I had read about the winery in my Grape Escapes book and decided to check it out. The winery is off of the main strip (46 W or E) and as Hunt Cellars told us- is on the way to the town dump. We were not disappointed. We first did the tasting with another couple who frequents the area and Bruce's wife. The tasting room is small and consists of a long bar and displays of barb wire which according to Bruce's wife is a souvenir from Bruce's first marriage. We had sampled all of the wines- great syrah, zinfandel and a cabernet when Bruce returned from the plumbing store. He decided we should start over with him and poured us a viogner. Then we followed him for the next hour back into the cellar where he tapped into his private reserve using a wine thief to take wine from the different barrels. We spent the next hour or so comparing mixes (he would have us mix wines from the different barrels- as they all have their own flavor) against wine he had already bottled. Lots of fun and very informative. We definately signed up for Bruce's wine club and look forward to receiving his wines. The tasting room is only open on the weekend from 11:30am-5:30 pm.

Other Contact: 5575 El Pomar Drive

Phone: 805-239-8412

Website: http://www.pasowine.com/wineries/profile.php?winery=84