Paso Robles
A wine Full of Stories….
I think I was so overwhelmed by staying home due to Covid that this time I planned too many trips for one month. In October, I planned 3 different road trips to visit Paso Robles, Sedona with friends, and a road trip to Carmel by the Sea on California’s famous Highway 1. Paso Robles is a wine tasting destination.The main season for harvesting grapes in California is the fall, from late August to October. And that's usually a good time to visit wineries too. We planned our Paso Robles wine tasting for the beginning of October when roads were open again and wildfires were not a threat.
Paso Robles is a charming little town that is full of restaurants, coffee shops, and friendly people. The main attractions are clustered in a few block areas and most visitors stay around downtown where they can easily walk from their hotel to nearby shops and restaurants. But, you have to drive about 30 minutes to get to the vineyards for wine tastings.
Another thing to remember is to make reservations ahead of time due to Covid. Some wineries are by reservation only now and they get booked super fast, especially if you want to visit a famous one.
Oxford Hotel:
This boutique style hotel is almost brand new. They opened at the end of 2019 so everything here is brand new and it even smells new. Even though it’s a 10-minute walk to most shops and restaurants, it's definitely worth it to stay here. Most other hotels in town are either older or way more expensive. The rooms at Oxford Hotel are spacious and bright. As an added perk, they offer mini kitchens that are ideal for families with kids or even those who prefer to cook a meal in their room rather than eating out at a restaurant.
All staff wore masks and they followed Covid-19 protocols. They offer room cleaning only if asked. This keeps you safe by limiting the number of people entering your room.
They also have a bistro that offers amazing appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, and drinks. The burgers are so juicy and mouth wateringly delicious that it makes me hungry just to write about them. If I had known that their service and food was this good, I would have stayed at the hotel for one of my dinners instead of getting a reservation.
Restaurants & wine:
Le Petites Canailles: we were a group of 6 people, so finding a table was a little bit hard. Our first dinner reservation was around 10 pm and we were hungry so we headed here without reservations. They did have tables available and they were able to accommodate us. We only got drinks and some appetizers. The food was ok, but nothing special.
Il Cortil Restorante: this was our reservation and it was delicious. I had read about it before booking. They had high reviews and ratings and they did not disappoint.
Lone Madrone: our first wine tasting stop. We started early at 10:30 am. That's because everything is by appointment or reservation only and you can basically visit around 3-5 wineries max. I was not a huge fan of this winery. I don't know why. Maybe because it was early in the day. Our server did not look excited or interested in explaining the wines. She would just pour some wine and give us the wine’s name.
Opolo: this winery on the other hand was super fun. We ordered some snacks and appetizers with our wine. They have a pizza oven that makes pizza and looks delicious. Our server was super fun and went over everything, from wine to food, and even offered recommendations on wineries and where to visit. We ended up buying bottles from them. I guess you can say good customer service.
Justin: we love Justin wine. It's the wine we buy from stores at home too. I planned it so that we could have our wine tasting here while enjoying lunch. This winery is more on the expensive side, but we really wanted to visit the property and sample the wines, since it's our favorite wine brand.
Sculterra Winery: As the name suggests, this place has sculptures all over the winery. It is a gorgeous setting, a great place to get a glass of wine and stroll through the vineyard.
Enoteca Restaurant: this place is located inside a hotel. We were hoping to book a reservation at another restaurant, but due to the size of our group it was hard. Don't get me wrong. The food here was good and there were no complaints, but it was nothing special.
Brasserie Slo: we drove to San Luis Opisbo for brunch. This is a modern and bright looking breakfast and brunch place that is also part of a hotel. Their cocktails were unique and cool.
Artelice Patisserie: a mini stop in Los Angeles to take a break. We went to Artelice for some coffee and pastry. They are well known and even served the Emmys. Super friendly staff and so yummy.
Light Field: Bruce Munro, a well known artist, has transformed formerly empty land into a field of color and light. For now, this exhibition is scheduled until January 2021. However, they might extend it again due to popular demand. YES, you have to purchase tickets. It sells out super fast, unless you don't mind waiting in line for tickets. When we went there was no line, but I have heard it does get busy.
