Experience Exquisite Sips and Join the Wine Club & Tasting Journey at J. Lohr Vineyard & Winery

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Cheers to an exclusive journey for wine lovers! Last month I had the pleasure of visiting J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines in Paso Robles, CA. I love wine tasting in the beautiful, majestic golden hills of Paso Robles, and my husband and I were very excited to visit J. Lohr for the very first time. We greatly enjoyed the knowledge we gained about the brand as well as getting to taste unique wines sold exclusively at the winery that we had never had before. J. Lohr has been producing award-winning wines along the Central Coast since the 1970s. The winery sits in a picturesque location, featuring a charming tasting room and sprawling vineyards as far as the eye can see. They have a second location in downtown San Jose, with both tasting rooms open seven days a week offering  a variety of experiences to suit any palate. Make the most of your visit by exploring the rich history of the family-owned winery and sampling their award-winning wines. Come to taste seasonal selections and winery-exclusive wines in their newly remodeled Paso Robles tasting room or outside on the scenic veranda, perfect for bringing your furry friends. With multiple limited-release wines to sample as you take in the breathtaking estate views, this is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon in Paso Robles. Plus, their knowledgeable staff can help you find the perfect selection for your taste while they educate you on the winemaking process and share insights into the different varietals you’re tasting.

As mentioned before, if you aren't near the Paso Robles area you can still visit J. Lohr's other California tasting room. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose is the original home to J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines. The J. Lohr San Jose wine center is a must-visit for wine connoisseurs looking to sample a wide variety of wines, from light whites to full-bodied reds.With wines from six distinct tiers, each wine comes with its own story and focus.

For those looking to get a deeper understanding of the winemaking process, J. Lohr planteda demonstration vineyard off the newly constructed patio where hosts will walk you through the vines and explain the difference of each varietalGuests will also be able to observe, touch and feel the leaves, and depending on the time of year, you might even be lucky enough to taste the grapes while learning more about the entire production process from start to finish. For those looking for an even more VIP experience, J. Lohr has different levels of membership offerings to join its Wine Club. Members become part of the winery where they enjoy exclusive benefits such as complimentary tastings, first access to new, small-lot wines, discounts on wine purchases, and access to special events throughout the year. Join the Wine Club to experience exquisite sips and discover the unique flavors and aromas that make J. Lohr wines so special. Whether you are a seasoned sommelier or a casual enthusiast looking for a remarkable wine-tasting experience, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines is the destination for you.

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

J. Lohr offers three membership options to choose from: the Vineyard Select Society Club, the Barrel Society Club, and the Winemaker Selection Club. With each club, you will receive three shipments throughout the year in February, May and October. Additionally, with each club you have access to all the wine tiers, including J. Lohr Gesture, the winery-exclusive Vineyard Series, Cuvée Series, and Signature. What makes this wine club even better, is that you can customize your club releases! With the Vineyard Select Society Club, you'll receive a selection of eight wines every three months with a 25% discount on case purchases and a 20% discount on single bottle purchases You will also receive four seasonal tastings or legacy tastings per visit and priority access to small-lot wines and library verticals.The Barrel Society has six bottles in each shipment and the Winemaerks’ Selection Club has three club releases per shipment.

As a member, you will gain access to exclusive members-only events, and priority access to wine pairings, special dinners, and winemaker events. You'll have exclusive access to rare and limited-edition wines, as well as first access to new releases. With J. Lohr's wine club options, you can embark on a wine-tasting journey that will leave you with unforgettable memories. Enjoy a truly extraordinary wine-tasting experience by signing up for the J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines Wine Club today.

WHERE TO BUY

If you're looking to experience exquisite sips but can't get to one of the two J. Lohr tasting rooms, you can easily find J. Lohr wines near you, as they are available in stores, restaurants, and online. Some wines like my new favorite "October Nights" Chardonnay are only available at a select number of stores, at the winery itself, or through the wine club. To see if you are able to find a particular product online, J. Lohr has a ‘Find J. Lohr near you’ link on their website, making it easy to find all your favorite wines at the click of a button. Not able to locate your favorite J. Lohr wine? Simply reach out to their Hospitality Team and they can easily help arrange a shipment for you.

Other Blog Posts About J. Lohr Wine and Food Pairings:

The Bloggers Guide to Merlot

Planning the Perfect Romantic Picnic with J. Lohr Wines

The Perfect Match: Grilled Steak & Blue Cheese Salad with Grilled Corn paired with J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks

The Perfect Pair: Chicken Picatta and J. Lohr Wine

Uncork the Perfect Evening: Discover the Optimal Three-Course Meal to Pair with J. Lohr

Paso Robles City Guide

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With over 20,000 visitors yearly its no wonder Paso Robles wine and food scene is becoming so popular. Me and the hubs love to visit often and enjoy the amazing wine, views and award-winning restaurants! We lived less than 2 hours away and would try to stop at a new winery when we pass through on our way to the beach house! Recently moving to Texas the Paso Robles wine country is one of the biggest things I am missing about California travel. Growing more than 40 varieties of wine you can always find the most delicious wine to take home too! Below I’ll share our favorite wineries, restaurants, where to stay and other things to do around the area.

Wineries & Wine Tasting

These are our favorite places to go wine tasting with quick reasons why. We have been going to Paso Robles tasting for over 10 years and our goal was to try them all.. we ended up moving out of California this year so this goal may take a little longer then we had hoped for but out of the MANY we have tried these are ones we continue to order wine from and still love to visit! (This are not in order by favorites, these are all our favorites and each experience is different so read through and see what you are looking for in a winery.)

Austin Hope: Top 5 for all around experiences. Delicious charcuterie boards, beautiful architecture, amazing wine, and allow dogs! We sat outside in a cozy little area, we loved that each tasting spot felt secluded to you own group yet special. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable as well. More info: https://hopefamilywines.com/

Justin Winery: Some of our favorite wines, gorgeous location, food is AMAZING and they also have a tasting room downtown Paso if you don't want to make the drive to their winery. I highly recommend it though because the experience is beautiful with outdoor seating. Be sure to order some Justification for us with a juicy burger!! Dogs are also welcome outside. More info: https://www.justinwine.com/

Thatcher Winery: We walked into this family-owned winery one afternoon and loved the adorable space, delicious wines and views of wild turkeys running around the vines. For a more in depth tasting and one on one experience you can book a stable tasting as well! More info: https://www.thatcherwine.com/

Parrish Family Vineyard: An absolutely stunning location!! Home concept tasting room helps everyone feel at home while they enjoy their wine. Also serving Sunday brunch, pairing foods and a gorgeous outside seating area that the whole family can enjoy! More info: https://www.parrishfamilyvineyard.com/

Daou: One of the most stunning views in all of Paso! Delicious charcuterie boards make for a great afternoon stop to enjoy the views and really enjoy the rolling hills of Paso Robles. More info: https://daouvineyards.com/

Chronic Cellars: Fun & Chill vibe! They have some delicious wine and a glass comes with your tasting! We actually grabbed this wine last night at our local Whole Foods here in Texas. A great price point for a quick grab or as they say a "weekday wine". More info: https://www.chroniccellars.com/

AmByth Estate: Such a fun winery with animals that are maintaining the land, giving the Biodynamic farming for the most natural way to produce wine. It was truly fascinating to do a tour around the estate-grown farm and see the animals & vineyard and to hear all about how they grow and produce on their farm. More info: https://www.ambythestate.com/

Tablas Creek Vineyard: Known for bringing Rhone wine to California this winery is a perfect place to come for all! Fans of both red & whites will both be happy here! They have tastings options with all white, all red or a mix. This gets a top rating for wine from us! More info: https://tablascreek.com/

Booker: This will definitely win for ambiance.. and its not just because of the adorable winery pup that is always at the tasting room! To truly see why this wins ambiance you have to head to my Instagram highlights under "Paso Wine" and see the attention to detail in this one. The wine was as delicious as the architecture as well! More info: https://www.bookerwines.com/

Bodega de Edgar: Rhone & Spanish style wines right in California! Staff was very friendly, wine was amazing and you have choice of outside or inside tastings. Great relaxed style of wine tasting. More info: https://www.bodegadeedgar.com/

Calcareous Vineyard: If you are looking for a spot with great wine, incredible views and amazing food? This is it! A great place for even those non wine drinkers in your group to really take in Paso while having an incredible lunch. More info: https://www.calcareous.com/

Castoro Cellars: Great location for a stop while wine tasting. Organic & Estate grown wines. They also allow you to bring in your own food. Makes for a great place if you want to bring in a box lunch from Vivant Cheese (I talk more about this below) More info: https://castorocellars.com/

Linne Calodo Cellars: A beautiful boutique style winery that has some truly amazing wine. They aren't a wine you will find on a shelf or on the menu at your local restaurant so be sure to buy online or on your tasting trip. Also make sure you make a reservation at this one as the times they are open can change. Well worth the appointment ahead of time! More info: https://linnecalodo.com/

Where to Enjoy a Meal

Thomas Hill Organics: One of the most deliciously prepared meals with unexpected ingredients you may never think to order. With farm-to-table local ingredients as well as an ever changing menu its one of our top favorites for sure! Make sure to make a reservation its always packed. If you happen to go during colder months request a table by the fire it makes for a wonderful experince!

Vivant Fine Cheese: We found this place a few years ago after getting a wine and cheese pairing at Daou. They told us the store in town where we could get one of the cheeses we loved and we have been coming back ever since! Everything we have gotten from here has been so amazing! I highly recommend getting a picnic box and taking it to one of your wineries if they don't serve food.

Les Petites Canailles: Incredible is the first word that comes to mind! Deliciously amazing food and if you haven't had enough wine yet the selection here is huge! Highly recommend making a reservation here as they are always packed and like a lot of places in Paso its small and intimate inside. Don't skip on the dessert either. My husband usually never wants to get dessert and I always do. We ordered one here and he was in love!

Finca: Looking for somewhere quick or to go? Finca is a perfect little spot right down from the Mercantile that is an adorable Market Walk. Food at Finca is fresh Baja/Mexican style food that is a great go to! We took my in-laws here and the next time they drove through Paso they stopped by again! (I think they liked it!!)

Fish Gaucho: Delicious sit down modern Mexican. Full bar and delicious Guacamole are sure to make this a great stop on your trip!

Lastly.. Negranti Creamery for a quick ice cream dessert on your way back to your hotel!

Where to Stay In Paso Robles

After all that food and wine you might want to know where to rest that sleepy and maybe a bit buzzy head!

Paso Robles Hotels:

Allegretto: A gorgeous hotel with so many wonderful amenities. A wine tasting room, delicious restaurant, cabanas by the pool, large fitness center, complementary bikes and the most comfortable beds!

Hotel Cheval: We haven't stayed at this hotel however it is absolutely adorable and last time we were in town we walked inside to get a feel for it. In a great downtown location perfect to walk to dinner. Is a boutique style so be sure to book this one early as availability is limited.

Stables Inn: We also haven't styed at this location but we did drive by on our last visit as well. I also have it saved on an Instagram tab to stay at on our next time we visit. A 19-room boutique style hotel is in another great location and has a super cute Western chic vibe.

Local Vacation Rentals are also a great way to stay around Paso with many beautiful homes in walking distance to downtown. As well as some wineries having small availability/bed and breakfast style stays. Many of these are only available for wine members so check online at your favorites to see if they have this available as well!

Other things to do that don't involve wine:

Craft Beer & Cider Tasting: With many great local breweries you will find a place for those non wine drinkers in the group. Some of our favorites are in Tin City including; firestone walker, barrel house, and other great little places to stop at.

Distillery Trail: As you journey along the Paso Robles and SLO Distillery Trails, you’ll taste one of a kind spirits and meet the individuals behind the bottle as they work passionately and artfully to create exquisite brandy, whiskey, gin, vodka, liquors and grappa. For more info on distilleries click -here-.

Take a Day Trip: Other great things to do around Paso Robles are the beautiful Central Coast. We of course are partial to Morro Bay, you can see my guide -here-. However many other beautiful coastal towns are just 30ish minutes away and worth the drive to get to your destination.

Antique Shopping Downtown: Downtown is filled with adorable antique shops in between the restaurant. You can make an entire afternoon around this square.

Mid State Fair: If you plan your trip to Paso Robles in line with the Mid State Fair you will be sure to find some of the best concerts in the United States. Full of amazing singers, great eats, lots of rides, and animals!

Paso Robles Mercantile: The cutest indoor shopping center full of little boutique store, cheese shops, wine tasting, ice cream and so much more. Every time we go to this stop with someone new they love it! You will too!

Field of Light at Sensorio: This is a beautiful night light show in a Paso Robles field. Showing incredible views of Paso and the rolling hills in a whole new way. I suggest going before sun sets so you can get the whole effect. Also make sure you have a jacket it gets cool at night.

What to Pack/wear:

Paso Robles is a great town full of all types of styles. I of course am a little partial to wearing dresses, so a nice light weight dress with a sweater or coat is perfect. Even in summer Paso Robles can tend to get cool at nights so I highly recommend taking some type of jacket just incase. In January and February I do tend to wear jeans and layers... however you could tend to get warm days. So my biggest recommendation on what to pack and wear is layers! Here are a few of my favorite looks from wine tasting. You can also shop my LTK -here- and search Paso Robles or Wine Tasting to see some of my past outfits and shop them as well.

There you have our city guide to Paso Robles, CA! Hope you enjoy the beautiful countryside and have a sippin’ good time! Let me know below if you have a favorite place I didn't mention below. I am always looking for new places to try!

Have A Blessed Day, Amanda