Wine Traveler Visits Harmony Cellars in Paso Robles

Harmony Cellars is in the Paso Robles wine region but it is so far west you need to travel to end of Highway 46 West to Highway 1. The winery is located in the tiny town of Harmony, population 18.

The best thing about Harmony Cellars is its location at the top of a hill. The view here is very spectacular. There are picnic tables and an arbor where one can sit and enjoy the view of the countryside below. It is a very peaceful setting on a warm day and the ideal spot for a picnic lunch with a glass of chilled white wine.

Harmony Cellars does not have any vineyards to view. All the grapes come from the inland areas of Paso Robles. The winery offers tastings of all of its wines for a tasting fee of $3.00. The prices of the wine range from around $10 to $36. The best of the wines we tasted was the Chardonnay. The rest were nice wines but nothing we wanted to purchase. The tasting room has lots of wine related merchandise for sale and it is fun to browse around.

After visiting Harmony Cellars we retraced our path on Highway 1 and headed north to the ocean town of Cambria. The town of Cambria has many interesting boutique shops and one can easily spend half a day here. As far as eating there are lots places in Cambria or you can have a wonderful lunch overlooking the ocean on the deck of the Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill, which is just on the outskirts of Cambria.

If you are spending a few days in the Paso Robles wine regions, this day trip is a one way to cool off when the days are hot inland.

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Wine Traveler Visits Vina Robles in Paso Robles

Vina Robles is a very new winery in Paso Robles wine country that just opened a new mission style facility last summer. We found Vina Robles about 3 miles from downtown Paso Robles on Highway 46 East. Vina Robles is quite an impressive winery. The tasting room is perhaps one of the most elegant and beautiful that we have ever visited. That is saying a lot because we estimate we have been to at least 400 tasting rooms throughout our travels.

One of the things that took us totally by surprise is that the Vina Robles facility here on 46 East is solely a hospitality center and not a working winery. We thought for sure, because of its size, we would find a barrel room, fermenting tanks, and all the equipment that goes into winemaking. Not so. All the winemaking is presently done at a custom crush facility. The winery is planning on building their own winemaking center in a couple of years. It will be at another location in the Paso Robles area and not open to the public. The hospitality center is large enough to host all types of events, indoors or on their beautiful outdoor patio. Everything about Vina Robles is grand. Even the parking lot is immense.

We tasted several wines and found them to be very well made. The prices of the wines range from moderate to expensive and in line with those at other Paso Robles wineries. Our three favorite wines were the Roseum, the Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Petite Syrah. We did find ourselves a fantastic deal. The dry Rose, the Roseum, was on sale for $7.15. There were making room for their next vintage and this is quite a bargain. We purchased one case and if we'd had room in our car, we would have purchased two cases. That is how much we liked this wine at that price.

If you are in Paso Robles, take time to visit this winery. The tasting room is worth the time. Next door to Vina Robles is the Robert Hall winery. This is another beauty and this facility opened a couple of years ago. Visiting both these wineries is quite an experience for Paso Robles wineries. Most of the wineries in Paso Robles are small and quaint, not Napa like. These two would definitely fit into the Napa mode.

One more interesting tidbit for this California winery, a Swiss man, Hans Nef, owns the winery and he also has a Swiss winemaker, Matthias Gubler.

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Paso Robles - Where to Eat

The best area for restaurant selection in Paso Robles is around the City Park. There are a number of excellent choices to dine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

On our last trip we tried Artisan Restaurant for dinner for a second time. The restaurant has been open about 18 months and the place is hopping, and for good reason. The food is outstanding and the service terrific. The menu is varied and is matched by a splendid list of local wines. The Artisan is definitely our top choice for dining in Paso Robles.

Our second night on our recent trip we dined at the Buona Tavola restaurant. This is a small Italian restaurant that has been there since we have been making Paso Robles a regular wine country getaway. The food is very good and the prices are definitely a value. So is the wine list that has many local wines. We have eaten here six times and have never been disappointed; you cannot go wrong at Buona Tavola. The atmosphere is not the greatest, but this doesn’t stop the locals from gathering here.

Another favorite of ours is Bistro Laurent. This restaurant offers up great French food in a formal setting. The food is a little more expensive but the meals are delicious. Our other recommendations are Villa Creek, Berry Hill Bistro, and the Basil Thai restaurant.

For lunch, breakfast, or to pick up a deli lunch for a wine country picnic, the Odyssey Café or Panilvo offer the best fare and high quality food. Please feel free to comment on these restaurants or any other you think should be on the list. Go to Wine Country Getaways for a complete listing of Paso Robles restaurants and links to their Web sites.

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Wine Traveler in Paso Robles Wine Country

We have been traveling to the Paso Robles wine country since 1999. From that first trip to the present, the Paso Robles wine region has changed remarkably. First and foremost, the wineries have increased in number from just a handful to over 100 wineries. The downtown area now boasts fancy and chic restaurants, boutique shopping, and several lavish tasting rooms around the famous City Park plaza. The earthquake of December 2003 was devastating but a rebuilding has resulted in a chic little downtown area reminiscent of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. We visited again in March 2008 and found more wineries and restaurants to explore and visit. Based on our travels to Paso Robles wine country, here are our recommendations.

Where to Stay in Paso Robles

We always stay at the Paso Robles Inn. The rooms are clean and well-equiped. We stay in the new area of the Inn that was rebuilt after the earthquake. The prices are very reasonable especially during the week. Best of all, you can walk out your door to enjoy your breakfast and dinner at one the several gourmet restaurants around the City Park downtown area. There are no worries about drinking and driving.

There is also a new fancy hotel in the downtown area by the name of Hotel Cheval Inn. This is a totally upscale place to stay and the room rates are above $300 per night.

The Marriott just opened a new Courtyard hotel, but it is not within walking distance to the downtown area. Take a look at the lodging list on Wine Country Getaways for more lodging listings.

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