The Estrella District is one of the 11 sub-districts that make up the Paso Robles AVA.
Established with the other 10 sub-districts in 2014, the Estrella District is one of the farthest north geographically with borders along the SLO County line, Temblor Range, Highway 46, and Highway 101.
The district was originally named for the star (or “estrella” in spanish) formation four valleys created when they came together towards the center of the district, and was retained when the land was transferred to the United States as part of the 1844 La Estrella Mexican land grant.
Like most districts in the Paso Robles AVA, today the Estrella District is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietals, but the Zinfandels crafted here help set them apart and are definitely not to be missed either.
WINE TASTING IN THE ESTRELLA DISTRICT
Due to COVID-19, some wineries may not be open for tasting or have different hours than listed below. Given the rapidly changing landscape of rules and regulations, please contact wineries directly to ensure you are able to visit, and make reservations as necessary.
There are over 200 wineries in Paso Robles’s Wine Country, and several vineyards the Estrella District are open to the public for wine tasting and events.
To help you plan your next outing we’ve curated a list of all the vineyard tasting rooms in the Estrella District where you can enjoy and explore the amazing varietals coming out of the region.
If you can’t make it to the vineyards check out Paso Robles’ Food & Drink Page to see the wine bars, off-site tasting rooms, and restaurants that feature Estrella District wines!
FEATURED WINERIES
VINEYARD TASTING ROOMS
Allegretto Wines
Bon Niche Cellars
Cinquain Cellars
Eos Estate Winery
Four Sisters Vineyards
Graveyard Vineyards
Are we missing a winery, or have outdated information? Let us know by emailing hello@sanluisobispoguide.com
Allegretto Wines
ADDRESS
2700 Buena Vista Dr
Paso Robles, CA 93446
PHONE
(805) 369-2500
TASTING ROOM
Open Daily
11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$25
Learn More About Allegretto Wines
Bon Niche Cellars
ADDRESS
2627 Golden Eagle Way
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 286-7798
Learn More About Bon Niche Cellars
Cinquain Cellars
ADDRESS
6404 Independence Ranch Pl
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 400-5978
TASTING ROOM
Open Daily
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
By Appointment Only
TASTING FEE
$10
Learn More About Cinquain Cellars
Eos Estate Winery
ADDRESS
2300 Airport Rd
Paso Robles, CA 93446
PHONE
(805) 591-8050
TASTING ROOM
Thursday – Sunday
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$10
RESERVATIONS
(805) 591-8050
Four Sisters Ranch Vineyards & Winery
ADDRESS
2995 Pleasant Rd
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 467-2417
TASTING ROOM
Friday – Sunday
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
RESERVATIONS
(805) 467-2417
Learn More About Four Sisters Ranch
Graveyard Vineyards
ADDRESS
6990 Estrella Rd
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 467-2043
TASTING ROOM
Thursday – Monday
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$15
RESERVATIONS
(805) 467-2043
Learn More About Graveyard Vineyards
Hearst Ranch Winery
ADDRESS
7300 N River Rd
Paso Robles, CA 93446
PHONE
(805) 238-9400
TASTING ROOM
Open Daily
11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$20
Learn More About Hearst Ranch Winery
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
ADDRESS
6169 Airport Rd
Paso Robles, CA 93446
PHONE
(805) 239-8900
TASTING ROOM
Open Daily
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$15
RESERVATIONS
(805) 239-8900
Learn More About J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
Le Vigne Winery
ADDRESS
5115 Buena Vista Dr
Paso Robles, CA 93446
PHONE
(805) 227-4000
TASTING ROOM
Sunday – Thursday
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday
11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
Fee: $10
RESERVATIONS
(805) 227-4000
Learn More About Le Vigne Winery
Lusso Della Terra Cellars
ADDRESS
2850 Ranchita Canyon Rd
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 239-9463
TASTING ROOM
Friday – Sunday
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Monday – Thursday
By Appointment Only
Reservations Encouraged
TASTING FEE
$15
Learn More About Lusso Della Terra Winery
Mystic Hills Vineyard
ADDRESS
79550 Watkins Ln
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 610-1099
TASTING ROOM
Thursday – Sunday
By Appointment Only
TASTING FEE
Learn More About Mystic Hills Vineyard
Ranchita Canyon Vineyard
ADDRESS
3439 Ranchita Canyon Rd
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 467-9448
TASTING ROOM
Thursday – Monday
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$10
RESERVATIONS
Learn More About Ranchita Canyon Vineyard
Riverstar Vineyards
ADDRESS
7450 Estrella Rd
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 467-0086
TASTING ROOM
Thursday – Sunday
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$10
RESERVATIONS
Learn More About Riverstar Vineyards
San Antonio Winery
ADDRESS
2610 Buena Vista Dr
Paso Robles, CA 93446
PHONE
(805) 226-2600
TASTING ROOM
Open Daily
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$12
RESERVATIONS
(805) 226-2600
Learn More About San Antonio Winery
Tackitt Family Vineyards
ADDRESS
6640 Von Dollen Rd #9564
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 467-9490
TASTING ROOM
Friday – Sunday
12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$10
RESERVATIONS
(805) 467-9490
Learn More About Tackitt Family Vineyards
Via Vega Vineyard & Winery
ADDRESS
2378 Adobe Rd
Paso Robles, CA 93446
PHONE
(805) 423-2190
TASTING ROOM
By Appointment Only
TASTING FEE
RESERVATIONS
(805) 423-2190
Learn More About Via Vega Vineyard & Winery
Villa San-Juliette Winery
ADDRESS
6385 Cross Canyons Rd
San Miguel, CA 93451
PHONE
(805) 467-0014
TASTING ROOM
Thursday – Monday
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
TASTING FEE
$15
RESERVATIONS
Learn More About Villa San-Juliette Winery
TERROIR PROFILE
The Estrella District is located at the very top of the Paso Robles AVA, sharing a border not only with the larger AVA but with SLO County itself. The district, however, covers a large geographical area and stretches all the way south to Highway 46, even dipping into the very top northeast corner of the city of Paso Robles. The eastern border falls along the Temblor Range, an area known for its hot and arid climate, and uses Highway 101 as its border to the west.
This large geographic footprint allows for a wide variation of elevation and topography for the vineyards within the district, with the lowest point sitting at 662’ and the highest closer to 1,309’.
Vineyards are mostly found in the valleys in the central and western parts of the district, which are lower in elevation and more protected from the harsher climates closer to the Temblor Range to the east.
Additionally, although all of the soil in the region is well drained alluvial, soil in the valleys and along the creek beds are also made up of sandy loam where the mountainous soil is much more clay content and gravel.
During the growing season the district can see highs in the 80s and lows in the 40s, with approximately 2” of rain. This changes slightly for vineyards at higher elevations in the district, who may see lower temperatures and increased rainfall throughout the year. However, the entire district is affected by gaps in the Santa Lucia Range, and cooled by the breezes traveling south along the Salinas River from Monterey Bay. Fog can even occur in the Estrella District as the cooler air rolls off the mountains and higher elevations, and is caught in the valleys below.
All of these growing conditions allow for the Estrella District to produce some of the most amazing varieties. The overall geographic similarities to the Paso Robles AVA see the district producing Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, and Rhône varieties, but also allows them to craft crisp Zinfandels and Petite Sirahs that should not be missed!
TOPOGRAPHY
| High | 1309′ |
| Average | 885′ |
| Low | 662′ |
CLIMATE
| High | 85.1°F |
| Low | 48.7°F |
| Rain | 2″ |
during growing season
POPULAR VARIETALS
Cabernet Sauvignon
Petite Sirah (Durif)
Zinfandel
Merlot
Syrah
ABOUT THE PASO ROBLES AVA
Paso Robles’s AVA was established in 1983, and at the time encompassed approximately 614,000 acres across the cities of Paso Robles, Templeton, San Miguel Creston, Shandon, and Santa Margarita in northern SLO County.
At almost three times the size of Napa Valley’s AVA, Paso Robles remained the largest single AVA in California until 2014 when 11 sub-districts were established. Although the larger boundary did not change, these new districts provided a more nuanced understanding of the growing regions within the Paso Robles AVA, and the wines that could be successfully crafted.
Today the distinct terroir profiles (or growing conditions) of the eleven districts contribute to the production of over 40 varietals (the vast majority crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon, Roussanne, Zinfandel, Viognier, Merlot, and Syrah), and home to over 200 wineries for locals and tourists to enjoy and explore.
Learn more about the eleven districts below, and make sure to plan your next wine tasting weekend in Paso Robles’s Wine Country!
You must be logged in to post a comment.