Embracing solace, beauty, and luxury, Villa San-Juliette Vineyard & Winery transforms the wine tasting experience into an indulgent getaway for the senses. Just a few minutes’ drive from downtown Paso Robles, Villa San-Juliette’s Tuscan-style 14,000-squarefoot villa is perched on the hillsides of San Miguel, surrounded by lush Mediterranean gardens and scenic wine country views. Established in 1990, the Villa San-Juliette estate vineyard is primary planted to Bordeaux and Rhône varieties, which Winemaker and Chief Operations Officer Matt Ortman transforms into concentrated, award-winning wines that are a pure expression of Paso Robles."Villa San-Juliette’s estate vineyard has tremendous capability," Matt says. "Everything about the terroir is suited to produce complex, concentrated wines that will lay down beautifully."

www.villasanjuliette.com

When Craig and Nancy Stoller founded Sextant Wines nearly 10 years ago, they decided that a Sextant—an old-world instrument using the sun, stars, and horizon to navigate across open water—aptly described Craig’s philosophy on growing and making wine. He and Nancy started their own vineyard in 2003, planting clones from several certified French, Portuguese, and Spanish winegrape selections, as well as rootstock from UC-Davis. Today, they produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from their cool climate vineyards, but their specialties are distinct Zinfandels, GSMs, and a Bordeaux blend. Their new tasting room (their second one), the Estate, is located in West Paso Robles along Highway 46.

www.sextantwines.com

Michael McCay, owner of McCay Cellars, says he has a simple goal: to make wine with a sense of presence and character that expresses the trueness of the vineyard. "I believe that Lodi, California has the perfect climate for Zinfandel," Michael says. "This region has beautiful heat in the summer, and evenings that are cool with an average of 57 degrees at nighttime: perfect for Zinfandel." My winemaking approach is hands-on in the vineyard and hands-off in the winery. Currently, he works with seven different Zinfandel vineyards, the oldest dating back to 1915. In the cellar, his focus turns to native fermentation, allowing the juice to develop on its own. “Through the practice of native fermentation, the terroir of the vineyard has a better chance of showing off its true characteristics,” Michael explains.

www.mccaycellars.com

At an elevation of 3,000 feet, Madroña Vineyards is one of the highest elevated wineries in the state of California. Owner and Winemaker Paul Bush—whose parents, Leslie and Dick, planted some of the region’s oldest vines—crafts a splendid lineup of Rhône and Bordeaux varietals. Each wine is handcrafted to its finest potential, so it expresses a story of grape variety, terroir, and vintage.

www.madronavineyards.com

With a love for the Napa Valley that stretches back three generations, the Komes family purchased Rancho Caymus in 1991, a quaint boutique hotel in an ideal wine country location. Rancho Caymus Inn stands on land once awarded to pioneer George C. Yount as part of the Napa Valley’s first land grant. Today, the 26-suite inn provides guests an elegant retreat in the heart of the world famous Rutherford Bench wine country. Guests appreciate the property’s connection to its heritage expressed in the keen attention to detail in the Spanish hacienda’s architectural design, materials, and furnishings. The inn is surrounded by dozens of world famous, award winning wineries and an abundance of natural beauty.

www.ranchocaymus.com

Like his splendid wines, fourth-generation farmer and winemaker, Andrew Lodmell, was born in Walla Walla Valley. He graduated from the town’s Whitman College in 1986 and, after a brief hiatus, he returned to manage the family farm. Shortly after, he planted Lodmell Vineyards on the Lower Snake River where the vines, rooted in Ritzville loam and fractured basalt, enjoy a climate that is hotter and dryer than in vineyards closer to town. In 2005, he crafted his first vintage: the 2005 Lodmell Cellars Estate Merlot. Each wine is barrel aged and handcrafted in small lots. According to Andrew and his sister and co-worker, Kristie, their Estate Merlot is consistently exquisite.

www.lodmellcellars.com