cave tours in paso robles

Got Wine Cave? Paso Robles has several you can enjoy!

There’s a certain amount of enthusiasm and fascination when people speak of tasting in a wine cave . A sense of private privileged exclusivity and romance heighten the experience. It’s definitely a great way to beat the heat on a hot Paso summer day.

These structures, usually just 30 feet below ground level, have a singular mission- keep the wine stored at a constant average temperature around 60 degrees. It’s both a huge energy saving enhancement, and a giant financial commitment.

Justin Vineyards’ wine cave

Winemaker Gary Eberle is Paso Robles’ original wine cave pioneer that literally forged this new ground

Gary’s winemaking career is full of firsts: California’s first Syrah vineyard in 1975. Paso’s first modern wine production facility in the late ’70’s- originally the Estrella River Winery, which spawned several acclaimed winemakers: Tobin James, Tom Meyers (Castoro), Vic Roberts (Victor Hugo), John Munch (Le Cuvier) and winegrower Howie Steinbeck. It’s now recognized by the sign on the north side of Highway 46 as you enter Paso from the east: Meridian Winery. Gary Eberle is a co-founder of Paso Roble’s original AVA in 1983.

He built Paso’s first wine cave in 1996. It wasn’t easy. In his case being first with a wine cave meant finding a bureaucracy that would permit a hole dug in the ground to use for wine storage and winery hospitality. Since the County didn’t know what to do with his request, he moved on with his plans to the federal level for approval- the U.S. Bureau of Mines . Tours are included with tasting reservations, and happen on the hour and half-hour. VIP Tour and Cellar Tastings also available. https://www.eberlewinery.com/

Saxum Wine Cave – the Promised Land you’ll never get to

Saxum became one of the most sought after, exclusive and limited availability wine labels in Paso Robles after winemaker Justin Smith graced the cover of Wine Spectator magazine, and Saxum was declared Wine of the Year in 2010. Pebble Smith developed his Rhone-centric vineyard as consumer awareness of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre was building in the ‘80’s. In this case, what was originally thought to be Mourved’ turned out to be the Spanish version identified as Motaro. Son of Pebble, winemaker Justin Smith’s thing is blends based on these three varietals from some of Paso’s most highly lauded vineyards, plus their own James Berry Estate Vineyard (Pebble’s real first name is James).

The cave was built in the later teens of the 2000’s. I’ve been there once, driving one of my entertainment industry clients. They don’t do tastings at the winery as a rule, but this individual is connected. At least on the first visit. Two years later, the clients, whom I’ve been driving for over a decade, asked me to see if they could go back again. The answer was a stone cold “No.” Everyone talks about “the list to get on the list.” It takes around eight years plus, to work your way up to getting on the allocation list to actually purchase wine. They produce around 8,000 cases per year. And as I found out during the probably one and only Saxum cave visit in my lifetime, they don’t sell wine out of the winery. I’m patiently biding my time on the waiting list to get on the allocation list. https://www.saxumvineyards.com/

Justin Smith talks dirt at the cave face in Saxum’s cave

Paso Robles Wineries Offering Wine Cave Tasting Experiences (at time of publishing)

• L’Aventure : Cave Tour and Tasting Experience  
• Booker Vineyard : Cave Tour and Tasting Experience
• Justin Vineyards & Winery : Ebike Ride with Cave Tour and Tasting , Hidden Cellar Tasting…and more
• Robert Hall Winery : Cavern Tour and Barrel Tasting with Cavern Select Wines and Paired Small Bites

L’Aventure TR attendant Leanne Toevs points out interesting features of L’Aventure’s cave face strata

Other Wine Caves in Paso Robles: Enthusiastic, supportive Wine Club member at Denner Vineyard, Epoch Winery, Law Estate Winery, or Halter Ranch?

In this case, supportive and enthusiastic mean you express your support by buying lots of wine from them, and may be rewarded for your loyal patronage. It doesn’t hurt to ask.

As we’ve slowly dug our way out of CoVid, and staff talent and eno/brand knowledge has gradually been nursed back to full capacity, there is a strong possibility wineries like Justin and Halter will once again be offering cave tasting experiences/cave tours similar to what they were doing pre-CoVid.

The barrel room and wine library at Law Estate

Things change month to month around Paso Robles, so click on the links to see what elevated wine cave experiences and tastings might be offered:

• Halter Ranch: they’ve got the largest wine cave in our region. https://www.halterranch.com/
• Denner Winery: its gravity-fed design was above-the-norm forward wine production thinking back when it was built in 1999, based on collaborative input from renowned Paso winemakers Justin Smith and Scott Hawley. Scott was founding winemaker, and also designed the production side of their facility at Law Estate. Now he’s pretty much dedicated to his Torrin label, working out of a small facility and tasting room on Peachy Canyon Road. The Torrin label pre-dates his Law tenure. Early in Scott’s career he was the youngest winemaker in California to lead a winemaking team at a major winery: Wente Vineyards in Livermore. https://www.dennervineyards.com/
• Epoch Winery: they occupy the original site of iconic York Mountain Winery, the first bonded winery on the Central Coast, built in 1882. The 2003 San Simeon earthquake turned this historic brick building into a pile of rubble. Last of the great oil field wild-catters, Bill Armstrong, came to the rescue and restored the original winery using painstaking archeological techniques and improvements to create an awe-inspiring tasting room true to original design and build, complete with giant antique wooden basket press mounted in the rafters. https://epochwines.com/
• Law Estate Winery: I’ve scheduled private tastings for club members in their wine library at the rear of the barrel room. https://www.lawestatewines.com/

And yes- the rhetorical question needs to be asked. Does wine taste better in a wine cave?

Cave Tasting at Booker in Paso Robles

Booker’s wine cave takes shape

Leanne Toevs leads a cave tasting at L’Aventure

Assistant Winemaker Ryker Wall doles out the good stuff for wine clubbers at Denner

Saxum wine cave tasting with Justin Smith

Doing your own thing when it comes to hooking up appointments?

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Eberle Winery Paso Robles: Cave Tours and Wine Tastings

One of my favorite places in California is the little strip of coast that starts in Pismo Beach and heads inland to Paso Robles. In those 45 minutes of road, you can encounter the beaches at Pismo, shopping and great food in San Luis Obispo, and Paso Robles Wine Country. All of these are places you can spend a significant amount of time at, as I have at many points of my life, and all of them add adventure, food, and stories to the weary traveler trekking Highway 101. This post showcases one of the first wineries you reach when getting off on Highway 46, which is Eberle Winery, also the home of the wine cave tour.

When looking for the Eberle Winery , you simply need to keep your eyes peeled for the large cave tour sign as well as the large metal pig that greets you as you drive up the road. When you park and walk up to the winery, they have a large boar that welcomes you with water pouring from his mouth. A little background on the boar from their site is:

“The German name “Eberle” translates to “small boar.” At Eberle Winery, a bronze boar greets every guest who visits the Tasting Room. The statue is the 93rd replica of the original bronze Porcellino cast by Tacca in 1620. And today, the original can be found in the straw market in Florence, Italy. It is considered good luck to rub the boar’s nose and toss a coin in the water below. All money collected at the Eberle boar fountain is donated to local children’s charities. ”

Here is a video from my trip there in 2017.

Eberle Winery is one of a handful of wineries on Highway 46 that have free tastings (as of 2012). This is a massive plus as it allows you to taste wines you are not sure if you like without spending your money. They also have a reserve list that is great as well, but we tend to lean towards the sweeter wines here. After tasting their wine, you can head down to the cave tour, which is free and leaves hourly.

At first, I was skeptical at what this tour would entail, but the cave tour has an extensive series of caves, as well as history on the winery and how they make their wine. After hearing the history and seeing the substantial wine vats, you head into the cave.

Some details on the cave from their site

“Today, 16,000 square feet of underground caves located below the winery create the perfect place to age every bottle of wine we make. In addition, the 100-seat Wild Boar Room serves as a romantic and beautiful backdrop for our monthly Guest Chef Dinner Series and Private Events.”

The caves are like a huge maze full of wine barrels and other decorations. It was cool in the caves, even though the temperature was in the hundreds outside, and we walked along the corridors soaking in the history and the barrels, some of which had been there for years.

Also showcased is the aforementioned Wild Boar room. This room is reserved for members of their wine club as well as private events and tastings for those that are really into wine. While outside of my budget, I can imagine this would be a great experience, as drinking wine in a cave is pretty epic.

Eberle Winery is a great stop in Paso Robles and one that I wholeheartedly recommend. There is something for everyone, wine for the adults, cave tours for the children and even a pig who’s nose you can rub. Check it out for yourself and leave me a comment below.

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Eberle Winery

Book your reservation to experience award-winning wines from one of the pioneers of Paso Robles.

3810 Highway 46 East | Paso Robles , CA 93446

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Reservations suggested.

Daily: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Holiday Hours

Jan 01: 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Nov 28: Closed Dec 25: Closed Dec 25: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Dec 31: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

We are excited that you will be joining us for a tasting. Please make a reservation on our website https://www.eberlewinery.com/reservations/. Walk-ins are always welcomed. Your reservation will start promptly at your appointment time. All appointments begin with a cave tour that explores our 16,000 square feet of winding caves. If you choose to opt-out of the tour, you will be seated and begin your tasting experience. If you are not here on time, the tour leaves without you. We do not guarantee that your cave tour will be rescheduled, but always try to get you on another after your tasting. We are an operating winery so cave tours may be canceled due to winery operations. Group Tour and Tasting: Eberle's Group Tasting and Tour Experience includes a private cave tour, a tasting flight of 5 wines hosted by one of our fabulous crew members along with complimentary bottled water and your Eberle GoVino tasting tumbler! Group tastings are hosted on our Vineyard Deck and last approximately 90 minutes. While we define groups as parties of 9 - 20 people, any size party can opt to book a group tour and tasting by appointment. It is recommended, especially if your party is looking for a more intimate experience here at Eberle. The tasting fee is $20 per person and is due in full at the time of booking. Appointment Times/Early Birds We ask all guests to arrive promptly at their appointment time. Early birds will not be able to be seated until their appointment time. If you are early, you may choose to opt-out of your reservation and taste at the bar (by availability) or buy a glass or bottle and enjoy your wine over on the Oak Knoll Patio until your appointment time. Appointments are 90 minutes in duration, late arrivals will only have the time remaining from their original reservation start and, in some cases, we may have to forfeit the reservation. Your table will be held for up to 15 minutes. We do our very best to accommodate all! Outside Food Policy We do not have a restaurant onsite. We have charcuterie boxes available for purchase. Inside our Tasting Room and on Vineyard Deck, we do not allow outside food as it affects the tasting experience for other guests and tasting time constraints. You are more than welcome to enjoy your food over on the Oak Knoll Patio before or after your tasting experience. The Oak Knoll is first come, first serve, no appointments are needed for picnicking. We ask for you to clean up after yourself. No outside alcohol. While guests of all ages are welcomed, Eberle caters to an adult experience in terms of environment and culture. We ask that all guests carefully monitor their children to preserve the experience of other guests. For other questions please see our FAQ page on our website. https://www.eberlewinery.com/faq/

Tasting Fee

Amenities ( hover for details ).

http://www.eberlewinery.com

[email protected]

805.238.9607

Reservations

https://www.eberlewinery.com/visit-us/make-a-reservation/

• Wines Produced
• About The History Gary Eberle founded Eberle Winery more than 44 years ago. Today, Eberle is one of the highest award-winning wineries in the U.S. and ranks in the top 10 of gold medal award-winning wineries in the country. Gary is referred to as the Pioneer of Paso Robles, the “Godfather” and most recently American Wine Legend! The history of Eberle Winery dates to 1979 when Gary produced his first bottle of Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon. The "Godfather" of the Paso Robles Wine Appellation, Gary Eberle was one of the original three pioneers who created the Paso Robles AVA. Eberle was the first in the country to produce a 100% Syrah. The winery is also known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Rose, Barbera, Sangiovese, and Muscat Canelli. The Boar The German name "Eberle" translates to "small boar." At Eberle Winery, a bronze boar greets every guest who visits the Tasting Room. The statue is the 93rd replica of the original bronze Porcellino cast by Tacca in 1620. And today, the original can be found in the straw market in Florence, Italy. It is considered good luck to rub the boar's nose and toss a coin into the fountain. All money collected in the fountain goes to local children's charities. The Winery Reservations are recommended to visit and can be made online or by calling us. Visit www.eberlewinery.com and click on the ‘Reservation’ tab to book your reservation! We honor all military and law enforcement with special discounts to say THANK YOU!
• Wines Produced Barbera Bordeaux-Style Blend Cabernet Sauvignon Chardonnay Dessert Grenache Mourvèdre Muscat Canelli Other Petit Verdot Petite Sirah Picpoul Blanc Port-Style Red Blend Red Rhône-Style Blend Rosé Sangiovese Syrah Tannat Tempranillo Viognier White Rhône-Style Blend Zinfandel

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Wed – thu | may 1 – 9, 2024, mother’s day brunch, sun | may 12, 2024, wine fest dinner & celebration, fri | may 17, 2024, summer celebration dinner, sat | jun 29, 2024, al fresco dinner & symphony of the vines, sun | sep 1, 2024, subscribe to stay updated on all paso robles news and events.

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Eberle Winery

Paso robles, california.

Eberle winery plays host to the first wine caves in the Paso Robles wine region. Gary Eberle, a regional pioneer is the winemaker who founded the winery. With over 38 years of experience and history at Eberle, Gary still greets guests daily with complimentary wine tastings, public tours of the production facility and 16,000 square feet of underground caves.

The Eberle Winery Caves are also said to be  haunted .

Complimentary wine tasting and private group tastings are available.

Tasting Price: $15 per person.

Winery and cave tours include a cheese plate paired with the wines.

Tasting Price: $35 per person.

This winery offers Cave Tours on or nearby their winery facility. Cave Tours typically involve barrel room exploration in either natural caves or man made underground storage rooms.

Cheese Platters

This winery offers Cheese Platters at the tasting room or restaurant.

Event Space

This winery offers event space on their property. Learn about hosting weddings, private parties, company meetings or custom events.

Food & Wine Pairings

This winery offers a variety of wines paired with food.

Vineyard Views

This winery is popular for its vineyard views.

Wine Tastings

This winery offers wine tastings on the property either by walk-in or appointment.

This winery offers wine tours on their property. Either of the winery facility, vineyards and/or cellar space.

Grape Varieties

Wine styles.

• Dry Red Wines
• Dry White Wines
• Off-Dry White Wines

Leave a Comment, Ask a Question or Share a Review Cancel reply

One comment.

I’ve been an Eberle wine club member for several years and didn’t hesitate to book our destination wedding at Eberle Winery! Oralia and Cara were amazing event hosts! Our ceremony overlooking the vineyard was spectacular and our reception in the wine cave was so unique and romantic! I highly recommend Eberle for any special event. Their wines are all delicious!

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Vina robles vineyards & winery, tripadvisor traveler rating, allegretto vineyards & resort, bianchi winery & tasting room, j. lohr vineyards & wines, cheers to free membership.

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DISCOVERY Flight Experience

Take in views of our vineyard from our fully covered patio as you taste through the flagship wines of our latest release from Winemaker, Stephan Asseo.

Tastings are conducted by appointment only, allowing us to create personal relationships with our guests as your Estate Educator guides you through a flight of four wines.

$50 per person

$25 deposit per person is taken at the time of booking your reservation. One tasting is waived per 2-bottle purchase of red. The tasting  fee is waived for active club members.

LIBRARY Flight Experience

This elevated experience features a curated tasting of estate wines from our previous and current vintages.  Begin your tasting with a splash of Thiénot Champagne, a walk through our caves, and a private tasting where an Estate Educator will guide you through a flight of five flagship wines highlighting multiple vintages from winemaker, Stephan Asseo.

This tasting experience is updated monthly and is offered 7 days a week with limited reservations available. Please allow 90 minutes for this experience.

$115 per person $65 for 12-Bottle Members $75 for 6-Bottle Members

Payment is required to secure your reservation.

CHAMPAGNE Flight Experience

Join us for a flight of champagne! The experience begins with a guided tour through the caves, leading to your table nestled within our wine library. Our Estate Educator will guide you through a flight of 4 different Cuvées, as you learn more about the Thiénot family, their vineyards in Champagne, and their blending and production philosophy. Learn more about our story, our passion, and why the partnership between the Asseo and Thiénot families is yet another beautiful blend of France and Paso.

This tasting is hosted as a communal experience. This means you may be tasting with other club members or guests. Seating is limited in our caves and only guests who are tasting may join the group. This experience is currently available on Saturday and Sunday for up to 6 guests per reservation time.For requests outside of those days please contact the tasting room directly.

$75 per person $50 for Members $25 for Champagne Club Members

CANCELLATIONS

We respectfully ask that you provide us with a 24-hour cancellation notice for all reservations. Regarding deposits, if the reservation is cancelled within our cancellation window the reservation deposit will be refunded. If the reservation is not cancelled with a 24-hour notice the reservation deposit will not be refunded. If you are interested in booking a trade visit, please click here .

*Please read our standard tasting  policies  carefully.

Eberle Winery

3810 HWY 46 East Paso Robles, CA 93446

Mailing Address P.O. Box 2459, Paso Robles, CA 93447

805.238.9607 [email protected]

Tell Us About Your Experience

Make a Reservation

Tasting Room Hours

April-October   - 10 am - 6 pm by appointment

November - March   -  10 am - 5 pm by appointment

Holiday Hours

January 1st 12pm to 5pm July 4th 10am to 6pm Thanksgiving Closed December 24th 10am to 3pm December 25th Closed December 31st 10am to 3pm

• Wines by the Glass
• Outside Seating with Views
• Gift Items / Deli Items
• Dog Friendly (Must be on leash)
• Venue Rental for Private Party’s and Wedding

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VineCycle Tours

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About VineCycle Tours

Tour paso robles vineyards with us while riding an electric bicycle..

Our e-bike tours take you into the vineyard, behind the scenes, for an up close exploration of “terroir” including estate history, terrain, soil, varietals and sustainability practices. 

Our vineyard tours provide a 90 minute e-Bike experience followed by a private tasting to sample the wine produced from the estate we just cycled through. We often have the opportunity to walk through the winery and barrel caves to better understand the magic that happens once grapes are harvested. 

The Spring months are a spectacular time to tour Paso Robles vineyards on an electric bicycle – cover crops are growing, sheep are often seen grazing, and vines are pruned in anticipation of bud break to follow. As we cycle through the vineyards we explore the terrain, viticultural practices, seasonal nuances in the vineyard, and how they all influence the craft of fine winemaking.

The electric pedal assist e-Bike models we ride offer the best in comfort, ease of operation, and quality. Our professional guides are dedicated to ensuring you get maximum enjoyment out of your tour experience. Join one of our regularly scheduled tours Friday – Sunday or book a private tour for your group of up to 10 guests.

Electric Bike Tours Currently Available

Join us for an eBike vineyard tour on the following days:

• Fridays at Ancient Peaks and  Robert Hall Winery
• Saturdays at  Justin Vineyards & Winery and Ancient Peaks
• Sundays at Ancient Peaks and Robert Hall Winery .

Each tour takes you behind the scenes for a fun and educational 2 hour eBike experience cycling through the estate vineyards followed by a private wine tasting .

Some Recent Reviews

“ We mean it when we say the tour was a top highlight of our trip and that we’ll recommend you to all of the Paso-goers we know! You also made us feel so safe and confident having never ridden eBikes before. “

“ We have bicycle toured all over France and Italy and we learned more on this tour than on any other “

Electric Bike Rentals

Within Paso Robles, we offer high quality eBike rentals delivered to your lodging. Featuring the best quality electric bikes on the market by Specialized, explore Paso Robles wine country by bike. We’re always happy to help you plan your itinerary. Reserve your electric bike rental here . 

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Sidecar Tours

Paso robles, california.

951-840-0178

[email protected]

Sidecar Tours Paso Robles

Not only does Paso Robles have exceptional wineries, delectable restaurants, and stunning views, they offer so much more. Experience rich history, outdoor adventure, art, an abundance of remarkable agriculture, and more.

Where You'll Tour

Sidecar Tours Paso Robles is located at 3380 Branch Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446. This location is where you will depart from and return to for your tour.

Types of Tours Offered

• The Paso Robles Scenic Tour
• Brewery Tour (Coming Soon!)
• Specialty Cocktail Tour (Coming Soon!)
• Paso Robles Food Tour (Coming Soon!)
• Custom Tours & Special Events

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On April 1, 2023, we look forward to scheduling your private wine tour in beautiful Paso Robles wine country!  Subscribe to receive announcement of when we'll start accepting tour reservations and to stay updated on our special offerings.

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