Where Wine Takes You - A Paso Wine Podcast

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷  Episode 150 turns a new page in Paso Robles. Adam sits down with the founders of Gravesend Paso , Matt Reese and Keith Robinson (also of Saint K Wines) along with Chef Amy Baer and rising winemaker Andy Neja of Cairjn Wine Cellars . We dig into why a name like Gravesend matters, how a kitchen is built entirely by women, how small lot winemaking find...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 Two Paso originals, zero gimmicks. This week Adam sits down with Marc Caparone of Caparone Winery (owner/winemaker, founded 1979 ) and Roger Nicolas of RN Estate (owner/winemaker, launched 2000 ) to talk patience, classic craft, and why less can taste like more. We dig into moderate alcohols, neutral oak, and Italian/Bordeaux varieties that age into...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷  This week we saddle up with the Canopy Cowboys of Alterra Solutions — a vineyard management supergroup shaping some of the most coveted sites in Paso. We’re talking legacy, precision farming, and how to ride ripeness like a pro, and what Paso is learning from Harvest 2025, from the brightest minds farming it. Recorded at LoBro Studios in Paso Robles...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 This week we go inside the new life breathed into Paso’s ‘first castle on the right’, the newest hospitality power duo: Fortress Custom Crush (production, collaboration, small-lot craft) and The Anderson Paso (flexible hospitality and events next door). I’m joined by Jeremy Leffert (Fortress), Azurae Shults (The Anderson Paso), and Jeff Kandarian of...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 This week on Where Wine Takes You , we’re going Where the Wild Wines Are with three winemakers who represent the energy and evolution of Paso: Ryan Pease of Paix Sur Terre , Alex Kemp of Brecon Estate , and Ryker Wall of Cordant Winery . Ryan has carved out a cult following with Paix Sur Terre , crafting Rhône-driven wines that overdeliver in charact...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 This week we’re celebrating a Paso institution: Opolo Vineyards . Co-founder Rick Quinn joins me for a one-on-one conversation about 25 years of Opolo, how Paso has grown alongside them, and the historic debut of Vranac — a Balkan grape now officially recognized and bottled in the U.S. for the first time. We also check in with the latest Paso Wine Wi...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 In this episode, Adam sits down with two of Paso’s freshest big winners — Winemaker of the Year and Wine Grape Grower of the Year — for a deep, soulful convo about hustle, heartbreak, harvest, and hope. Molly Bohlman , longtime winemaker at Niner Wine Estates , shares her journey from Midwest roots to SLO Coast Pinot royalty. Aron Nevarez , a f...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 Four women. One region. A future uncorked. In this episode of Where Wine Takes You , Adam sits down with four trailblazing Central Coast women named to Wine Enthusiast’s prestigious Future 40 list for 2025: Nancy Ulloa , the spiritual force behind Ulloa Cellars , whose winemaking blends energy, heritage, and healing intention • Neeta Mittal , co-foun...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 In this episode of Where Wine Takes You, Adam Montiel brings together two voices that showcase the heart and soul of Paso Robles wine country in very different ways. First, Mike Adams , the founder of the Facebook group Paso Robles Wine Fanatics , joins the conversation. What started as a small place to swap tasting notes has grown into a digital com...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 This one’s not recorded in studio… or even in Paso. It’s recorded on a riverboat in Bordeaux, France – but don’t let the setting fool you. The soul of this episode is 100% Paso Robles. I sat down with two of the most influential winemakers in our region: Eric Jensen of Booker Wines and Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure Winery . Stephan left Bordeaux...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 What happens when the voice of Paso’s future sits down with the keeper of its past? In this episode, Adam welcomes two legends who’ve shaped how Paso Robles is seen, celebrated, and remembered: Chris Taranto , Communications Director for the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance – recently named the 2025 Wine Industry Person of the Year . • Libbie Agran...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 Today’s episode explores The Bottle Shop , Paso Robles’ newest shared tasting room space that’s shaking up downtown with wine, food, and community all under one roof. Adam sits down with two fresh faces to the Paso wine scene: Bill Lap , co-founder of mid•point , and Fiorella “Fio” DeRodeff , the founder and winemaker at Rockbound Cellars . They each...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 Episode Title: Small Lot, Big Soul: Paso’s Newest, Best-Kept Secrets In this episode, we shine a spotlight on three Paso winemakers and vineyard owners who are putting everything into the bottle — and nothing into the hype. These are the small-lot producers who quietly shape what makes Paso Robles such a powerful, soulful, and personal wine region. Y...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 Today: We’re all about Paso’s experiential side ,  from curated events to ziplines and escape rooms, featuring Shelbi & Molly ( Destination Paso ), Meghan Ball ( Somm’s Kitchen / VinLumia ), Barry White ( Ancient Peaks , Margarita Adventures ), and later, Monica Villicana guiding us through the Paso Robles Distillery Trail Weekend Aug 8-10! 📰 PA...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 Today, we head out to the westside of Paso, to a stretch of Arbor Road that’s waking up in a whole new way. It’s a story about building something from scratch, betting on family, and crafting wines that are deeply personal. This episode features two Paso newcomers turning heads for all the right reasons. Cliff Cate of Zobèto Wines left his old life b...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 Today, we uncork a milestone decades in the making. Paso’s own Tablas Creek Vineyard just became the first winery in the U.S. to bottle all 14 traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape grape varieties as single-varietal wines. And we’ve got the full dream team in the room:  • Jason Haas , Partner & General Manager • Neil Collins , Director of Winemaking •...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 In this episode of Where Wine Takes You , Adam sits down with Christina Turley , the eldest daughter of legendary winemaker Larry Turley , and a powerhouse in her own right. From summers spent working alongside her father to building a serious wine résumé in New York City, Christina’s path has been anything but linear—and that’s exactly what makes he...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 In this special episode of Where Wine Takes You , host Adam Montiel takes you behind the scenes of Paso Robles’ vibrant tourism industry. Recorded during National Travel and Tourism Week and California Tourism Month, this episode shines a spotlight on the individuals and businesses that make Paso Robles a premier destination. You’ll hear...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 There’s Paso… and then there’s Paso during Wine Fest weekend. This episode captures it all — the energy, the people, and the pulse of a region at its most electric. Recorded from the Ponderosa at the Paso Robles Event Center — nestled between In Bloom and Il Cortile — Adam sat down with a lineup of Paso’s most vibrant voices. In three stacked segment...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷 This week, we’re diving into the creative current flowing through Downtown Paso’s tasting rooms — and the two distinct winemakers who are helping define the vibe. Joining Adam Montiel in the studio: Jason Bushong , owner & winemaker at Bushong Vintage Company Lauren Lange , winemaker at Sea Shell Cellars   We talk tasting room culture, downt...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷    Big moves at ONX Wines. This week, we’re talking about the launch of Kiler Canyon Vineyard – a bold new brand carved from one of Paso’s most exciting sites. Joining Adam Montiel in the studio: Jeff Strekas , Director of Operations & Winegrowing Drew Nenow , Winemaker at ONX   What makes Kiler Canyon’s wines different? Why give...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷    Greek spirit. Paso soil. A father and son chasing a dream that started generations ago, and pouring it into the Adelaida hills today. James and Manoli Boutzoukas of Boutz Cellars are bringing real Greek wine culture to Paso Robles, planting Assyrtiko, Roditis, Agiorgitiko – and betting on tradition in a whole new land. When your roots...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷    In this Earth Day-inspired episode, Adam sits down with two leaders shaping the future of Paso from the ground up: Cris Cherry, owner of Villa Creek and the Maha Estate, and Hillary Graves, vineyard manager at Booker Wines. Together, they explore what it means to farm with integrity—from regenerative practices to the emotional reality of ten...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷    This week, Where Wine Takes You welcomes one of the most influential voices in wine – Karen MacNeil , author of The Wine Bible , a cornerstone text that’s sold over a million copies worldwide. She’s not only helped define how Americans talk about wine, but she’s spent years spotlighting Paso Robles as one of the world’s most exciting w...

🍇 Where Wine Takes You – Episode Highlights 🍷    In this episode, we take a flavorful detour off the vineyard path and into the heart of Paso’s culinary scene with Chef Ricky Odbert—owner of Six Test Kitchen and the first to earn San Luis Obispo County its very first Michelin Star. From cooking in his parents’ garage in Arroyo Grande to building one of the most exclusive dining experiences...