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Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery
PASO ROBLES
Growers and makers of expressive, approachable Paso Robles estate wines,
Vina Robles owners Hans Nef and Hans -R. Michel began farming wine grapes
in 1997. It was a mere 30 years after the region's first Cabernet Sauvignon
was planted by Dr. Stanley Hoffman and the legendary André Tchelistcheff.
Entrepreneurs who would later become known as pioneers of the region
followed; they experimented and made discoveries that would shape the
future of the Paso Robles wine industry. This land and this spirit are what
drew Nef and Michel to the region, and inspired them to purchase property
that would become their first of six Paso Robles estate vineyards.
The 40-plus wineries that existed in 1997 have grown in number to more
than 200. It is now no secret that growing conditions in Paso Robles are
optimal for producing premium and ultra-premium wines. By 2012, Nef and
Michel recognized how the diversity of terroir within the region contributed
to nuances in fruit grown in different areas. They took up a petition with a few
like-minded vineyard owners and ultimately helped to establish 11 sub-AVAs/
districts in 2014.
The Vina Robles vineyard team currently farms a total of 2,400 acres on six
estate vineyards, all are SIP Certified Sustainable. Only the finest blocks from
each site are farmed for Vina Robles wines, the balance is sold to other area
wineries. Spread out over the region, these six vineyards represent five of
Paso's 11 sub-AVAs.
FACING PAGE: Dotted with signature Paso Robles oaks,
the Vina Robles estate Huerhuero Vineyard straddles the
borderline of the El Pomar and Geneseo Districts.
ABOVE: Guests are welcomed by a lush arbor at the Vina
Robles Hospitality Center.
Photographs by Barry Goyette
SAN LUIS OBSIPO COUNTY
