Most Paso Robles wineries will pour you a tasting. ONX Wines will take you on an off-road ride through the vines where those wines actually grow, let you sip estate Syrah at the exact spot the grapes were harvested, and then send you home with bottles from one of the most decorated Rhône-focused portfolios on the Central Coast.
With 95-point scores from Wine Enthusiast, a 127-acre certified-sustainable estate in the Templeton Gap, and a tasting room in the heart of Tin City, ONX has built something that rewards both casual visitors and serious wine lovers in equal measure.
The Olson Family: From Swedish Farming Roots to Paso Robles Vines
ONX is a family project with deeper roots than most visitors realize. Steve and Brenda Olson — Orange County-based developers who built a career constructing affordable urban homes through the Olson Company — began searching for vineyard land in the Paso Robles AVA in 2004. The couple drew on a family heritage steeped in the Swedish tradition of self-sustained farming, and when they found an idyllic parcel in the Templeton Gap District, they knew they’d found the right place to plant.
The 127-acre ONX Estate Vineyard sits roughly eight miles from the Pacific Ocean, where the Templeton Gap channels cool marine air directly through the property. That proximity to the coast creates some of the most dramatic temperature swings in the entire Paso Robles AVA — hot days that concentrate flavor, cool evenings that preserve acidity and prevent over-sugaring of the grapes. It’s the kind of site that Rhône varieties thrive in, and the Olsons planted accordingly.
Today, ONX farms 18 different grape varieties and clones across the estate and a more recently acquired 54-acre property in the Willow Creek District called Kiler Canyon Vineyard. The combined 181 acres produce just 4,500 cases annually — a deliberately small output for an estate this size, reflecting the family’s commitment to quality over volume.
Drew Nenow: The Winemaker Behind the Blends
Every great estate needs a winemaker who understands its soil, and Drew Nenow has spent the better part of a decade learning ONX’s ground intimately. Nenow grew up in San Diego County but spent his childhood making regular trips to Napa Valley, where his aunt and uncle ran the acclaimed boutique winery Behrens & Hitchcock (now Behrens Family Winery). His father eventually started his own brand and, as Nenow tells it, “commissioned me as child labor to help out.”
That early exposure led Nenow to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he earned a degree in enology with a minor in agribusiness. After cellar stints at Turley Wine Cellars and Villa San Juliette, he joined ONX as a harvest intern in 2015. By 2018, he’d risen to head winemaker — a role he now holds alongside the title of Director of Winemaking and Vineyards.
Working with Associate Winemaker Lauren Lange, Nenow crafts each grape variety independently before running an intensive blending process each summer. The approach is deliberate: blend to accentuate the focus grape without losing its essence, and always farm for quality over quantity.
The Wines: What to Order at ONX
Understanding a few of Onx flagship labels will help you navigate the tasting menu with confidence.
Level 22
The Level 22 is ONX’s Rhône masterpiece — a mourvèdre-dominant blend (roughly 60%) that earned 95 points from Wine Enthusiast in the 2018 vintage. Named for the 22 levels of limestone that underlie the estate vineyard, it’s the kind of wine that rewards patience. Expect dark fruit layered with earth, spice, and the mineral signature that the estate’s onyx calcite soils — the winery’s actual namesake — impart to everything grown here.
Reckoning
The Reckoning is ONX’s Syrah-driven blend, and it consistently lands among the winery’s highest-rated bottlings. The 2018 vintage scored 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, and the 2019 followed at the same level. If you want to taste what Templeton Gap Syrah can do when handled with precision, this is the bottle.
Fiery Nights Syrah
For a single-varietal expression, the Fiery Nights Syrah opens with layers of dark plum, seared meat, and charred cedar, moving into cherry cola and dried fig on the palate. The 2021 vintage earned 95 points from Wine Enthusiast — one of the highest-scoring single-varietal Syrahs from Paso Robles that year.
Mad Crush
The Mad Crush is ONX’s most approachable red blend, built around Grenache and Tempranillo. It’s fruit-forward and friendly without being simple, earning 92 points from Wine Enthusiast in the 2018 vintage. If you’re visiting with someone who’s newer to wine, this is a smart starting point.
Black Orchid Petite Sirah
Don’t overlook this one. The Black Orchid is a dense, inky Petite Sirah with intense aromas of currant and boysenberry, cut by fine acidity and structured tannins. It’s a wine for people who like their reds bold.
Kiler Canyon Cuvée
ONX’s newest offering comes from the Kiler Canyon Vineyard in the Willow Creek District — a Syrah-Mourvèdre blend that showcases what this second estate can produce. The first releases have already earned critical attention, with the 2020 Kiler Canyon scoring 95 points.
Kiler Canyon Vineyard: ONX’s Sister Label in Tin City
That Kiler Canyon Cuvée proved compelling enough that the Olson family launched Kiler Canyon Vineyard as its own standalone brand in 2025 — a luxury micro-production label dedicated entirely to estate-grown Rhône wines from the Willow Creek District property. Eight years of replanting and vineyard rehabilitation went into every bottle before Kiler Canyon ever poured its first glass.
The 24-acre vineyard sits on 62 total acres of dramatic limestone slopes along Blue Rock Road, where depleted soils and steep southwestern-facing grades force vines to struggle — producing naturally low yields of intensely concentrated Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Roussanne. Grenache has recently been planted to complete the Rhône portfolio. Like the ONX estate, Kiler Canyon holds CSWA sustainability certification and is working toward full organic certification.
The critical reception has been immediate: the 2021 Reserve Syrah and 2020 Estate Cuvée each earned 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, and the 2023 Roussanne scored 94 points from James Suckling.
Kiler Canyon’s Tin City tasting room sits directly across from ONX — making it easy to visit both in a single stop. The setting is distinctive: towering redwoods shade a patio where a small planting of estate Syrah serves as a living connection to the Willow Creek vineyard. Guided 90-minute tastings ($35 per person) walk you through the current portfolio, and artisanal food and wine pairings with locally sourced organic ingredients are available by reservation Friday through Sunday.
For a deeper look, the Discovery Tour and Picnic brings guests directly to the estate for an off-road vineyard tour through the steep hillside plantings, followed by gourmet tapas and wine with panoramic views of Paso Robles wine country. Tours run Thursday through Monday, spring through October.
Kiler Canyon operates on an allocation model rather than a traditional wine club — first come, first served — so sign up for the mailing list at kilercanyonvineyard.com if you want access to future releases.
Tin City Tasting Room Hours: Friday through Sunday
Estate Address: 3050 Blue Rock Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Reservations: kilercanyonvineyard.com
Three Ways to Visit the ONX Family
Between ONX and Kiler Canyon Vineyard, you now have three distinct tasting experiences to choose from — and they’re all worth considering depending on what kind of day you’re planning.
The Tin City Tasting Room
Located at 2910 Limestone Way in Tin City, the tasting room is ONX’s social hub. The Current Release Tasting runs $25 per person — waived with a purchase of two bottles or enrollment in their Collective Club — and you should plan for about 75 minutes. Walk-ins are welcome, though reservations are suggested. Children and dogs are both welcome, which makes this a good stop if you’re visiting with family.
For a deeper dive, the Cellar’d Tasting ($95 per person, $75 for club members) includes a private tour of the winery and cellar, access to sought-after library wines including the Kiler Canyon Cuvée, and artisan cheese pairings with meats, almonds, dried fruit, and olives.
Gourmet cheese plates are available for purchase during any tasting, though outside food is not permitted.
Address: 2910 Limestone Way, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last tasting starts at 4 p.m.)
Reservations: Online at exploretock.com/onxwines or call (805) 434-5607
The Estate Vineyard in Templeton
If you have time for only one vineyard experience during your Paso Robles trip, the ONX Estate Vineyard Tour is a strong contender. Located at 1200 Paseo Excelsus in Templeton, the estate tour begins at the Tractor Shed — an outdoor patio overlooking Santa Rita Creek — before an off-road vehicle ride through the vines where you taste the wines right where the grapes were grown.
The Estate Vineyard Tour runs $45 per person (complimentary for Collective Club members) and is available Thursday through Sunday. For celebrations, ONX offers a banner and gourmet cupcake/dessert wine pairing add-on for $12 per person.
The Vineyard Hideaway Picnic ($65 per person, $50 for club members, $30 per child) takes the experience further — a Kawasaki mule ride to a secluded picnic spot in the vines with a locally sourced meal, games, and a self-guided tasting kit of four signature ONX wines.
Estate Address: 1200 Paseo Excelsus, Templeton, CA
Reservations required: Book at exploretock.com/onxwines
Stay on the Estate: ONX Vineyard Stays
One of ONX’s most distinctive offerings is the chance to stay directly on the estate vineyard. Three properties are available:
Briarwood Cottage — a charming vineyard cottage ideal for couples seeking a quiet retreat among the vines.
Clark House — a larger property suited for groups and families, with vineyard views and space to spread out.
Kiler Canyon Ranch House — the newest addition, located on the Kiler Canyon Vineyard property in the Willow Creek District.
All three stays put you within walking distance of the vineyard experiences and offer the kind of morning-among-the-vines experience that most Paso Robles visitors only imagine. Check their website for current availability and rates.
Sustainability as Practice, Not Marketing
ONX’s commitment to sustainability is structural, not decorative. Both the estate and Kiler Canyon properties hold certification from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA), and the team is actively working toward full organic farming certification.
The vineyard practices reflect this: balanced cropping to focus vine energy on fewer, higher-quality clusters, manicured canopies for optimal sunlight and airflow, and trellis systems matched to specific rootstock, scion, and soil combinations. The cooler evenings in the Templeton Gap — a product of that ocean proximity — naturally slow sugar accumulation and help retain the acidity that gives ONX’s wines their longevity and structure.
How ONX Fits Into Your Paso Robles Trip
If you’re spending a day in Tin City, start at ONX for the Current Release Tasting, walk across to Kiler Canyon Vineyard for their guided 90-minute tasting, then explore neighboring producers in the industrial district. If you’re planning a weekend itinerary, consider splitting your visits: Tin City tasting rooms on Day 1 during a Tin City crawl, then the ONX estate vineyard experience or Kiler Canyon Discovery Tour on Day 2 for a change of pace and setting.
The ONX estate pairs particularly well with a visit to the Eastside — it sits in the Templeton Gap between downtown and the coast, making it an easy add to a Westside route along Vineyard Drive or Adelaida Road.
For the best experience, book your Cellar’d, Estate Vineyard, or Kiler Canyon tastings in advance and save the walk-in ONX Current Release tasting for a spontaneous Tin City afternoon.
Check ONX’s website at onxwines.com for current hours, availability, and booking. Tasting fees and experience pricing are subject to change.
