Four family-run producers where the winemakers pour the wine, the vineyards tell the story, and the crowds stay thin.
When winter settles over Paso Robles wine country, the pace shifts. Harvest is done, the tasting rooms quiet down, and the smaller producers — the ones making a few thousand cases or fewer — have more time to share a barrel sample or walk you through the vineyard. That slower season is exactly when a visit to a small-batch winery like Copia Vineyards pays off the most.
Together with Pelletiere Estate in the Willow Creek District, Kiler Canyon Vineyard off the Adelaide corridor, and Riverstar Vineyards on the Pleasant Valley Wine Trail, these four small production Paso Robles wineries offer the kind of personal, unhurried tasting experience that larger operations simply can’t match. Each one takes a different approach to winemaking, draws from different corners of the AVA, and rewards the kind of curiosity that the winter season makes room for.
Why Small-Batch Paso Robles Wineries Deserve a Spot on Your List
Paso Robles has more than 200 wineries spread across 11 distinct sub-AVAs, and it can be tempting to stick with the names you already know. But small-batch producers are often where the most expressive wines come from. Working with fewer tons of fruit, these winemakers can be more selective about which blocks they pick and when. They experiment freely — a single-vineyard Touriga Nacional here, a skin-contact rosé there — in ways that a 50,000-case operation usually won’t.
Winter is also the best time to catch these winemakers in person. Between November and February, many small producers handle their own pours, and you’re more likely to taste directly from the barrel while the wines are still developing. If you’re building a Paso Robles wine tasting itinerary, adding one or two small-batch stops between bigger-name visits creates a more complete picture of what the region can do.
Copia Vineyards: Estate Rhône and Bordeaux from the Willow Creek District
Copia Vineyards sits on 50 acres along Mustard Creek Road in the Willow Creek District AVA, one of Paso’s cooler westside sub-appellations where limestone-rich, calcareous soils and the Templeton Gap’s ocean breezes slow ripening and build complexity in the fruit. About 20 of those acres are planted to Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot.
Owners Varinder and Anita came to Paso Robles in 2015. Varinder grew up in a farming family in Punjab, India — more than 13 generations on the land — and spent years in commercial real estate before following the pull back to agriculture. Anita brought a hospitality background from her time with Drew Nieporent’s Myriad Restaurant Group in New York, including Tribeca Grill. The combination of deep farming roots and fine-dining sensibility shows up in how they run the property.
What to Taste
Copia’s lineup leans on Rhône and Bordeaux varieties, all estate-grown and produced in quantities under 5,000 cases per year. Three wines anchor the program: The Pope (Grenache), The Blend (GSM), and The Source (Syrah). Early releases drew praise from critic Jeb Dunnuck, and the quality has continued to tighten as the estate vines have matured.
Visiting Copia
The architect-designed estate winery and tasting room replaced the original downtown location on 13th Street. Tastings are seated — indoor for parties of two to eight, outdoor for one to eight, or at the bar for smaller groups. For a deeper look, book the 90-minute walking tour with culinary provisions led by a Wine Educator. During harvest season, the winery also offers harvest walks with the winemaker ($75 per person, $45 for members). Reservations are made through Tock.
Address: 5076 Mustard Creek Rd, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Phone: 805-296-3000
Pelletiere Estate: Italian Varietals and an All-Female Team in Willow Creek
Pelletiere Estate occupies a quiet stretch of Township Road in the Willow Creek District. Founded in 2014 by Janis Pelletiere and her daughter Morgan Stepp, this mother-daughter operation has built a reputation for Italian-inspired wines made by an all-female team — a rarity anywhere in California wine country.
Winemaker Natasha Boffman works exclusively with single-varietal bottlings, an approach that lets each grape speak for itself. The estate vineyard is sustainably farmed and planted to varieties you won’t find at most Paso Robles tasting rooms: Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano, Lagrein, Aglianico, and Primitivo sit alongside Syrah, Viognier, Grenache, and Chardonnay. In 2024, the family acquired a second vineyard site to expand their program.
What to Taste
The Italian varietals are the draw. The 2019 Montepulciano earned 93 points from Wine Enthusiast, and earlier vintages have scored as high as 95 from Purely Domestic Wine Report. The Sangiovese Riserva and the Nebbiolo are worth seeking out, as is the estate rosé. Because every wine is a single varietal — no blends on the list — each bottle captures a clear snapshot of what that grape does in Willow Creek’s calcareous soils.
Visiting Pelletiere
Tastings are $30 per person, by appointment. For a more immersive experience, book the Vintner & Vines Tour led by owner Janis Pelletiere, who walks guests through the vineyard and the winemaking process herself. The property is pet-friendly and has a picnic area for those who want to linger with a bottle. Reservations are required — check their website for current availability.
Address: 3280 Township Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Phone: 805-239-9432
Kiler Canyon Vineyard: Sustainably Farmed Syrah from a Steep Paso Hillside
Kiler Canyon Vineyards is one of the newer names in Paso Robles, and one of the most talked about. Launched in 2025 by the team behind ONX Wines, the project centers on 62 acres of steep, southwest-facing slopes along Blue Rock Road, where depleted limestone soils and extreme sun exposure push Syrah and Mourvèdre to concentrated, mineral-driven intensity. Winemaker Drew Nenow — a second-generation Paso Robles winemaker and Cal Poly graduate — spent eight years rehabilitating the vineyard before releasing the first wines.
Of those 62 acres, 24 are planted to Syrah, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, and recently grafted Grenache. The estate is certified California Sustainable and is on track for CCOF organic certification by the end of 2026. Production is deliberately small: the 2023 Roussanne was limited to just 30 cases.
What to Taste
The Syrah-driven wines are the headliners. The 2021 Reserve Syrah scored 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, and the 2020 Estate Cuvée matched that mark. The 2023 Roussanne pulled 94 points from James Suckling, making it one of the highest-rated white wines from Paso Robles in recent years. All wines are allocation-only — there’s no wine club, just a list — so what’s available at any given tasting depends on the current release.
Visiting Kiler Canyon
There are two ways to taste. The Tin City lounge — tucked under a canopy of redwoods — opened in July 2025 and serves flights paired with dishes from local chefs. Or book the Discovery Tour & Picnic at the estate: an off-road vineyard tour followed by gourmet tapas and wine among the vines. Tastings are $35 per person.
For those who want to stay, the Kiler Canyon Ranch House is a three-bedroom estate rental on the property, starting at $600 per night with a two-night minimum.
Address: 3050 Blue Rock Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446 (estate); tasting lounge in Tin City
Phone: 805-221-5345
Riverstar Vineyards Paso Robles: Eastside Estate Character on the Pleasant Valley Wine Trail
Head east on Estrella Road past San Miguel and the landscape opens up — wide vineyard rows, dry-grass hills, and the kind of quiet that makes the westside feel like a different county. Riverstar Vineyards sits on 58 acres in the Estrella District AVA, a family-run estate where owners Rob and Angela Reinertson pour the wine themselves alongside daughters Candice and Christine.
The property has been a vineyard since the early 1990s — the first plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot went in around 1993 — and joined the Pleasant Valley Wine Trail in 2001. The Reinertson family took over in 2016 and has since replanted 22 acres with own-rooted vines, a move that signals commitment to long-term quality over quick returns.
What to Taste
Riverstar’s varietal list is broader than you might expect from a small estate: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel (grown on its own roots), Syrah, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Sauvignon Blanc, rosé, and a Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine. The 2017 Eclipse — a Bordeaux-style blend — took Gold at the 2022 San Francisco International Wine Competition. If you’re curious about unusual varieties, ask about the Touriga Nacional and the dessert wines.
Visiting Riverstar
Tastings are $15 per person and waived with a wine purchase — one of the best values on the east side. The tasting room is open Fridays through Sundays, noon to 5 p.m., with other days available by appointment through Setmore. The veranda overlooks the vineyard, picnics are encouraged, and the property is both kid-friendly and dog-friendly. Son-in-law Kyle, a local chef, creates gourmet pairings for special events.
For an overnight stay, the property offers vacation rentals including The Ranch, a three-bedroom, two-bath retreat set among the vines with a wrap-around deck and sunset views. Check riverstarvineyards.com for current rental availability, event schedules, and updated hours.
Address: 7450 Estrella Road, San Miguel, CA 93451
Phone: (805) 467-0086
Planning a Small-Batch Winery Route This Winter
These four wineries span the Paso Robles AVA from the Willow Creek westside to the Estrella District out east, which makes them natural anchors for a full day of tasting that covers real ground.
One route that works well: start on the west side in the morning with Pelletiere Estate and Copia Vineyards, since both are in the Willow Creek District and just minutes apart. After your westside tastings, head into Tin City for a flight at Kiler Canyon’s lounge and lunch at one of the neighboring food spots. Then drive east to Riverstar Vineyards for a late-afternoon tasting as the light drops over the Estrella hills, and finish the evening at one of Paso’s restaurants.
A few tips for winter visits:
- Book ahead. Small-batch tasting rooms have limited seating and shorter winter hours. Pelletiere and Copia require reservations. Kiler Canyon accepts walk-ins at the Tin City lounge on weekends. Riverstar is walk-in friendly Friday through Sunday, but an appointment guarantees your spot.
- Layer up. Paso Robles winter days can swing from crisp and clear to foggy and cool. Outdoor tastings at Copia, Pelletiere, and Riverstar are best enjoyed with a jacket in the car.
- Ask about barrel samples. Winter is when new vintages are still aging in barrel, and smaller producers are often happy to pull a sample. It’s one of the genuine perks of visiting during the quiet season.
Use the Paso Robles wine tasting app to plot your route, and browse the full directory of featured wineries if you want to add more stops along the way. For lodging, consider staying on the west side if you want to hit Pelletiere and Copia first, or downtown if you’d rather start at Tin City and work outward.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a winery “small-batch”?
There’s no official definition, but in Paso Robles the term generally means a producer making fewer than 5,000 cases per year. At that scale, winemakers have more hands-on control at every step, from vineyard management to bottling. All four wineries in this guide fall well within that range — Kiler Canyon’s Roussanne was limited to just 30 cases.
Are reservations required at these wineries?
Copia Vineyards requires reservations for all seated tastings (book through Tock). Pelletiere Estate is by appointment only. Kiler Canyon accepts walk-ins at the Tin City lounge Friday through Sunday and takes appointments for estate visits. Riverstar Vineyards accepts walk-ins during regular hours (Friday–Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.) but also takes reservations through Setmore.
Can I visit all four wineries in one day?
Yes, if you plan ahead. Pelletiere and Copia are both on the west side and close together, so pair them in the morning. Stop at Kiler Canyon’s Tin City lounge midday, then drive east to Riverstar for the afternoon. Allow about 60 to 90 minutes per stop including tasting time, and factor in 20–30 minutes of driving between clusters. Starting at 10:30 or 11 a.m. gives you enough room.
Do these wineries ship wine?
Riverstar ships to more than 30 states. Kiler Canyon is allocation-only — join their list through the website to receive releases. Check with Copia and Pelletiere directly for their current shipping policies and wine club options.
Is Paso Robles worth visiting in winter?
The tasting rooms are less crowded, the winemakers are more available, and the winter light over the vineyards is beautiful. Many wineries offer seasonal events and library tastings during the quieter months. Check our itineraries page for seasonal trip-planning ideas.
