Best red Rhône-style wines in Paso Robles for the holidays in 2024
– Of all the wines we are recommending in this series, the Rhône-style red wines are some of the best suited to holiday meals. They are often smoother and more balanced in character, which makes them fantastic for a big holiday meal with all the fixings.
Paso Robles winemakers have been producing some of the best award-winning Rhône-style wines outside of France. This is our favorite category to taste, and they are all gems. So with that bias, here are our recommendations for Paso Robles red Rhone-style wines.
Top local Rhône-style red wine recommendations
Austin Hope Artist Series Grenache
This wine displays a vivid effervescent ruby hue. The nose is flush with enticing notes of lavender, strawberry, and anise spice. Nimble and lively on the palate, it offers tangy flavors of plum, pomegranate, cranberry, and blackberry jam, all converging with a playful spritz on a bright, refreshing finish.
Asuncion Ridge 2020 Mourvèdre – $65
Macerated black-cherry aromas meet with tar and cola on the nose of this bottling. The palate is quite rich and caramelized, as baking spice and pepper elevate the stewed fruit core.
Barr Estate Winery 2019 Mourvèdre – $28
The aroma has earthy notes with soft fruit flavors of red berries, plums, and blueberries. Pair with roast duck, grilled lamb, marbled cuts of beef, and rich and spicy sauces. Only 106 cases were produced.
Barton Family Wines 2021 Mr. Jones – $68
A favorite of the Barton Family, this medium-bodied wine’s ripe tannins bring flavors of macadamia nuts, plum, and saltwater taffy. The nose of a freshly opened bottle of cola is followed by hints of herbs de Provence and cherry liqueur with freshly ground cinnamon. Pairs well with Chinese food.
Barton Family Wines 2021 Paradise City – $68
This 95% shiraz, 5% viognier blend is a nod to traditional Rhône-style syrah with beautiful depth. The nose is greeted with black ruby plum and black raspberry, leading to pine needles and freshly turned garden soil. The palate experiences pluot, morel mushroom, and olive brine with a finish of fresh ground coffee and floral aromas of a wildflower bouquet. Make it a date night with filet mignon with mushroom gravy or cellar the wine for 4-6 years.
Brecon Estate 2022 Forty-Two – $46
Like traditional tannants from Madiran, this Rhône-style blend will age very well, or pair with bison to enjoy now. Excellent fruit but it’s the chunky, chewy mouthfeel that really sets this wine apart.
A captivating blend of 67% CRUSH Vineyard Tempranillo and 33% Briarwood Vineyard Grenache. This medium ruby wine offers aromas of cherry, plum, cedar, and dried herbs, with a smooth, balanced palate featuring supple tannins and refreshing acidity.
Cuatro Dias Winery 2021 Civil Servant – $40
This wine greets the nose with vibrant aromas of fresh berries, earthy undertones, and a whisper of herbs. On the palate, it bursts with lush red berry preserves and a touch of spice, all framed by velvety tannins and bright, lively freshness. The finish lingers gracefully, leaving a delicate perfumed impression.
A blend of three Rhône varieties, 55% grenache, 25% syrah, and 20% mourvèdre, this wine greets the nose with aromas of briar raspberry, warm red plum, and toasted oak showing trailing suggestions of sandalwood and earthy loam. The palate is broad, expansive, and energetic, flooding the mouth with fresh acidity and weight. Flavors of cherry, blueberry, and sweet tobacco are accented by vanilla.
The aromas of strawberry cream reveal hints of Provençale herbs, toasted oak, white pepper, and loam. The palate is flush with flavors of ripe plum, cherry, dried flower, coffee, and vanilla spices with a grainy, meaty texture. Fresh acidity brings a crowning lift to the finish.
Dubost 2021 Estate Cuvee Magnum Holiday Special – $100
This blend of 38% syrah, 35% petite sirah, 25% touriga, and 2% viognier is deep garnet in color, offering ripe red and black fruit flavors with oaky spice and hints of kola nuts. It’s a full-bodied wine with vibrant upfront brightness and a long finish, earning double gold and 93 points at the Orange County Wine Society 2023 and gold at the Texas International Wine Competition 2024.
Glunz Family 2020 Syrah Santa Barbara – $45
This wine features dense aromas of tar, iodine, charred seaweed, and roasted coffee, creating a savory and intriguing nose. On the palate, coffee notes mingle with cracked pepper and kelp, complementing plum flavors. The grapes were sourced from the White Hawk Vineyard in the Los Alamos Hills, sitting 900 feet above sea level and 21 miles from the Pacific. The region, known for its high-quality wines, benefits from morning fog and afternoon breezes, allowing the fruit to ripen slowly.
McPrice Myers 2023 Right Hand Man – $19.99
This blend of 92% syrah, 6% petite sirah, and 2% viognier, features notes of plum sauce, mulberry, café au lait, gingerbread, sweet olive, tuberose, peppercorn, signed rosemary, nori, and pâte. Polished tannins coat an elegant finish.
Midnight Cellars 2020 Grenache Moonbeam –$52
A deep crimson-red wine with aromas of red fruits, spice, and subtle minerals. On the palate, it offers medium to full body, showcasing strawberry, cherry compote, and quince, accented by salted meats and palo santo incense. The finish features rosewater and balanced tannins, with juicy red plum and raspberry notes.
This exclusive 95% syrah, 5% viognier blend opens with pomegranate, chocolate acai, and floral notes of roasted bok choy and lychee. Rich toffee, coffee, and lavender add depth, while the palate reveals goji berry, mulberry, dried plum, cranberry, and a hint of sweet peppercorn. Velvety tannins and well-integrated oak offer vanilla and cedar, finishing long and silky with mineral touches of gravel and iron. Available exclusively to wine club members.
ONX 2021 Nobel Intrigue – $80This 100% syrah reveals a dense, complex profile, with layers of black pepper, sea smoke, fresh leather, and crushed blackberries. Sweet white pepper, dried fig, tobacco, and granite deepen the experience. The nose and palate offer a vibrant blend of dark, blue, and red fruits, balanced by earthy, perfumed nuances.
Peachy Canyon Winery 2022 GSM – $50
While the medium ruby color of this Chateauneu-influenced blend might be the first thing you notice upon pouring a glass, you’ll also be greeted by the bouquet of aromas coming from the wine. Ripe strawberries, bing cherries, espresso, rhubarb, and tobacco prepare you for what is sure to be a mouthful.
Riverstar 2018 Estate Petite Syrah – $30
This medium-bodied wine has a deep ruby color with vibrant purple hues, offering aromas of vanilla, blueberry pie, dried strawberry, cocoa, and espresso. The palate is smooth and fruit-forward, with blueberry compote and tart, dried strawberry balanced by cocoa and coffee notes. The long, velvety finish lingers with dark chocolate and espresso, creating a complex, harmonious blend of sweetness, spice, and roasted depth.
Sea Shell Cellars 2020 Reserve Syrah – $49
Complex and enticing with an aroma profile featuring notes of allspice, maple bacon, plum, and other sweet ripe fruits. On the palate: soft, approachable, and well-balanced with flavors of raspberry and cherry.
Sea Shell Cellars 2022 Collection – $40
This Rhône-style blend features syrah, grenache, and mouvèdre. On the palate, this red offers fresh leather, blueberry scone, herbs, light peppery oak, bright cherry, finishing with hints of chocolate and cedar plank. On the nose, there are aromas of rose petals, lavender blossom, pomegranate, strawberry liqueur, dark chocolate raspberries, slow-roasted short rib, and Tahitian vanilla.
Seven Angels Cellar 2019 Syrah – $42
The color of this wine is deep ruby in hue. On the nose are ripe blackberry and blueberry. Flavors of chocolate, and vanilla with a luscious spicy finish. It won a gold medal and 90 points at the 2023 L.A. International Wine Competition.
Seven Angels Cellar 2019 Chosen One – $42
Bright cherry and anise with a hint of leather on the nose. Vanilla, creme bruleé, and deep red plum on the palate. A slightly acidic finish. This wine won gold medals at the 2023 Central Coast Wine Competition and the 2023 OC Wine Society.
Sculpterra 2022 Grenache – $42
Plentiful aromas of black cherry, strawberry, beetroot, and violet flowers are easily identified on the nose followed by fresh and vibrant rose water and plum and the subtle taste of cedar, sandalwood, and coconut. The slightly tannic structure gives depth to the mouthfeel and weight to the finish. A medium-bodied wine, it can be appreciated by itself or with light game meals.
The wine offers aromas of fresh strawberries and raspberries. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with flavors that reflect its fruity nose, featuring bright red fruits.
This wine features a fruit-forward profile with strong tannins. It offers aromas of blackberry, cherry, and sweet spice, complemented by robust fruit flavors and barrel spices on the palate.
Summerwood 2020 Mourvèdre – $55
This small lot wine (just 169 cases produced) of 93% mourvèdre and 7% syrah blend is a perfect marriage of oak and fruit. Blueberries and lavender greet the nose, followed by cherries, vanilla, and toasty oak on the palate, delivering medium tannins and a long finish.
Tablas Creek 2021 Esprit De Tablas – $70
The 2021 Esprit de Tablas is a flagship red blend from Tablas Creek, featuring mourvèdre as the core with grenache, syrah, counoise, vaccarese, and cinsaut, resulting in a rich and complex wine. Its deep, inviting nose and broad, layered palate offer flavors of dark fruit, chocolate, spice, and earthy richness, with a finish that promises further development over the next 25 years.
Tablas Creek 2023 Patelin De Tablas – $28
This Rhône-style blend from Paso Robles, features syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, and counoise, with a focus on dark fruit, spice, and mineral notes. Its savory nose of black pepper and teriyaki gives way to a palate of black fruit, licorice, and plum skin acids, finishing with hints of sarsaparilla and smoky tea, offering both complexity and approachability for newcomers to California Rhône blends.
Look for more local wine recommendations coming soon
- Best local sparkling wines
- Best local rosé wines
- Best local white wines
- Best local zinfandel wines
- Best local pinot noir
- Best Spanish-style wines
- Best local Rhone-style red wines and red blends
- Best cabernet, Bordeaux-style, and red wines
- Best local dessert wines
Publisher’s note: For the 11th year in a row we thought it would be fun to recommend local wines for the holidays. Once again, we received an amazing amount of participation from our local wineries. Over the last two weeks, we received more than 150 entries. Fortunately, there were many solid, well-made Paso Robles wines to recommend. We have created several lists of top local wines into categories. The recommended wines above are in alphabetical order.
