Le Vigne Winery was founded with a passion for terroir, exceptional wines, and spectacular food. This passion is evident more than ever this year as the Paso Robles, CA winery unveils its stunning new tasting room, exciting culinary offerings, acres of new plantings, and a series of compelling new releases.

The 100-acre vineyard estate property was one of the region’s first: planted by the Filippini family in 1981. Through the years, the land’s diverse terroir has yielded exceptional quality grapes. Winemaker Michael Barreto has enjoyed working with these grapes for a dozen years. "It seems that everything does well here," he smiles, gesturing to the freshly planted acreage of Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Petit Verdot before him. He’s pleased that the estate now grows all five of the Bordeaux varieties he uses for the Le Vigne Bordeaux program. He’s also inspired by the Corvina, Sangiovese, and Tannat planted in other parts of the property.

A visit to Le Vigne Winery is a delight to the senses. The vibrant, brand new tasting room features a breathtaking 360-degree tasting bar, plus a service counter dedicated to artisan cheeses and gourmet foods. Guests can sample the wines and then pair a favorite wine with gourmet cheese or a fresh Panini. The artisan cheese counter features one the region’s most extensive selections of international cheeses, and outside, there’s an expansive terrace where guests can enjoy an impromptu picnic and enthralling vineyard views.

Spurred by its passion for terroir, wine, and food, Le Vigne offers a different creative, fun, and interactive event each month. Whether it’s a festival, a seminar, or a culinary series cooking class, guests often get their hands messy and their teeth purple as Michael, Owner Walter Filippini, or a celebrity chef teaches them something that will enrich their knowledge and appreciation of the exceptional food and wines they’ve discovered at Le Vigne Winery.

An Interview with Owners Sylvia and Walter Filippini

T&T: Congratulations on your new tasting room! Can you please tell us more about the wine and food guests can enjoy there?
SF: Our goal with the new tasting room was to convey a relaxed and non-pretentious setting where visitors can learn while they taste. In addition to our selection of Estate wines and other fine selections, we offer a unique wine and cheese pairing option, as well as hot and cold sandwich options for those that are looking for a light lunch while out on the wine trail.

T&T: Le Vigne puts on a lot of creative food events. Why is that important to your winery?
SF: Both Walter and I have extensive backgrounds in food, Walter especially being a trained chef and having worked in fine restaurants throughout Europe and the United States. We are excited by the relationship between food and wine, the way they interact and complement one another. Good foods are part of the wine experience. We use these events not only to showcase our fine wines, but also create an interactive experience where guests can: create their own wine blend, make a chocolate truffle with their bare hands, or see how olive oils are affected by different types of foods. These experiences are something that our guests will remember for a lifetime. We love to hear our wine club members tell new tasting room guests stories of events that they have previously attended; they are some of our best ambassadors.

T&T: Now that your new facility is complete, what are you looking forward to next?
SF: We’re looking forward to sharing our wines and story with wine tasters in Paso Robles who may have not stopped by before as well as reacquainting past visitors with our gracious hospitality. The new feel of the tasting room not only brings across a touch of Old World Italy, but conveys a warmth that feels like home. I guess we are looking forward to welcoming people to the winery and sharing with them our love for wine and food.

T&T: Why do you value working with 100 percent estate grapes?
WF: Estate grapes are important because, for me, estate means complete control. Our viticulture team is awesome, very skilled. I work closely with them, I get to make all the viticulture decisions: watering, crop thinning, canopy management and ultimately, when and how we pick each vineyard block. As a winemaker, you can’t ask for anything more.

What to Buy
'11 Sangiovese - $35
Dark cherry, cigar box

'11 Grenache - $35
Crème de Cassis, violets, candied cranberries, strawberry jam, juniper

'10 Cabernet Sauvignon - $35
Black currant, plum, roasted coffee, black cherry, cocoa, sweet truffle

Special Notes
Wine and cheese pairings, deli and cheese counter, picnic grounds, winemaker dinners, gourmet market

Contact
5115 Buena Vista Dr.
Paso Robles, CA  93446

Phone: 805-227-4000
E-mail: info@levignewinery.com
Website: levignewinery.com

Tasting Room: Open Sun–Thu 11–5; Fri–Sat 11–6

Touring & Tasting is a media company that produces a wine and travel magazine and is also partner in the Hitched Wine Club.