VINEYARDS TO VISIT
Vineyards in the immediate neighborhood:
Kynsi Winery – Just next door. They have great Pinots. (1 min)
Center of Effort – That’s the large facility you see across the street and lit up at night. You need an appointment to visit. (< 1 min)
Malene – This is Chamisal’s sister vineyard and is also on Orcutt Road. Very fun Airstream tasting room set in the middle of a large grassy area. Bring a picnic and drink Rosé. (< 3 min)
Chamisal Vineyards – They are on Orcutt Road. It’s a great spot to sit outside. (3 min)
Baileyana – On Orcutt Road and located in an old schoolhouse. They have several wine labels in addition to Baileyana and they are all good. They have picnic tables. (6 min)
Saucelito Canyon – On Biddle Ranch Road. They specialize in Zinfandels and their vines are more than 130 years old, planted in 1880, abandoned after Prohibition. It’s the oldest commercial vineyard in all of San Luis Obispo County. (6 min)
Talley Vineyards – At the end of Orcutt Road and west of Arroyo Grande. In addition to growing grapes and making wine, they are a large agricultural business as well. They own the planted field across the street and the one between us and Kynsi. (7 min)
Timbre Tasting Room – Downtown AG, they purchase grapes from us to make some of their wines. Mention Chêne Vineyards and they will offer you a free tasting. (8 min)
LOCAL RESTAURANTS
Here’s a collection of some of the restaurants you might like.
San Luis Obispo:
Hotel Granada – Their patio is lovely. (14 min)
Hotel Cerro – For cocktails. (13 min)
Hotel SLO – For cocktails. (15 min)
Flour House – Thin crust cooked in a special oven. Their pizza is amazing and the gluten free crust even better. No reservations, so you may have to wait. (13 min)
Ox & Anchor – New steak house. The chef is from the Bay Area. (15 min)
Giuseppe’s Italian – The original location. It’s a Cal Poly senior project success. No reservations, worth the wait. (14 min)
Arroyo Grande:
Ember – Their food is amazing. It’s in a funky part of AG, but the food is great. No reservations, so go early. (12 min)
Mason’s – Has a groovy bar and good food. (8 min)
Pismo Beach:
Oyster Loft – Fresh oysters, creative menu and a beautiful view. Wooly’s – Downstairs from the Oyster Loft and same owners. Good food that’s more casual. Time either of these so you can walk on the Pier at sunset. (11 min)
Giuseppe’s in Pismo has a very different vibe than the one in SLO. It’s more old fashioned, but the food is just as good. (11 min)
OTHER VINEYARDS
Add a little more drive time and you can also visit:
Paso Robles – known for its wineries and olive groves.
Booker (42 min)
Adelaida Vineyards (56 min)
Tobin James (49 min)
Daou Vineyeards (55 min)
Tin City (38 min)
OTHER DEMETER BIODYNAMIC VINEYARDS
The organic wine scene is still a relatively small sector, accounting for around 3.6% of global consumption. Demeter Biodynamic Certification is used in over 50 countries to verify biodynamic products meet international standards in production. Here are the other Demeter-certified vineyards in all of SLO county. Right now there are just five others.
Tablas Creek – In Paso Robles. Specializing in Rhône-style blends and varietals. Reservations via the website of by calling 805-237-1231. 56 min north)
Slide Hill Vineyard – Right around the corner from us at 8080 Orcutt Road. Use their website to make an appointment or call 805-448-2148. (2 mins)
AmByth Estate – In Templeton. Make a reservation on their website or call 805-319-6967. (46 min north)
Villa Creek Cellars (Maha Estate) – In Paso Robles. By appointment. 805-712-8038. (51 min north)
Castoro Cellars – Located Templeton. Tasting room. Call 888-326-3463. (40 min north)