This is my second time visiting Paso in the past 2 years. I love how down to earth this place is compared to Napa. Specializing mostly on red wines, Paso Robles has dozens of wineries, some featuring unique experiences such as wine tasting paired with spices and cave tours.
But first, the Lavender fest... Well, it was small and very hot - at 11 AM the temperatures were hitting 90s, so we were not too eager to stay outside for too long. I was a bit disappointed about limited numbers of booths with lavender infused creams/lotions and anything that you can slather on the skin, and only a few places had some sort of food.
Within half an hour we headed to our fist winery located only 10 min walking distance from the festival.
Herman Story Wines is a small winery with big personality because of their staff. We were greeted and served promptly and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere. Their wines were really good too varying from lighter whites to full-bodied reds. After a few purchases, we were ready for lunch.
Red Scooter Deli did not disappoint. Casual, yet rich in selection, the deli had a nice variety of sandwiches and salads, including a few vegan choices. My Natural sandwich had fresh rye bread and what seemed to be freshly cut vegetables - a perfect addition to our next winery, one that I visited last time in Paso and loved so much.
LXV winery was rated the 7th Best Tasting Experience in America, and I can understand why. Their combination of wine tasting with spices is unique and together with its hippie atmosphere and welcoming service is definitely worth the $25. Some of the spice mixes contained up to 27 different spices combined by the owners in a secret recipe. We did not even try to guess...
Our final stop was Paso Underground that combined 4 wineries in one. Each tasting is $10, but I only tried one winery, which was just ok. Whether it's the cold ambiance of the place or maybe the "I don't care whether you do the tasting or not" attitude, I did not like it as much as other places.
We then stopped at Angela's bakery to get some dessert and headed to some sort of clothing store, don't really remember the name of it. One of us bought an amazing cowboy hat, while we browsed.
Another great day in Paso! Next time I would love to come here when it's not so darn hot!
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