Epoch Wine

Pronounced like "Epic," Epoch Wine is a winery in Paso Robles, California focused on crafting estate-grown, Rhone wines & preserving history.

About Epoch Wine

Epoch Wine Estate was founded in 2004 by geologists, Bill and Liz Armstrong. Epoch is an ultra-premium producer of wines from Rhone, Zinfandel, and Tempranillo varieties grown on their three west Paso Robles estate vineyards – Paderewski, Catapult, and York Mountain.

Winemaker, Jordan Fiorentini, carefully crafts these highly-rated wines utilizing organic and biodynamic practices. Epoch’s Winery and Tasting Room are located off of 46 West at the historic York Mountain property, once home to one of the first bonded wineries on the Central Coast.

Their Paderewski Vineyard was once owned, farmed, and cherished by Polish Prime Minister and famed pianist, Ignacy Jan Paderewski in the early 1900s.

The Epoch Wine Tasting Experience

Located on the west side of Paso Robles, the drive to Epoch is full of stunning views! The driveway is long and winding with shadows cast from the large trees that cover the road. Immediately we transported to a romantic and magical destination.

Upon arriving we buzzed in at the gate and proceeded to park. We drove straight to Epoch from Los Angeles. After a light stretch, we headed up the stairs towards the entrance we were greeted by our host, Vince. We each grabbed a glass of Rosé, then Vince escorted us the tasting area. The weather was very hot, so they had us set up in a casual space inside. They also have outdoor seating options but we opted for the cooler indoor tasting area. Vince sat with us as we tasted through the Rosé, White, and Sensibility. He also gave us some time as a group to enjoy the wine and the location. Vince returned and we tasted Veracity, Creativity, and Estate Blend.

The tasting room is open 10am-4pm by appointment, but walk in reservations are offered. The "Current Pours" tasting is $40/pp but the fee is waived with the purchase of $100 or more of wine. This tasting is available from 1-6 persons, but group reservations can be made by calling. Check out more about Epoch here.

"Our Current Pours tasting, typically five wines, gives you a well-rounded view of the wonderful wines at Epoch! We present these wines to you in a flight, meaning all of the wines will be poured in front of you at one time. This format gives guests the opportunity to try several wines side-by-side, a tasting experience that can really highlight the fun differences in wine varieties, vintages, and styles. One of our awesome Tasting Room Educators will be there to walk you through these wines and the Epoch story. We look forward to tasting with you!"
https://epochwines.com/the-tasting-room/

Fun Facts about Epoch Estate Wines

Highly ranked for most beautiful vineyard - Architectural Digest rated Epoch Estate Wines as #2 for The Most Beautiful Vineyard Design Around the World! And because I asked, and I know you want to know as well, #1 is in the Chianti region of Italy.) Check out more from Architectural Digest here. An additional fun fact, Winemaker, Jordan Fiorentini, worked at the #1 rated winery in the Chianti region of Italy.

First winery on the California Central Coast - In 1882, Andrew York, a trailblazer and native Illinoisan who caught the winemaking bug, purchased a 120-acre homestead in Templeton, CA. Andrew quickly expanded the existing vineyard with cuttings from Napa. In 1895, York, along with his three sons, began construction on their wine cellar by hauling boulders from the countryside and purchasing the essentials for their new winery. At this point, the York family named their winemaking venture, Ascension Winery, and this became one of the first bonded winery on the central coast.

The Wines

Rosé - 've never had a Rose quite like this. So light, refreshing, and full of unique flavors! A perfect summer wine!

White - This wine is great right out of the bottle, but I found this wine really opened up and had a fuller taste after sitting and warming up a bit.

Sensibility - A great everyday drinking wine. It can also be enjoyed for a special occasion! A very versatile wine.

Veracity - Another favorite that we tasted. It's big, bold, and spicy!

Estate Blend - I really love that the Winemaker takes liberty in each vintage and mixes what she thinks is tasting great, which keeps each vintage unique.

Creativity - An extra pour off the tasting menu and our favorite! We purchased this bottle to take with us to dinner. The vines of the Zin are young making the wine more fruit forward and less jammy. A great bottle to enjoy!