Vina Robles is launching a new tasting room. Get a sneak peek ahead of the grand opening
Vina Robles will officially open its new tasting room Sunday, ushering in a new era for the Paso Robles winery.
The search for a new space came as California vintner Courtney Benham bought the Vina Robles brand in September, incorporating it into the CMB Family of Wines, which includes the Martin Ray, Angeline, Synthesis and Courtney Benham labels.
The winery’s previous tasting room closed in December as the team found a spot to fit the new vision.
Within a few weeks, Vina Robles had settled into a new space — and with it came a lot of potential.
“The space was made for reinvention and creativity and innovation and celebration,” said Lani Free, a spokesperson for the brand.
The new tasting room is located at 1650 Ramada Drive Suite 140, neighboring Firestone Walker. Another North County winery — Broken Earth — was previously housed in the building.
The 20,000-square-foot space offered the Vina Robles staff a lot of room to play, Vina Robles director of operations Nina Leschinsky told The Tribune
When a customer walks in, they can choose between a few different tasting options, including a communal table where people can sit and meet with friends, lounge seating for a more in-depth tasting experience and a “belly up to the bar” option, which Leschinsky called a “throwback” to what Paso Robles used to be.
“This is an experience that we’re offering right now for $5 per person, which is what we charged in 1998 when the winery was originally founded,” she said. “You’re more hanging out with a host, and you have other guests on either side of you, and it’s more of a fun, relaxed environment.”
The tasting room will also eventually incorporate a library lounge, where customers can taste some of the older Vina Robles wines. Though it’s still in the works, Leschinsky said she hopes the lounge has a “cozy, speakeasy” feel.
Another star of the show is the authentic Italian pizza oven that came with the space when Vina Robles moved in. The winery is currently searching for a community partner to bring the oven and kitchen back to life, in hopes of eventually adding a local dining option for customers.
The space will also be able to offer opportunities for special events and private gatherings.
And while much of the decor for the space is still up in the air, the furniture was custom made for Vina Robles using wine barrel staves and metal — something staff said aligns with the “authentic and hand-crafted” element of the winery, Leschinsky said.
She added she’s excited to “relaunch” the pioneering brand in its new location.
“We’re just excited to give Vina Robles the attention and space that it deserves for the community to be able to continue to appreciate the wine,” she said.
Vina Robles will host a grand opening of its new space Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will include DJs, food and drink and giveaways — including box seats to the Leon Bridges concert at the Vina Robles Amphitheater this summer.
The event is open to the public. RSVPs are encouraged.
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