Looking for a rustic wine-tasting experience? Paso winery offers vintage trailer camping
Alta Colina winery and Tinker Tin Trailer Co. have partnered to offer vintage trailer camping at the Paso Robles winery, giving adventurous wine drinkers and small groups a new way to experience wine country.
“It’s great for the fun crowd looking for an alternative to staying in a hotel,” said Maggie Tillman, who owns and runs Alta Colina with her father, Bob Tillman. “It’s an experience with character for those willing to kick up some dust.”
Five trailers ring an irrigation pond surrounded by Alta Colina’s vineyards, a serene spot high in the Adelaida hills on Paso’s west side. Each trailer — refurbished and decorated to highlight its original period — offers a bed, seating area, icebox, cooktop and coffee maker stocked with organic Joebella Coffee Roasters coffee.
Dubbed the Trailer Pond, each spot features its own outdoor seating area, with a communal outdoor kitchen and grill at one end, making them suitable for individual or group rentals. The adult-only trailers, which can be booked on Tinker Tin’s website, rent for $250 per night with a two-night minimum.
Most stays include a complimentary tasting of Alta Colina’s organically farmed Rhone varietals, and groups will have the option of several add-ons, such as catering, vineyard wine tastings, trail rides, yoga classes and massage. They are also working to add a map of the vineyards for easy hikes and exploration.
“We can customize the experience for any group,” Maggie Tillman said.
Between the Trailer Pond, an intimate cellar tasting nook and a large deck under a huge, old oak tree overlooking the vines, “the possibilities are really magical.”
The experience is not quite “glamping,” Tinker Tin owner Jamie Holm said. Electricity is minimal, with compostable toilets on-site, though full bath facilities with hot showers are available in the barn up the hill.
“It’s more like a better version of tent camping, stepping back to a simpler time,” Holm said. “You can slow down and appreciate what you’re drinking and where it came from.”
A more rustic option can be found up the road past San Miguel. Pianetta Ranch and Winery began offering vineyard-set RV and tent camping on its 95-acre ranch earlier this year. The property — with a fire ring, grill, picnic tables, showers and toilets but no hook-ups — can host up to 50 campers, with rates starting at $60 per night per couple.
Sally Buffalo writes about wine, beer and spirits. Reach her at sallybuffalo@gmail.com or on Twitter @sallybuffalo.
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This story was originally published December 1, 2016 at 6:25 PM with the headline "Looking for a rustic wine-tasting experience? Paso winery offers vintage trailer camping."