SLO County winery opens tasting room in Tin City. See its unique twist on flights

A new tasting lounge has opened its doors in Tin City.

Kiler Canyon Vineyard unveiled its new tasting lounge at 3050 Blue Rock Road in Paso Robles in mid-June, showcasing accordion doors, a walk-up bar and micro-lot wines.

Winemaker Drew Nenow has been working with wines in Tin City for nearly 10 years and said the new tasting room is unique due to its prepared flights experience. 

When guests settle in at the bar or on the outside patio shaded by redwood trees, they can compare and contrast and have the full wine0-tasting experience.

“You’re going to have the opportunity to bounce back and forth, try them next to each other, as opposed to your typical tasting, where someone will pour one, wait for you to finish, then pour the next,” Nenow told The Tribune. “You’ll have an opportunity to get the whole perspective of the different wines that we’re making.”

The Kiler Canyon Vineyard wines include Rhone-focused syrahs, mourvédres and roussannes, with the vineyard producing four selections of the varieties. While small in number, Nenow said the size of the lot production allows for higher quality.

“Whether it’s out in the vineyard, we’re meticulously farming for quality, and in the winery we’re meticulously sorting, putting our best barrels on the wine,” he said. “We’re only producing a few hundred cases of this wine annually. To have something open to the public, it’s a great opportunity to come in and try something that was diligently made in really small quantities.”

Alongside the small batches of wines offered by Kiler Canyon, artisanal plates and small bites will be offered with wine pairings, according to Nenow, although he is “sworn to secrecy” on exact details of the menu.

“It’s going to be really exciting,” he said. “We are working with some really great chefs to curate the wine and food pairings.”

What’s the history behind Kiler Canyon Vineyard in SLO County?

Kiler Canyon Vineyard was started by Don Hofer in the late 20th century in the Willow Creek District, Nenow said. 

Hofer sold the property to Steve Olson of ONX Wines in November 2017, and Olson ripped out the entire vineyard due to disease.

After replanting the vines, Kiler Canyon had its first grapes in 2020, and the rest is history. Now, its tasting room in Tin City is the next step of joining other local wineries and being part of a supportive community.

“I don’t know any other industry where you could put so many ‘competing businesses’ in the same neighborhood, and it’d be such a positive environment,” Nenow said. “I think that’s just a testament to our local wine industry, and somewhat the wine industry as a whole, where we are all very supportive of one another, and what’s good for one is good for all.”

Kiler Canyon Vineyard’s production facility is attached to its tasting room, allowing guests to pop their head in to see winemaking in action, Nenow said. 

The vineyard also offers immersive vineyard tours of its property in Willow Creek District, with reservations made on the website.

For more information

Kiler Canyon Vineyard’s Tin City tasting room is open Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

To make a reservation for a tasting or vineyard tour, visit its website or call 805-221-5345.

This story was originally published July 29, 2025 at 5:00 AM.