Tasting Templeton
By Nicole Leonetti
This small town offers easy-going — and excellent — wine tasting
My everlasting wine odyssey recently brought me to the town of Templeton where I set out to uncover its hidden treasures. Templeton, nestled along U.S. 101 between Paso Robles and Atascadero, was founded in 1886 and acted as a Southern Pacific Railroad stop in its early days. Now, small-town charm and terroir-driven wines attract visitors. Main Street is the city’s hub, with its Western vibe, restaurants, antique shops, and quaint neighborhood businesses.
To learn about what makes the wine in this area so exceptional, I chatted with Chris Taranto, Communications Director for the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. Chris explained that a big part of that answer is the Templeton Gap.
“The warm days and cool nights are hallmark to what makes this region unique as a wine grape growing area,” he expounded, “and it’s the Templeton Gap effect that makes this possible … It allows ocean breezes to cool off our region, and since Templeton is in line with the direction of the wind, it was coined the Templeton Gap effect. The warm days allow the fruit to ripen, and the cool nights preserve the natural acidity and tannins needed for a balanced glass of wine.” Chris added that Templeton “showcases the farming roots of our wine country and celebrates the rural heritage that we all embrace by living here.”
My first stop in Templeton was Mid.Point Winery, a newer label with deep history as one of the three oldest vineyard locations in the area. Mid.Point offers a nice variation of wine varietals, from lighter styles to bold wines like their 100% Cabernet Franc made in the Loire style.
In 2020, Bill and Julie Lapp bought the historic Rotta Winery, which was originally planted in the 1800s. The Lapps restored the property and changed the name to Mid.Point. “It’s the meeting point – the balance of wine — to make it great,” he explained of the name. “If you are at the midpoint, you always have something more to learn and to improve. Also, we are at the mid-point between L.A. and San Francisco.”
Their vines are head-trained and dry farmed, and the winery is working toward organic certification, and are focusing on sustainable winery practices, such as cardboard removal and bottle re-use. Aiming to craft balanced wines, they avoid the big overly-ripe, high alcohol wines typically found in the region. “We let the vineyard tell us when it is time to pick,” Bill explained.
Looking ahead, Mid.Point will be opening a tasting
room in downtown Paso Robles later this year, but for
now, enjoy a tasting at their original location in Templeton. Reservations are recommended; however, walk-ins are welcome. They are dog-friendly and have their own winery dogs (as all great wineries do).
Find Mid.Point at 250 Winery Rd., Templeton. For more, visit midpoint.wine.
Donati Family Vineyards is — you guessed it — a family-owned winery that opened its doors in 2007. You will find members of the Donati family involved throughout the winery operation, including patriarch Ronald Donati, who is still the winery controller at age 83.
Current winemaker, Briana Heywood, joined Donati at the end of 2016. Born and raised in Massachusetts, she traveled to California on a road trip with her best friend, and never went back home. She fell in love with California and applied to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she obtained her master’s degree.
Briana believes it is important to make wine that is “approachable for every type of drinker.” She finds making wine in this region exciting because “there are just so many different micro-climates, and every micro-climate brings something unique.” Briana is delighted to be adding a Grenache Blanc and Chenin Blanc to the Donati lineup.
Donati Family Vineyards sources grapes from great vineyards throughout the region with a focus on those that are SIP certified. SIP (Sustainability in Practice) is a rigorous sustainable vineyard, winery, and wine certification.
The tasting room at Donati has a cool vibe, where walk-ins are always welcome. They are dog-friendly and have family-friendly events throughout the year. In addition to wine, Donati also features a distillery offering premium vodkas, infused vodkas, brandy, and gin. Upcoming events at Donati include a movie night and, during the holidays, an Ugly Sweater Party.
Find Donati Family Vineyard at 2720 Oak View Rd., Templeton. For more, visit donatifamilyvineyard.com.
Some wine regions are a bit … stuffy, if you will. But what I have always treasured about wineries around Templeton and Paso Robles is actually speaking with the people making the wine. That was my experience at Bella Luna Estate Winery.
While winemaker Lukas Finn was pouring my tasting, he began telling me the fascinating history of Bella Luna. Founders Kevin Healey and Sherman Smoot met playing T-ball in Atascadero when they were 5 years old. Kevin was drafted during Vietnam and Sherman became a pilot, and they lost touch for a time. After the war, Kevin got into dry farming, and fell in love with grapes and fermented beverages. His daughter, Nichole Healey-Finn (now general manager of Bella Luna) shared that her father “loved how you could work the earth to create this amazing, concentrated fruit.” By chance, Kevin and Sherman reconnected at a wine festival in Paso Robles, and then started Bella Luna together in 1998.
When I asked Nichole how she became involved in the family business, she explained that she was often grounded in high school and served her punishment helping around the vineyard and cellar. She ended up at CSU Fresno and earned her degree in enology and viticulture. Yearning to travel, she took a job at a winery in Western Australia, where she met her husband, Lukas. They eventually moved to California, and Lukas is now the winemaker at Bella Luna. He has adapted well to California wines and loves the methods they employ at the winery, such as dry farming and hand harvesting.
“We are minimalists here,” Nichole said, “using very native yeast ferment, no fining or filtering … we let nature take its course.” Working the vineyard is their focus, and they have a hands-off winemaking philosophy.
Bella Luna produces some beautiful Italian wines. Sherman spent plenty of time in Italy and thought that Templeton offered a similar climate to Tuscany. Needless to say, Bella Luna’s Sangiovese and Nebbiolo are delightful. Bella Luna’s tasting room is dog-friendly and hosts events throughout the year including live music, food trucks, and paint & sips. I must mention their wine club because I love a theme, and their club levels are an ode to Sherman’s piloting days by offering economy, business, and first class.
Find Bella Luna at 1850 Templeton Rd., Templeton. For more, visit bellalunawine.com.
Our next stop is Castoro Cellars, one of the oldest wineries in the region. They have been family-owned and operated since 1983 by Niels and Bimmer Udsen. Niels worked in Italy years ago, where he earned the nickname “Castoro” (the Italian word for beaver). Vintner Tom Myers has been making wine since 1978 and has been with Castoro Cellars since 1990.
Castoro Cellars focuses on sustainable, organic farming and offers a wide variety of wines ranging from a Viognier with delicate floral notes to a luscious Cabernet Sauvignon packed with black fruit flavors. Castoro’s tasting room, located just off Highway 46, is open seven days a week. It offers ample space for outdoor tastings and is family- and dog-friendly. Plenty of entertainment is available, ranging from monthly yoga classes to live music and a highly rated 18-hole disc golf course. They also offer e-bike tours of their vineyard through VineCycle (more on them later).
Luke Udsen, head of marketing and brand management for Castoro Cellars, shared his favorite thing about the Castoro Cellars experience: “We are very approachable – everyone is welcome! From beginners to seasoned wine tasters … Castoro Cellars is laid back and welcoming.”
Find Castoro Cellars at 1315 N Bethel Rd., Templeton. For more, visit castorocellars.com.
Another favorite, ONX Winery, makes beautiful wines from their ONX Estate Vineyard in the Templeton Gap. Many know them for their Paso Robles tasting room, but the estate vineyard experience takes things to another level. They host vineyard tours and tastings where you can explore the vines from the comfort of off-road vehicles. Guests can learn all about this sustainably farmed vineyard while sipping through their releases, which include Field Day (a white blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Picpoul Blanc), and Praetorian, my personal favorite, which is a Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, and Malbec blend.
For a unique spin on afternoon tea, ONX offers a Vineyard Tea experience, where guests taste through a flight of wines while enjoying a selection of tea sandwiches and pastries. They also have a Vineyard Picnic option among the vines, which includes a bottle of wine, sandwiches, and salad.
Find ONX Estate Vineyard at 1200 Paseo Excelsus, Templeton. For more, visit onxwines.com.
Venteux Vineyards, located in the renowned Willow Creek District, is a 22-acre family-owned dry-farmed estate. They feature limited production, hand-crafted wines. I am quite fond of their Sauvignon Blanc and Estate Syrah. You can make a day out of your Venteux Vineyards visit, as they have plenty of outdoor seating and live music. Their Friday Concert Series and Song Writer Sundays are fantastic options to enjoy music while sipping on good wine.
Venteux Vineyards is located at 1795 Las Tablas Rd., Templeton. For more visit venteuxvineyards.com.
Another great stop is AronHill Vineyards, a woman owned and operated winery in Templeton. Proprietor Judy Aron started AronHill in 1996 when the area winegrowers were more of a “boys club.” Judy became an early proponent of dry farming and can now often be found in the tasting room pouring wine for guests. The winery is known for their award-winning Estate Primitivo as well as an Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
AronHill Vineyards is at 3745 CA-46, Templeton. For more, visit aronhillvineyards.com.
For a more immersive vineyard experience than you will find in a tasting room alone, I suggest an e-bike tour with VineCycle Tours. Husband-and-wife duo Jeff Lindenthal and Melissa Smedley are longtime cyclists who conceived VineCycle three years ago based on their love of Paso Robles wine. “We wanted to get closer to the terroir,” Jeff said. “We use the bikes as a vehicle for storytelling to bring the story of these vineyards to life.”
Their vineyard tour experiences are suitable for bike riders of all skill levels. You meet at the winery, get fitted for your bike, and then explore the vineyards with an expert guide. Along the way, you will stop at various points to learn about wine and take photos of the incredible scenery. After the tour, guests return to the winery for a full tasting. The whole experience takes about three hours, and is a lovely way to spend an afternoon in wine country.
VineCycle currently has partnerships with Castoro Cellars, Robert Hall Winery, JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery, and Ancient Peaks Winery. Guests can book online with VineCycle or directly with the wineries. Group tours are offered Friday through Sunday, and private tours for four or more are available on weekdays.
For more information on VineCycle Tours, visit vinecycletours.com.
Whether visiting Templeton for the day, a weekend, or a longer adventure, you will find plenty to see, do, and taste in Templeton. From iconic wines to homemade, regional foods, I trust that you will find Templeton just as delicious as I do.
—Sidebars
While my passion for wine is real, I always need to explore the dining scene during any adventure. Templeton did not disappoint, and the best part is that you do not need to leave Main Street to dine at these eateries.
For breakfast, local intel pointed me toward Kitchenette. Open for breakfast and lunch, they serve local wine and beer and have a bustling, dog-friendly patio that fills up on the weekends. Brunch options — such as Açai Bowls, Avocado Toast, and their scrumptious Breakfast Burrito — pair well with some of the best coffee in town. You can also grab a great lunch here, with menu items including their Pastrami Reuben and Turkey Club. I can positively confirm that their Breakfast Burrito, paired with a glass of Mid.Point Winery Grenache Blanc, is the perfect way to start the day in Templeton.
Kitchenette is at 105 S. Main St., #1. For more, visit kitchenettetempleton.com.
Another great lunch spot is Pig Iron, located in the Templeton Mercantile Building. Pig Iron is open for lunch and dinner and offers a delectable weekend brunch menu. They have incredible cocktails, such as Dori’s Day Off — a pineapple infused Mezcal, lime, Amaro Nonino, soda, and a Tajin rim — along with non-alcoholic libations. While they have terrific burgers and sandwiches, you’ll also want to check out their brunch menu, especially the Tri-Tip Hash with fried eggs, crispy potatoes, peppers & onions, crema, and cotija cheese.
Pig Iron is at 508 S. Main St. For more, visit pigirontempleton.com.
I also adored Jack’s Bar & Grill! They are known for their smoked barbecue, craft cocktails, and local beer. They have a dog-friendly patio, TVs to catch a game, and some of the friendliest service I have experienced in a long time. Their Soft Baked Pretzels with pepper jack cheese sauce was the perfect start to our meal, and nicely complimented the delicious Pulled Pork Sandwich. Such a great spot to fuel up on hearty food before hitting the wineries!
Jack’s Bar & Grill is at 509 S. Main St. For more, visit jackstempletongrill.com. For dinner in Templeton, a popular choice is McPhee’s Grill, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Chef-owner Ian McPhee started working in restaurants in SLO in the ‘70s, and once he started cooking, “that is when I knew exactly what I needed to do,” he said.
Highlights on McPhee’s menu include their steaks and macadamia-crusted fish. They also have great desserts including Chocolate Decadence Cake, a Basque-style cheesecake, and their own homemade vanilla ice cream. Their wine list focuses on California, specifically on regional wineries. They also host wine dinners throughout the year.
McPhee’s Grill is at 416 S. Main St. For more, visit mcpheesgrill.com.