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Vickie H. said: "Hope Family/Treana is a must stop if you visit Paso Robles. At the recent Harvest Festival (aka Celebration Time), Hope Family was serving up their fabulous wines and pairing it with "all things bacon". Genius, I say. Bacon and vino...…" read more »
38 reviews for Halter Ranch
38 reviews in English
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Review from Stacey M.
Oakland, CA
12/28/2011
We stopped by Halter Ranch on our way back into Paso Robles from Justin winery, as recommended by the Justin staff. It's an impressive, beauitful winery but - I'm not going to lie - my initial impression was that our pourer wasn't super friendly. He asked us where we'd been earlier and, when we mentioned that this was only our second stop, he softened up somewhat. My impression was that these guys see a lot of people roll through, pretty drunk, indifferent to the hard work that they put into their wines, and they don't have a ton of patience for it. That may explain some of the complaints others have had. I personally don't have any problem with that, but others may see things differently.
In any case, I thought their wines were great. The tasting list had a nice range of wines, both in terms of price range and palate/preference. The pourer was happy to explain the different wines, answer our questions, and otherwise make recommendations as needed. I think there would be something for everyone and, for us, we picked up the Cotes de Paso blends (one white, one red). If we hadn't been on a budget, I would have picked up some of their other reds, which were really rich, dry, and delicious.
There is also a handsome and mischievous black cat on the premises. -
Review from Bill T.
Pleasanton, CA
11/15/2011
Luckily these guys do a great job with the wine varietals I like. Bone dry, earthy, mineral/soil influenced and & viscous Rhone whites and dry, meaty, earthy, slightly tannic & rich Rhone reds. Their lone exception, a Bordeaux blend that defies my dislike of some of their reds and warrants special attention if you go here.
Those other red wines that DIDN'T impress us that much were their Cab & Merlot, aside from them we left with a mixed case of Cote`s de Paso Blanc, Viognier, Malbec & the soon-to-be-my next-winter- favorite red, Ancestor Reserve. Friggin awesome blend & UNDER $50!
Aside from the wines this place is simply beautiful. Almost New England like setting with a large sprawling pasture, requisite barn, stables & gorgeous main house. We missed the food fires pizza's but did have a chance to enjoy their outside patio/fireplace. -
Review from Melody T.
10/26/2011
Loved that they made pizza out on the deck, super tasty as well. Nice touch!
Grounds were rather cute, wine was okay. There was one or two that were good - the cote red and one other. Live music on Saturday was fun. -
Review from A W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/13/2012
We had a terrific visit here. We found the staff welcoming and hospitable, and I enjoy their crisp whites.
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Review from Ann Q.
Buena Park, CA
1/3/2012
I'M HOOKED!!!! EXCELLENT Malbec! I have to admit that I don't remember the few wines I tasted here but their Malbec really left a lasting impression. The best I've ever had. If you enjoy a plummy, velvet-oak taste I totally recommend it!
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Review from Eima Y.
Arroyo Grande, CA
1/8/2012
Didn't do a full tasting flight, but was so impressed with the Viognier, Syrah, desert wine I had to rate it 5*'s! I hardly find syrah's that are impressive, but this one went home with me... LOVED it at dinner a few months later. YUM... Beautiful landscape and history... Wish I could get married in tha barn!
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Review from Tylor M.
7/22/2011
This winery is all around excellent. The landscape is absolutely beautiful, the tasting room atmosphere is great (they just expanded), and they have a fantastic selection of wines, from affordable to high end. I bought a bottle of the Halter Ranch Red, which up until next year has been a different blend every year. A very good value wine.
Service: 5/5 stars
Knowledge: 5/5 stars
Price: 4/5 stars
Quantity: 4/5 stars
Quality: 4/5 stars
Value: 4/5 stars -
Review from Alma P.
5/31/2011
Four stars for the winery grounds and the staff... really nice winery and beautiful house on the grounds. However, the wines this last time I was there were IMHO not up to par with many others we tasted in the area. Their whites were better than the reds but evenso, nothing that was purchase-worthy. I've been here before and remembered the reds being better than this so not sure if something has changed or my palate has changed.
Regardless, it's a pretty far out winery and I think the only reason I'd go back is because they are on the way to Tolo which was amazing. Otherwise, not sure I'd make a trip just to go to HR. :-\ -
Review from Reggie D.
Bakersfield, CA
11/13/2011
The wine is not good, but the grounds are amazing! Go for the drive in, the old historic home and barn. Worth a visit once but keep your purchasing dollar in your wallet for better quality wine. Take pictures.
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Review from Dustin M.
Los Angeles, CA
10/17/2011
This was my favorite of the 4 wineries we visited on a recent trip to Paso. They have amazing grounds, including a historic Victorian house (Arachnophobia was filmed here), beautiful old barns, and a few picnic areas. The tasting room is large and open, and is either new or recently renovated. The tasting room staff was very friendly and helpful, and were happy to pour tastings of wines we were interested in trying. Just about everyone in our group walked out with a bottle, and I grabbed two. Their Ancestor Estate Reserve (Bordeaux Blend) was amazing. Highly recommend stopping by here, especially if you are on your way to Tablas Creek (the wines at Halter Ranch are better IMHO).
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Review from Jerry S.
San Francisco, CA
4/24/2011
Planted just ten miles from Paso Robles' famed Highway 46 wine route, Halter Ranch is a sustainable vineyard deeply rooted within California's history. The property made its Hollywood debut back in 1990 when its rumored-to-be-haunted Victorian farmhouse appeared in the creature-feature Arachnophobia. The house was built in 1885 by the property's first owner and has since been fully restored. That's not its only claim to fame, though -- Ronald Reagan announced his second-term run for governorship at the ranch in 1967 near the property's 3,400-foot airstrip. But of course, we visited Halter Ranch to check out the incredible wine it makes through sustainable practices.
It was June of 2000 when Swiss-born Hansjörg Wyss (Hans for short) purchased 900 acres of what was to become Halter Ranch. The name Halter is Wyss's mother's maiden name. In 2008, Hans ranked number 164 on Forbes list of billionaires, and he is the second richest person in Switzerland. He established the Wyss Foundation back in 1989 which helps place large swathes of land under government protection. The foundation's efforts have led to over 4 million acres of land being declared as national parks!
So it comes as no surprise that Hans approached Mitch Wyss (no relation), a conventional kiwi farmer at the time, with one specific mission: "To see our vines stay in the ground for over 100 years."
While the vineyard was SIP-certified for sustainability back in 2008, Mitch admits that he has no interest in being certified organic.
The ranch is now over 1000-acres, yet less than a quarter of it is dedicated to viticulture. About 20 different grape varieties occupy the property's steep south-facing slopes, spread over 48 vineyard blocks. Most are Bordeaux and Rhone varieties. Initially the grapes were only to be sold but in 2002 Halter Ranch started their own label. By 2003, two of the historic airplane hangers were converted into wineries and they now produce about 8,000 cases a year.
The MacGillivray family had installed wildlife corridors on the property that Halter has now expanded out to a total of 3/4 of a mile. Local mountain lions, badgers, bobcats, and coyotes all make use of the thoroughfares. The remaining 700-acres are coastal hills covered by oak trees that are currently being restored to their native woodland. In fact, the ranch houses the world's largest Coastal Oak. Measuring 324-inches in circumference, the giant is 55-feet high with a 104-foot crown. With a beautiful view of the property's rolling landscape, it is the quintessential picnic spot.
Insectaries, owl boxes and raptor perches also pepper the landscape. If a block becomes plagued with pests, they call in the mobile chicken coop. Towed by a biodiesel-powered ATV, the coop is solar powered such that the doors opens automatically at sunrise. The 40-some chickens not only supply the land with much needed nitrogen but the employees also get a couple of dozen eggs every day.
With about 25 inches of rainfall every year, Halter is lucky (and smart) enough to dry-farm the vineyard, a luxury not all wineries in this area can afford. Irrigation is a last resort and something the vineyard hasn't done in eight years. A new solar-powered gravity-flow winery is being built on the property, and they are seeking LEED Certification for it. The facility will recycle waste water into the landscape and vineyard when needed.
The result is wines that are well balanced and fruitful without being overly jammy. One of my favorites is their 2009 Viognier, it is quite big for a white and filled with honey and peach. It's the perfect companion for a Spring day under the Coastal Oak. After sunset, I suggest you move into their 2007 Côtes de Paso. This Southern Rhone Valley-style blend is swirling with currant, blackberry and earth, and feels ripe straight to the finish. Halter Ranch makes some of Paso's best wine which is surprising considering its under-$30 price tag. The wines are available at the vineyard's tasting room and also available online. -
Review from ERIC P.
Agoura Hills, CA
6/4/2011
What a beautiful ranch from the 1800's. Very kind & friendly staff. Wines are good. Great place to sit back & chill out.
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Review from Jamie W.
8/24/2010
We stopped here for a quick tasting and a picnic lunch. Unarguably, a nice property. The wines however, I didn't really feel one way or the other about them. The tasting room was so overcrowded that it was near impossible to find a place to stand and do a tasting without being bumped repeatedly. I had little to no interaction with the staff and their descriptions of the wine were pretty lean (it was soooo busy).
We did purchase a couple bottles amongst the eight of us so that we had something to drink with our prepacked lunch. After escaping the tiny little tasting room, we sat next in their outdoor fireplace alcove and had a nice lunch. -
Review from John R.
El Monte, CA
2/19/2009
I have decided to start writing more reviews here on yelp regarding the big passion that I have. Wines!
I am a Wino at heart. I typically taste anywhere from 12 to 17 wines per week via several wine shops and an older brother in the industry. My real passion is in the kitchen where pairing beautiful wines is so much fun.
I have been told that I should start a wine blog. I thank Ace L. for the information. I figured I would start here first and see how it is received.
My reviews are gonna be based on the wine I tasted at the time. Giving a star rating depending if I liked it or not. If I ever come back to that winery and taste other wines from there. I will change the star rating accordingly.
So we are off!
Yesterday my Nephew became property of the US Army. So we took him for some drinks before he left. I decided to stop at a local Wine Shop and pick up a bottle to drink with my best friend and his family. It was strictly to taste. No food was involved.
I picked up Halter Ranch 2005 GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre)
I love old world wines very much. California tries really hard to get Old World flavors from there fruit. Sometimes they win and sometimes they are on another planet.
So I classify California this way
Cabernet / Bordeaux is best from up North. Napa Area
Pinot Noir / Alot of Good Ones my favorite come from Central Coast
and I have always said that the best stuff coming out of Paso Robles is Rhone Wines especially Blends along the line of Chateauneuf-du-Pape's from France. Mainly Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre.
This Particular wine has a perfect blend of 45% Grenache, 33% Mourvedre, 22% Syrah. GSM is the classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape blend.
The wine definitely needs to open up when uncorked. Very hot on the palate. Alcohol levels slightly elevated, but what great Chateauneuf-du-Pape isn't!
This wine is a great every day drinker. Sausage Ragu, Braised short Ribs or Slow roasted pork shoulder would pair so well with this wine.
The wines price is very fair at $29.00 per. It will not break your wallet. The 3 stars for the hotness on the palate. Then again if I would of left it open over night you never know.
California Wine and Cheese has the wine in stock right now. It is sold out from the winery.
Cheers! -
Review from Colleen S.
Long Beach, CA
4/26/2008
My friend (Paso local) took me up here as part of my first adventure into "The Far Out Wineries" tour. These are the wineries mainly up in the pastoral hills west of the 101.
Part of the pleasure of this trip to Halter Ranch was the fact that we were riding up on a Yamaha Vino scooter, and when you're scootering underneath the overpasses made of shady trees, it's beyond amazing. Suggestion: Don't do this during the summer; you'll want to die, and you actually might die of heat stroke.
On that light note, we scooted into the dirt parking lot and the first thing I saw was this huge, old, red barn (before it had been restored, which it is now), and a very recognizable house--yes, the home of the vintner was used in the movie "Arachnophobia." It's quite beautiful, with it's Southern, Colonial-style architecture.
Onto the wine: You will never have a syrah made like the syrahs they make here. The '05 syrah is so worth finding. I know they have it at a wine bar on Broadway in Long Beach, so go grab some!
This year, Halter Ranch came out with a new rose', and before you get snippity about rose', you MUST try this. It's sparkly and bright, and perfect for summer evenings...or mornings if you so desire. :)
The viognet is quite delicious as well, but I prefer their reds. Anyway, I loved it so much I joined the membership, and I definitely don't do things like that.
Walking around the grounds is relaxing and perfect for a whole afternoon of being lazy. There is a large grassy area where you can lay down your own picnic, or you can chill on their outside patio just far enough from the tasting room that you don't feel pressured. During the winter they light up the outdoor fire, which is nice, too.
Spend a little extra cash when you go up during festivals and you will have the greatest pairing experience of your lifetime with "Chef Charlie." Although my palate is far from refined, and really, I wouldn't want to make wine a hobby or anything, but he'll teach you a lot about pairing the perfect foods with the Halter Ranch wines. He even made a special pairing for my best friend, who is vegan. Well, she cheated once with the cheese, but can you blame her?
Anyway, this is by far my and my local friend's favorite winery, mainly due to the kind people working there, the grounds and the wine. The wine sort of just came along with the niceness of it all.
Next stop-Opolo! -
Review from Christopher I.
New York, NY
5/16/2008 4 photos
Halter Ranch--it's a bucolic snapshot of rural California that wouldn't seem out of place in the pages of a Steinbeck novel. We had a lovely time here, and I'll admit that a large part of that is probably due to the grounds and the friendly guy doing the tasting for us. We went on a Wednesday, and there was hardly anyone there--it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves, but for the twitter of birds and the wind rustling in the oak trees.
We weren't crazy about the wines, although they do have some very interesting blends here. (Their "farm red" has 2% viognier grapes to bring out the nose, for example) In the end we didn't buy any, but we did enjoy the tasting. Halter Ranch has been on the west side longer than all the other wineries I believe, and their vineyards supply grapes to many of the local wineries--Adelaida for example.
The guy in the tasting room also told us that the owner is in love with the oaks on his land and hasn't cut down even one to make room for vines. He said that Halter Ranch is the home of the biggest oak tree in California, a distinction that seems difficult to achieve in my mind, considering the massive number of oak trees that would need to be surveyed to make such a statement. In any case it seemed quite big from the highway. (we weren't allowed to go out on the grounds to take a look because the vineyard manager wasn't around, but the tasting guy said we would be able to go without a problem any other day--so keep this in mind when you visit!)
They have a couple of really nice places to sit and enjoy a picnic lunch, and unlike some of the more pretentious wineries in Napa, you can just set up with your own bread and cheese and no one will care otherwise. Spending an hour here relaxed me as much as a week on vacation anywhere else.Listed in: Wine near the coastline
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Review from Angela B.
4/23/2010
On our most recent trip to Paso a few weeks ago, we made our second visit to Halter Ranch. A Certified Sustainable Vineyard, Halter Ranch professes a strong commitment to protecting the environment and social equity. On both trips, the pouring room staff have been warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. And the wine ain't bad either. :)
Not necessarily the most impressive lineup in Paso, but I really like their whites, and their flagship red "Ancestor" is pretty good too. They also make some very enjoyable red blends. On top of that, the prices are quite reasonable, with many bottles in the teens & twenties, & the Ancestor going for $44.
Worth a stop! -
Review from Suze C.
San Francisco, CA
12/1/2008
We stopped here on a winery tour because it looked so lovely. It is a lovely setting. I can definitely see someone wanting to use this winery as a wedding location.
The wines weren't that great. They were very acidy. The gentleman (and I use that term loosely) who conducted the tasting couldn't have been less interested in telling us anything about the wine. I guess we had interrupted his macking on one of the wine wenches who also works there.
The nibbles were a bowl of mini bread sticks, and even though they had a selection of cheese Mr. Mack didn't bother to try to explain to us what might go well with his wines.
Overall we could have had the same experience (minus the lovely setting) at BevMo. Skip it. Hit Thunderbolt winery instead - they were great, the wines were great and the prices (especially if you bought a case) were outstanding. -
Review from Courtney S.
Los Angeles, CA
7/14/2008
Stop #5/5 on the July limo wine tour. This place was alright, but none of the wines were as much a standout as I thought they'd be. We did break for lunch in the middle (provided by our limo driver), so perhaps the experience was influenced by this.
But this was the ONLY place we paid for a tasting. Anyone in our group who didn't get a bottle paid for tasting; guess our driver didn't have a hookup here. Or maybe we just didn't like the wine enough to cover all or our tastings. This was the last place on the limo tour, so to be fair, my memory may not be working to its fullest extent. But it wasn't a stand out to myself or anyone in my group, while we all had pleasant experiences at Opolo and Dunning, before it.
The patio area here was a lovely space to picnic and the room to taste in was nice, light, and airy. But neither the pourers or wines were that memorable to us. Don't know if I'll return.
Update 7/15/08 after opening a bottle-- OMG! What was I thinking?! This bottle of Cab Sav is absolutely delectable... like velvet in my mouth. I assume it wasn't a standout because it was the last place with a wino-tour. After this bottle, I'd definitely try it again!! -
Review from Denise S.
Sacramento, CA
3/27/2011 4 photos
3/20/11 we tasted all the reds-all excellent! I highly recommend stopping here & the entire place is beautiful. Chk out my pics. Wine club for sure!
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Review from Todd O.
11/22/2009
If they are friendly, informative and not reading from a script, I'll be happy. Not all wines will fit my palette and my palette won't fit for all.
I like friendly and personality and when I'm the only one there but there are 2 people working you would think between the two of them they could come up with some interest in the customer. Maybe they don't know how many other wineries would prefer my business and wine purchasing habit. The tasting room is small but the farm is nice...the sustainability factor is cool but not worth it over customer service. They sell maybe 4 cheeses and they couldn't tell me if they were local cheeses. -
Review from Todd F.
Danville, CA
2/17/2009
Awesome location, forgettable wines. The house was open on a passport day so we were allowed to walk around and check it out. Absolutely exquisite and I'd do anything to live there. The tasting room out back was very quaint, a bit crowded but a nice layout with a very cozy feel.
The wine was decent, we tasted from the list they were offering for the day and didn't really care for anything. I think we were ruined from just having tasted at Le Cuvier, but nonetheless they are a mid-grade winery and weren't trying to be anything but. -
Review from Rob H.
Walnut Creek, CA
7/7/2009
I would have never stopped in on my own, but we were with my folks and my dad really wanted to stop in here. I was a bit put off by the facility, it seems like an old farm house on a horse ranch. That said, they seem to be in the process of upgrading the wine making facilities and tasting room and the architectural drawings looked really cool. I'll be back in a year or two to see the new space.
What saves this place, for me, was the wine. The sauv blanc was a good hot-weather wine and they had a pretty solid table blend. As you move up to the syrah and zin, that's where they shine.
I really enjoyed the wines and the tasting staff was great. We'll make this a stop again in a couple years when they have a new tasting facility. -
Review from Stacey V.
Topanga, CA
4/21/2009
I fell in love with Halter Ranch during my trip to Paso last weekend. We stopped, as many probably do, to simply enjoy the beautiful property (the 1880 Victorian farm house, the restored carriage house that is now their tasting room, the old barn, etc). What I didn't expect to find were such solid affordable wines. The Rose and Sauvignon Blanc were quite good. Very crisp, not too sweet, perfect for a hot spring or summer day. I purchased both. Ancestor Estate Reserve is a bit more expensive ($40+) and absolutely delicious. In general, there wasn't a wine we tried that we didn't enjoy.
So far we had a beautiful setting and great wine. To top off an already great experience, Kohlynn (I hope I spelled her name correctly) was very pleasant and patient as my friend and I asked questions and talked at length about vineyard dogs. La piece de la resistance was an impromptu tour of the 1880 Victorian farm house with the vineyard's winegrower, Mitch Wyss. It was really nice of Mitch to take the time to take us through this amazing property. His wife, Leslie, did an amazing job renovating this beautiful home.
When signing up for my club membership, I happily checked the "Will Pick Up" option, as I look forward to going back and picking up some more tasty wine and visiting with the people that are lucky enough to work at Halter Ranch.
Thanks to Kohlynn and Mitch for making Halter Ranch one of the great highlights of our trip to Paso. -
Review from JENNIFER N.
Huntington Beach, CA
1/1/2011
The property is nice, but I didn't explore much of it because it was dark. The tasting room staff was very attentive. The standouts for me were their white wines. They have a nice cozy outdoor fireplace also.
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Review from Tod K.
San Diego, CA
11/11/2008
Halter Ranch is in a beautiful setting and looks exactly like you expect a winery in the hills to look with a cute little tasting building. We got lucky because the vineyard overseer showed up with two soil scientists and we had some interesting discussions about the various soil types and 'terroir'.
All that being said I didn't think the wines were as good as the prices they wanted for them. Their wines are fine and I enjoyed trying them but even for Paso I felt their prices were too high for the wine they were selling. I know that wine tasting is very subjective and I don't claim to be an expert but coming from Adelaida just up the road I was underwhelmed. -
Review from Holly T.
6/2/2007 4 photos
I may just have a new favorite winery in Paso. We had such an outstanding experience here. Our local wine shop had started carrying their Syrah a year or two ago, and everyone was raving about it, so it seemed like a good place to stop and taste wine since we were in the area. We were just overwhelmed with the friendliness of the people as well as the high quality of the wine. Winegrower Mitch was outside playing with the ranch dog, and we enjoyed talking with him. We took our sweet time, popping into the tasting room for a new pour, and then stepping outside to enjoy the wines outside on a beautiful day. With such wonderful people and great wines, it's no wonder that we walked away with more than a few bottles. Tasting was only $3. Highly recommended.
Listed in: Central Coast Wine Tasting
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Review from Shiho F.
Carmel by the Sea, CA
6/27/2009
3 stars for the wine but an extra star for the warm and welcoming attendant with the perfect smile. She was so lovely. This winery offers a great photo opp. Wines were good not really up my alley but there were several to taste and they offer a little cheese & salami in their mini deli fridge. Don't mind the fat friendly house cat that will take a napsky on your purse. If you don't care for cats sport a clutch.
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Review from Alex L.
Santa Clara, CA
12/17/2007
I had never been here before and chose it due to its proximity to Tablas. I had no idea what to expect. In contrast to Justin, we were greeted by friendly faces excited to have us visit. Mitch, the winegrower, hung out and offered gems of wisdom on the various wines we tasted. The experience was refreshing and a GREAT way to end the day! Thanks Mitch!! I left with 4-5 bottles and great memories.
Listed in: Paso Wine
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Review from bill A.
San Francisco, CA
4/10/2009
Solid wines, but it just doesn't make me want to jump up and down. Sauv. Blanc is great, which is a real surprise for Paso. The rose is bland and austere for my tastes. Reds are definitely middle of the road. Good, but not going to knock your socks off and no really distinct character. Hmm, they seem to have plenty of money and claim to provide grapes to many of the neighboring wineries. I'll be interested to pay more attention to this and see if other winemakers do more with the wine. The place is gorgeous...what money can't buy!
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Review from ameer n.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2008 3 photos
halter ranch has some good wines, no doubt.
their tasting room is intimate, and was not accommodating to too many parties at once. i feel that we were somewhat robbed of the full experience, as a result. there's plenty of room outside for a great picnic.
their "red" and "white" wines were too shy and mediocre for me. this wine maker likes to blend wines, and does it well.
we walked out with two magnums (one bottle that's the size of 2 normal sized bottles) and smiles on our faces. -
Review from Amalia R.
Arroyo Grande, CA
8/15/2010
Beautiful location. The help in the tasting room were friendly and knowledgable. I really liked their syrah.
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Review from Zachary R.
West Hollywood, CA
1/4/2009
Don't fall for the nice exterior veneer! That's what sucked us in. The lady behind the counter was more interested in social standing than educating us on their wines. Not that it could have helped, because I'd give their wines a 3.5 out of 10. I know that they are relatively new, but I fear they've started down the wrong path.
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Review from Stephen B.
Oakland, CA
2/9/2009
If you love full-bodied, interesting red wines, be sure to make a stop at Halter Ranch. I have visited the tasting room several times, most recently over Thanksgiving weekend. My favorite red is the syrah, followed by the GSM, a blend of grenache, syrah and mourvedre. Halter does make a few whites, including a viognier, but it has limited production and is only available part of the year. It's a definitely worth a try even if you normally only drink reds. The grounds are lovely and there are outside tables available.
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Review from Carroll G.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Updated - 6/21/2009
Halter Ranch has a beautiful and relaxing property. My wife and I went there recently with friends and while we enjoying their wines unfortunately a wine tour bus pulled in and approximately 15 drunks piled into the Halter Ranch tasting room.
They were so loud and rude it was terrible. The poor Halter Ranch employees were trying their best to appease these people while also trying to get them to be more quite.
We left without trying all of their wines and that is the only reason that I did not give Halter Ranch a 5 star rating. I hope in the future they will ban these tour buses. I suggest other try this place. Their Syrah and GSM are delicious.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/7/2009
Halter Ranch is one of the best! The Syrah, GSM and Cabernet Reserve are awesome and the Ranch Red… Read more »
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Review from Jess B.
Long Beach, CA
3/23/2009
halter ranch was the winery and tasting room most highly recomended by every which person every place we went in paso. i should mention i was in paso for my first wine tasting experience about a month ago with the bf...
this ended up being the last winery on our tour...and unfortunately we got so carried away in wine buzz babble on our ride there we completely missed our turn and went about 20 minutes in the wrong direction. this mis-hap not only provided a view of beautiful country side and an awesome lake we'd never seen but also made it inevitable that we'd at last arrive at the tasting room well after the 5pm closing. so...we called the room and to our surprise they said they'd stay open for us if we'd hurry along.
we arrived and were treated to an oustanding tasting of the red (only) varietals halter ranch had to offer). i can't remember her name, but a super knowledgable french brunette helped us out, and the property owner's dog laid at our feet while we enjoyed.
we ended up with a bottle of the port, and i don't remember what else, but my gosh....WORTH THE WAIT! -
Review from Kimberly G.
Huntington Beach, CA
6/23/2009
Tasting experience is top notch at Halter Ranch. Easy to get to and a nice place to stop for picnic lunch. During passport weekend, they provide generous tastings with their wines.
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Review from Molly C.
Pacifica, CA
2/17/2009
everything was ok. but i cant remember anything i tasted, aside from everything being on par and allright. that can't be a good sign for a winery.
