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About This Business:
"DAM FINE WINE"---discover why we say so! Spectacular array of Zinfandel (we produce six), Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Rhone… read more »
26 reviews for Meridian Vineyards
26 reviews in English
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Review from Dennis V.
Santa Rosa, CA
12/18/2011
We always look forward to visiting Meridian. It's a reasonable drive from San Simeon if you are visiting Hearst Castle.
If they don't have an event scheduled, you can have a private tasting in their barrel room. If you plan ahead, they will have a simple but tasty picnic lunch for you. (Not sure if this is just for club members). The grounds are quite pretty, and have picnic tables where you can sit and enjoy wines and lunch. It is big enough that we walk our dog a bit.
We are not wine snobs, but really enjoy their offerings and think they are a great value. We favor their reds. White Cabernet (similar to rosé) is great for summer evenings. We buy a case when we stop, as you can't normally get it anywhere else. -
Review from Raina S.
I thought I new Meridian wines, but after visiting the winery, I learned about their reserve wines that are quite good and not much more expensive than the affordable Meridian "regular" chardonnay I often buy at my local Safeway.
We tried their wine and cheese pairing. For $10, we got to taste several wines with little bites of delicious cheeses. I thought the experience was well worth the price. Our pourer was a bit harried and rather serious, but she was also very nice.
The gardens here are beautiful, as is the view. Definitely a great place for a picnic. -
Review from Cate G.
Scotts Valley, CA
6/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Didn't end up buying from them but I definitely would go back.
Staff was awesome, very attentive even though she was the only one pouring. Great first stop, tastings went steadily downhill from this place's great choices and ambiance. -
Review from Tony T.
San Jose, CA
6/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Okay, I've to agree that I had learned about the Chocolate & Wine paring which I didn't know before. Their staffs are very friendly and you can get to know about different kind of wines.
They can be better if they're willing to offer Free wine tasting. It sounds crazy to pay $10 for the 6 chocolate pieces. -
Review from Tina S.
San Luis Obispo, CA
7/5/2011
The best 4th of July celebration that I've had in years.
Great venue, great wine, great music and great food. Fabulous fireworks. Could not have been better. -
Review from Allen D.
Norwalk, CA
6/10/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Meridian is one of the nicest estates in Paso Robles. Their manicured grounds are very picturesque and great for Weddings and events. As for their wines, I was not very impressed. I'm not a wine snob by any stretch, but I was expecting a little more from their local selection.
I do recommend stopping by checking the place out, the staff is very friendly and helpful. Definitely try the CHOCOLATE & WINE pairing, somehow that combination were phenomenal! -
Review from Rob G.
Los Angeles, CA
6/5/2011
Meridian was stop number 2 on our wine tasting weekend and on the whole, it was quite well liked.
They have four different tastings: a regular (5$), two pairings (cheese/wine or chocolate/wine) (10$), and a reserve list ($15). We tried the cheese and wine pairing and the chocolate/wine pairing. You get to keep your little cheese/chocolate board which is a nice souvenir (instead of one more glass)
Our pourer, Liv, was very nice and pleasant to talk to and the atmosphere on the whole was very nice but a bit conservative/corporate. Their gardens are gorgeous however, and if we had gone later in the day we would have been tempted to picnic there.
This reviewer did the chocolate tasting and the Dagoba lavender blueberry chocolate kind of blew my mind. (And was tasty with the wine). The sage cheddar and mango/ginger/stilton were popular with the cheese tasters.
We didn't end up taking any wines, but the experience was well worth the visit.
If you're planning a Paso visit, check out the list for other relevant recommendations from our trip! -
Review from Jonathan C.
La Habra, CA
11/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
Our first stop during the Paso Robles Harvest Wine Weekend.
This is the winery that a Hollywood producer would envision for his soap opera - stately imposing gates, carefully manicured lawns, a tasting room fit for a wooing Romeo.
Too bad the wine wasn't memorable. Nothing was bad. It was just the wines were just samey.
The best part of our visit was with our $10 tasting we were able to get a delicious bbq tri-tip sandwich and cool live jazz music during the Harvest Fest weekend.
So go for the photo-ops but plan on getting better wine elsewhere. -
Review from Ken L.
6/28/2011
Just went to a wedding here, and it was very nice. Nice large lawn to host the ceremony and a wine barrel room for the reception. Food was good (though maybe not great... not sure who did the catering) but it was a very scenic location. Wine here was also very good, namely the white wine rose (which they also used to make sangria).
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Review from R B.
Huntington Beach, CA
4/13/2011 1 photo
I don't really have much to say about wineries, but this place was nice. From the long rolling drive up to the parking lot to the picnic and garden area right outside the tasting room, this place had a Sonoma/Napa feel to it. Although we're red fans, we walked out with a bottle of their caramel toffee Chard. They say they're known for their Chardonnays and I can see why. I would say this place is a must visit if you're in Paso Robles.
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Review from Sandy T.
9/9/2008
Maybe you aren't a huge fan of their wine but this is a winery you have to visit when in Paso. The grounds are beautiful, nice place to picnic it for the afternoon.
We were greeted by a very friendly and upbeat, Emily. She made the entire tasting much more personable and pleasant. They had a special where you could pair the wine with some cheeses from the Vivant cheese shop in downtown Paso Robles. You got to take the small little wooden cheeseboard home as part of your tasting experience. I can't remember the cost to do the pairing but it was well worth it.
I don't remember the specifics on the wines and cheeses because it has been a few weeks now since we went but I do recall loving the tastes and experience. -
Review from Scott M.
Los Angeles, CA
6/11/2007
One of the larger and well known wine producers in the area. I like stopping here when I am in the area. I am not a fan of their standard reds and I not a heavy white drinker though their whites are good. But, I a delicious wine they is a Cabernet Blanc, now called White Cabernet Sauvignon. It almost looks like a Rose, but it's sweet and refreshing. Perfect for a hot summer BBQ. It's almost like sangria in a bottle, but much more smooth an refined. I also picked up a few bottles of a delicious sweet dessert Late Harvest Riesling...yum.
They have and excellent gift shop and beautiful grounds. -
Review from Heather B.
Orange, CA
2/20/2011
This vineyard is lovely. Very pretty grounds. The wine was pretty good. It's the Meridian you buy at the grocery store, but the wine you buy in the grocery store is their mass produced line, so that's how they sell it cheaper. The people who worked here were a little stuck up, which wasn't fun.
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Review from Jenn A.
San Francisco, CA
4/22/2008
Beautiful grounds only made better by the sunlit sky.
Excellent chardonnay- the weather just called for drinking whites!
People who pooh poo blends - can suck it! The 2006 Rose was excellent- crisp fresh wine, perfect for a hot spring or summer day. Another plus - marked down 60%! We bought a case to divvy up! -
Review from Sara S.
Los Angeles, CA
11/1/2009
Meridian is a truly joyous place ... I was very pleasantly surprised at how beautiful the grounds were and how friendly and warm the staff was. Seeing how it's such a large winery, I was expecting quick "tourist trap" kind of service. Not at all! Meridian has not forgotten its roots.
When you turn into the vineyard, you find yourself driving down a long, tree-lined road. Since it's fall, the trees were a variety of colors from deep purples to rich greens. It was stunning. After driving about a quarter mile, you reach the estate, which is at the top of a small hill and provides breath-taking views of the valley, from the endless rows of vineyards to the rolling hills dotting the country side. A garden surrounds the main building and as you walk up the stone path, you feel as if you're about to visit the home of a friend (no doubt, a very rich friend), and not a famous, "commercial" winery.
Elmer was the kind gentleman who assisted us with our tasting. There were three types to choose from:
Standard wine tasting
Cheese-pairing wine tasting
Chocolate-pairing wine tasting
Highlights of the standard wine tasting (we were too full from brunch to do pairings) include:
WHITES
2007 Limited Release Gewurztraminer: a light, refreshing wine with a citrus flavor and orange zest. You can really taste the citrus, especially on the finish. There's also a hint of lychee!
2006 Limited Release White Cabernet Sauvignon: This was like a Rose and was sweet and fruity. I'm usually not a fan of Cab but really enjoyed how this wine focused more on the cherry and strawberry flavors of the grape.
REDS
2006 Limited Release Sangiovese: My boyfriend loved this one because of its cherry flavor and how smoothly it went down.
2006 Limited Release Merlot: To quote Elmer, "This merlot reminds you why you love merlot in the first place." Very true. This is a traditional merlot with flavors of blackberry, plum and spices.
2005 Limited Release Syrah: The best part about this Syrah is that it was paired with a piece of dark chocolate infused with sea salt and chili, resulting in an AMAZING taste sensation. I don't know how good this Syrah is on its own since once I had a taste of that chocolate, I drank the entire thing with it.
Looking forward to my next visit for sure ... -
Review from Jessica W.
Cupertino, CA
6/15/2009
I like Meridian wine. It's consistent and a good value. And call me a snob, I know, but when I go on vacation, especially to taste wine, I want to hit the caves and small estates, not see where my wine grapes start their journey to my local Costco to be bottled up in two's.
So I was not thrilled when my friends wanted to go to the Meridian Vineyards, but I'm a good sport and was along for the ride. Thank goodness my friends are connoisseurs of alcohol! Meridian was really pretty. The grounds, stone paths and flowers (roses are beautiful!) were picturesque and perfect for a picnic.
Elmer conducted our tasting, which was paired with cheeses and chocolates - all perfectly suited. He was knowledgeable, friendly and charming. We lingered and learned a lot from him. We bought a bottle of the best Chardonnay I've ever had (like buttah) and one of their reserve Sangiovese bottles. Both were perfect with the shrimp, sun-dried tomato, asparagus pasta dish later that night - just as Elmer had predicted. -
Review from Jim W H.
Sonora, CA
7/4/2010
What a great 4th of July 2010, A perfect evening, thanks Meridian for inviting the Blues Box Bayou Band http://www.thebluesbox... for a special evening. Loved the families.
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Review from Casey R.
Bakersfield, CA
10/16/2010
Really good wine although most of the grapes aren't actually grown at that location. Tastings are wonderful and the service is as good as it gets even comparative to very high end tastings in Napa. It's a very beautiful building and property and would be great to get some cheese, buy some wine and have a wonderful little picnic outside. They actually have an area of the property just for that and it's beautiful. I will definitely come back here every time I come back to Paso. I always leave here with atleast a couple bottles.
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Review from Ajay R.
Huntsville, AL
10/20/2007
There was a country feel to this vineyard - everyone had cowboy hats on. We loved the atmosphere.
The wine is good. The Zin is amazingly good. All the wines were around $18-25 / bottle. For $10 / person we got unlimited wine tasting, ice cream and olive oil tasting (???) which I felt was a great deal. -
Review from yuka n.
Rowland Heights, CA
My 2nd time here during the harvest festival & i really like meridian. The only downfall is that i didnt like any of the wines. They have a beautiful winery! We paid $10/ person & got some tri tip sandwiches, wine tastings, & syrah chocolate rasberry ice cream & pumpkin pie flavored ice cream (those were from doc burnsteins) i wuz the 1st 1 to stomp on grapes! I had so much fun!!! I would recommend this place during the harvest festival.
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Review from Jen M.
Monterey, CA
5/15/2008
I loved the Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc so much that I became a wine club member here. I myself go through a few cases of it a year. Very pretty setting. Very nice staff that remembers you if you have been there more than once (I have definitely been there more than once). Only downside is that they charge a tasting fee. Upside is that it can be applied to the purchase of a bottle of wine, so of course you know what to do.
Listed in: Wineries
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Review from Dante W.
Daly City, CA
4/11/2010
Wine tasting is a funny thing. Places you select online or by referrals and just know you will love sometimes are the ones you don't love in person and its the dark horse wineries that end up shining, well... Meridian was our dark horse.
My drinking buddy for the day picked Meridian because they had Gewürztraminer and Riesling however, I signed on when I kept reading reviews of their Meridian 2006 Limited Release White Cabernet Sauvignon which seems to always be out of stock. I called Meridian and talked to Elmer, who even over the phone came across as warm and friendly. I asked him about the White Cabernet Sauvignon and if it truly was out of stock and he said that they actually had a better version, a 2009 they would let me sample so my interest was definitely piqued.
When we got there we were greeted initially by Liv who encouraged us to do the cheese and wine tasting which is definitely the tasting you should do while here! They get their cheese from a cheese shop in downtown Paso called Vivant and the delicious cheese is a perfect compliment to the wine. Liv was extremely cordial and extremely down to earth. Elmer came over after the first pour and he didn't leave our side the rest of the time. We were educated about wine and food pairings without feeling talked down to. He patiently answered all our questions, was jovial, playful, and reminds you of your uncle or grandfather that you love to visit and sit down and have a chat with lemonade. While Elmer and Liv were the staff stars of the show the absolute wine stars of the show was their 2006 Limited Release Late Harvest Riesling and 2009 Limited Release White Cabernet Sauvignon. We're not wine connoisseurs by any means however we've had Rieslings before and though tasty they do NOT compare to this Late Harvest. Immediately at your first sip you know somethings different. After just the FIRST SIP we both knew we were going to buy it. Elmer's recommendation of the 2009 Limited Release White Cabernet Sauvignon was right on point. I can't compare it with the 2006 but this was a tasty wine. My friend who is more of a dessert wine actually finished her sample with a passion I had not seen before in tasting. Excellent! The Gewürztraminer had a bright nice clean taste however we have our private favorite choice for that. :)
Overall, this is a must stop! $10 wine and cheese tasting per person is not a bad deal, especially since you also receive a free logo cheese board. However if there was one thing I like to see are wineries deduct the tasting fee if you buy any of the wines and not just the limited release wines. I know... I know I'm frugal however I think that encourages more wine spending. (TIP: Jump on their site for a 15% off coupon) Excellent wine and a amazing staff makes this in my mind the best place to taste in Paso. Just make sure you treat them as well as they will treat you since I hate to see amazing customer service ruined by wine snobs. -
Review from Timothy O.
Fresno, CA
12/6/2008
Meridian certainly has a beautiful tasting room and lovely grounds. I remember saying that to myself each time I walk back empty-handed. The $10 tasting fee is on the high side for Paso Robles, and the glass itself is not complimentary. But everyone's taste in wine is different, so if you're tasting in Paso Robles, I wouldn't avoid it.
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Review from Christian P.
San Luis Obispo, CA
5/29/2010
What a beautiful tasting room! And that's about the extent of my compliments for this place. The wines were not to my liking at all. Every other place that I visited for tasting was much better. Sorry, Meridian. ~ http://www.ChristianPe...
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Review from Brady B.
Lodi, CA
8/26/2011
beautiful grounds and scenery! a must stop and wine taste winery. friendly staff as well. would be a great spot to get married if anyone is looking for a wedding location.
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Review from Tim M.
Visalia, CA
7/20/2008
Though it broke my heart to see Estrella River Winery go, I must say Meridian has done an excellent job of maintaining the same quality I came to expect. The tasting room affords a nice trough-the-window view of the barrel room and is in a very peaceful setting suitable for a picnic. Very helpful and friendly staff and has earned it's way onto my list of favorite wineries on the Central Coast. Personal favorites: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Syrah. Worth the drive :-)
