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About This Business:
The Hope family has been growing grapes in Paso Robles for thirty years. Today, as Hope Family Wines (Treana, Austin Hope, Candor and Liberty School… read more »
31 reviews for Pipestone Vineyards
31 reviews in English
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Review from Amber L.
Pasadena, CA
Updated - 8/18/2011
I said we'd be back, and we've been back twice. We also finally joined the wine club. The reds are big and heavy, and probably not for beginners, but they pair very well with food.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/5/2011
This is a 4.5 star winery, I think. The pros: family-owned and sustainable. The owners are the wine… Read more »
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Review from Jason H.
San Clemente, CA
11/18/2010
The visit was definitely a personal one where the owner and winemaker himself was there to pour our wine. The property was beautiful and frankly the story of the vineyard is a cool one.
This is my second revision to this posting. Normally I would never revise a posting but I have been very very impressed with the winemakers response to my previous issue. My concerns have been resolved in a manner which should be a tribute to all businesses. It is my sincerest hope that this vineyard prospers well into the future.
This place is a must visit.
Don't forget to visit Dunning which was just a bit farther up the same road. -
Review from Andrea T.
Napa, CA
5/28/2011
Great reds. Great scenery.
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Review from Joanne L.
12/29/2008
I love this vineyard because they use sustainable farming method. The owner and his wife poured our flights. They were very friendly and knowledgeable and did a great job explaining many new things to us.
There is a very cool and old pizza oven outside the tasting room.
I loved the chardonnay here. But the other reds were good too.
$5 for 6 different pours. -
Review from L M.
Chico, CA
11/13/2010
Ok, we REALLY like the values these people stand for. The site is nice and low-key. There were in mid-crush when we got there, which was cool. Very small tasting room and very unpretentious.
Then, it started. First, $10 to taste, and that is *not* refunded if you buy their wine (priced $32-48 ish/bottle). I'm sorry, but only the highest end folks get away with this. Heck, most wineries charge less and then credit it toward purchase. Given their small status, we thought this to be excessive, to say the least.
Then, the wine. Viongner was OK. The 2007 Grenache was flat-out terrible. Boring and flat, un-interesting. Had a decent nose, a bit on the front, then...nothing. It just dies. They talked up this wine like crazy, which means either they're trying to get rid of it, or they don't know what they're doing. I'll go with the former.
They had a Rhone blend that was ok, though at $42/bottle...no way. Their best wind was a Mourvedre, which had some decent structure and acidity. It was $38/bottle.
We didn't buy anything. Maybe we were psychologically turned off by the $10 tasting. I'm no wine pro, but I *know* that '07 Grenache was crap. The rest was probably just personal preference, but both my wife and I thought it was average, at best.
In that area for small wineries, try Dubost or Starr Ranch. Starr Ranch sells to a lot of local wineries but somewhat recently she started making her own juice. -
Review from bill a.
Culver City, CA
11/1/2008 1 photo
The 2nd stop on my Yelp-generated wine tour - this is where the GPS comes in handy! I walked up to the counter and met Jeff, the coolest winemaker ever, period. He asked me how I had found him and I pointed to the Yelp sticker on his door. He replied with something to the likes of, "Oh yeah, they sent me that sticker - what the hell is Yelp?"
Jeff's hands were stained purple and his shirt was covered in grapes - by this, he gained my trust instantly. Before I even tasted the first wine he had us laughing with a tale of a person who came in a little intoxicated and refused to pay the tasting fee. He ended up chasing them down the driveway as they sped away down the dirt road at 55mph.
It's just he and his family running the place and being a former environmental engineer, they have some fairly unique aspects to their operation. They use horses in the fields to keep diesel fumes away from the grapes and get a portion of their power from giant solar panels on the roof.
Did I mention that the wines are excellent as well? If you're in Paso Robles, check this place out - I'm definitely going back the next time I'm in town. -
Review from jenny s.
Oakland, CA
3/9/2010
Visiting Pipestone is a truly personal and unique experience. The winemaker himself will likely pour your wine - how cool is that? Certainly something you won't find at some of the other wineries in the area.
What I love about this place is that it's a real family farm - you can check out their livestock (draft horses, goats, chickens) and their well-managed vines at the same time. Afterall, the vineyard is a certified wildlife habitate and is farmed using organic and sustainable practices. All this to make you a darn good glass of wine. Try my two faves: the estate syrah and the viognier.
And for goodness sakes it's not that far out! it's a really beautiful drive... -
Review from Lynn Y.
Redondo Beach, CA
10/6/2008 2 photos
I'm so glad we decided to stop by this winery, and I don't even drink wine!
Upon entering the property, the short driveway passes by walnut trees, bee boxes, and the two draft horses. On one side of the parking area, vines are labeled with information about the types of grapes. On the other side, there are chickens and a goat.
The tasting room is filled with items to keep even the non-drinkers happy (i.e. me). I picked up a bag of almonds and a bottle of honey, both produced on the property. But chatting with the owner was probably the best part - he was very friendly, opinionated, and entertaining. I enjoyed his stories about the draft horses and city-slicker tourists, especially the one about his funny looking "dog." -
Review from Robert H.
West Los Angeles, CA
5/18/2011
Our favorite Paso winery. We love all the reds, especially the CdP, and the Pipes are a great family. It feels like home. They are really nice and throw great parties for the club members. Their prices are average to a bit above average for the Westside wineries, and their wine is consistently solid year after year. I especially love that their zin is not the typical Paso fruitbomb; you know the one I'm talking about. It tastes like someone served you a shot of vodka with a spoonful of boysenberry jam dropped in it. Their zin is much more subtle and delicious. Can't wait to go back.
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Review from Robb B.
Thousand Oaks, CA
4/29/2010
It is a pleasure to see a family operation, and one where they take so much pride in their work. Also like many of the vineyards we visited you can have the opportunity to meet the winemaker, which is something you rarely get to do in other wine producing regions. The wines are great, and there are tables that provide for a great opportunity to have a picnic in the vineyard.
They also have some animals you can check out, not that is the sole reason to visit, but its a fun one. -
Review from Drew S.
San Francisco, CA
2/18/2008
two words: grenache rose!
This unique wine is a divine end to a hot summer evening when served chilled. -
Review from Craig R.
Los Angeles, CA
4/26/2008
Let me start by saying this was one of the last stops of our limo tour, so by the time we got here, we were a very happy group of people. :)
That said, their wines still stood out as some of the better stuff we tasted all day. Their Syrah was fantastic, and their Zinfandel was very unusual...almost sweet enough to be considered a desert wine. Very jammy. You'd want to have it with some very big foods...BBQ, or something really spicey to tame that sweetness.
fyi...though most places had a posted tasting fee, very few actually charged it. This place took the fee up front before you got a sniff of wine. Seemed odd, but only because our experience everywhere else was different. -
Review from JENNIFER N.
Huntington Beach, CA
1/1/2011
Small, rustic, family farm & winery. The owners pour the wines for you. Their estate grown almonds are good. Pick up some if you like almonds. As for the wine, the viognier & Zinfandel were my favs. You'll pay a $10 tasting fee even if you purchase wine. But, I didn't mind so much, since they are such a small winery.
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Review from Tod K.
San Diego, CA
11/11/2008
Pipestone isn't the easiest place to find but it's worth it. This is a real mom and pop winery farmed sustainably - he even uses his draft horses to plow the rows rather than tractors. But the most important thing is that on top of that the wines are great! Unlike the usual Paso complex blends the wines are reasonably priced (for the region) straight varietals. The Mourvedre and Grenache were my faves but got some good Cab and Vioginer as well.
Different in philosophy and taste than any other winery in the region and well worth checking out. -
Review from Ti B.
4/6/2009
What a delightful experience!! Started with the Yelp sticker on the door. :) This winery is 100% sustainable. Ran on solar energy, use their horses to plow the land, and live right next to the tasting room. Family run. I like everything we tried. I like the owner. He was kind and helpful. Hard working man. I am glad we took everyone's advice and come out here. it was worth it. We left with a tasty Viognier.
Listed in: California Central Coast Wine…, Paso Robles
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Review from Holly T.
9/5/2006
If you like to support the little guy, this is a great winery for you. It's one of those great small wineries where you walk in and the winemaker and his wife are the ones pouring the wines. It's way up in the hills on the west side of Paso, one of the wineries on the "far out wineries" map. Everything is grown organically and sustainably, and furthermore, the entire vineyard and winery are managed and built according to feng shui (the winemaker's wife Florence is from Hong Kong). The wines are all handcrafted, small production, sold only at the winery, and Rhone-style: Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, etc. Their wines are quite good for the most part, but the best part about coming here other than the wine is the small, family atmosphere. Sometimes they cook wood-fired pizza in their outdoor oven. They also sometimes offer some winemaking classes and blending seminars. Highly recommended.
Listed in: Central Coast Wine Tasting
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Review from Bill F.
Westminster, CA
7/13/2009 4 photos
(Visited October 2008, Harvest Wine Weekend)
One of Pipestone Vineyard's claims to fame is it's staunch dedication to sustainable farming (Jeff told me their youtube video of horse plowing had to be edited as much due to his cursing as anything else), but there is more to this place. First off, don't be misled by the oft-used descriptions referring to Pipestone and Dunning as "out of the way" or "off the beaten path". If you're in the Paso countryside doing wine tasting, then making 2-3 extra turns and driving five extra miles or so shouldn't dissuade you from seeing something uncommon. I chuckle at some reviewers out there that call this area "out of the way" that also praise Justin, which is perhaps the most remote winery on the Westside there is. Fact is that this is two turns of 46, and the wineries up Niderer Road are actually something unique to Paso. First off, there were deer, everywhere. I mean I saw at least a score of them at different points from the turn onto Niderer up to the end of the road, and they would get damn close to people like me with obnoxiously large SLR cameras. I visited several wineries off Niderer, and while some had large, new buildings, most were very close to their roots, and you met the owner and/or winemaker at every stop I made. Frankly, this quaint little area feels like it is its own separate region compared to much of Paso. But as to Pipestone in particular, I liked the fact right off that the vineyard was very welcoming. Not only were their no fences on the vines, but actually signs stating what grapes were being grown and some details about them. As simple as this may sound and look (see my pics), this small effort, along with the vineyard literally being the backyard of the owner's home, who poured you the wine they made, made for a unique experience compared to the other Paso stops I had hit the previous day.
The wine was strong across the board, with the 06 grenache and 05 mourvedre and petite syrah being stand outs. That other reviewers mentioned the mouved makes me feel like I definitely have to go back this year, as often I'm the only person on a particular board to call that grape out. In any case, Jeff and Florence were great hosts and if you have the time, I would definitely recommend this as a stop either on its own, or on a trip through Poalillo on Willow Creek, Dunning further up Niderer Road, and here to see some of the smaller Paso wineries, and of course, to have some really solid wine. -
Review from leslie m.
San Miguel, CA
8/4/2008
When you read that wine is a passion you should think of Pipestone. Jeffery Pipes does something special out there. His Zin and Syrah are over the top good. He does organic farming using draft horses to tend his vines. No tractors, no diesel dust on his grapes. Totally and completely organic baby.
Jammy, full of fruit and great tannin structure. So full of flavor, not typical Paso wines but not typical any wines.Listed in: Paso Wineries and Restaurants
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Review from Kevan M.
8/6/2007
This winery offers a small, intimate, off-the-main-strip wine tasting experience. You enter on a dirt road and encounter a vineyard on the right and small farm on the left. This is a small operation; the winemaker pours the wines and talks about them. I enjoyed nearly every wine Mr. Pipes poured me (this is a rare accomplishment). Wineries like this offer the tasting experience I enjoy most.
Listed in: Central Cal Wines (from Paso…
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Review from Skeeter L.
Los Angeles, CA
2/20/2010
Ugh. I had forgotten what a surly experience this place could be. The wine is not good value in my opinion.
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Review from evelyn b.
Oakland, CA
12/2/2008
Superbly tasty wines - especially love the petite sirah and grenache. Owners Jeff and Florence are amazing, down-to-earth yet inspirational, truly passionate about making wine and running an organic, environmentally conscious vineyard and homestead. Adorable daughters, cute farm animals enhance the idyllic effect you get when visiting this hidden gem.
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Review from Colleen B.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2008
I was very excited to hit up this 100% sustainable and solar run winery. The couple that run it put out some great wines, including my friend's favorite, Mourvedre. I was a little put off that they charge a tasting fee and make you pay before you taste, but whatever. We bought some wines as well as honey and olive oil. There are many tasty treats to choose from here. Don't miss this on your wine tasting trip!
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Review from ameer n.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2008 3 photos
i love these wines.
after traveling on a short dirt road and leaving any mobile phone reception coverage you will find yourself at this quaint winery.
the owners are great, and know us by face (because our face is always there).
they follow the french wine making style, which is my favorite. tho their wines are not for the budget wine drinker with the $28-$32/bottle price range. -
Review from annabanana m.
Oakland, CA
3/3/2008
whenever I serve up a syrah or mourvedre from this place, people go crazy for it. the wine is just rich and tasty and lovely and fun. the owners are crazy as they do every little thing themselves, but it pays off in these beautiful wines.
I used to drink red wines constantly, until a few years ago when I started getting those "red wine headaches" that hit some of us dames. I never have a problem with the wines from here. and they are delicious on their own or with food.
I cannot wait to try the new port! -
Review from Amanda E.
Chandler, AZ
5/24/2009
The drive up to this winery is one of the highlights. Off the beaten path, the road to Pipestone Vineyards is winding and scenic. The actual vineyard is very picturesque, and the goat will even pose for pictures with you. The wines, however, were our least favorite of the ones we tried during this trip. The owners poured tastings ($5 for 5) but were not very engaging.
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Review from Patty P.
Bakersfield, CA
8/18/2009
I went to this winery because of all the positive reviews on yelp. The viognier was the only wine that impressed me. The Grenache & the others were pretty average. Good customer service, but i don't think i would drive all the way up there again.
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Review from Angela B.
5/16/2009
We drove out here on the recommendation of someone at Lone Madrone, and weren't disappointed. This tiny, family-operated, sustainably farmed, all-organic vineyard was a delight to visit. The place is rustic, familial, and utilitarian in feel, and the man pouring the wine was none other than the owner himself (who is also, of course, the farmer, winemaker, marketing team, bookkeeper, etc.). It was a joy to talk to him about his business, and even more of a joy to sample his wines. Both the Viogner and the Syrah were fantastic, and his Grenache was one of the most interesting and unique I've had, all estate fruit, and all quite reasonably priced, especially for the quality. All told, we walked out with six exceptional bottles (sidenote - buy 6 bottles, and you get a 5% discount) for about $170. He was also pouring a Petit Sirah and a Zin made from non-estate fruit (I think he said Terry Hoage?) which were also quite good. Go there! :)
Listed in: California Wineries
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Review from Kali R.
Alameda, CA
2/17/2009
This place was great, the wine is really good and they use sustainable farming and solar panels. At first the owners wife (i think) was pouring for us and she was weird, but luckily we got switched to the owner who was great. He was full of knowledge and we really enjoyed him. This is a cute, small family owned place that everyone should support.
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Review from ju C.
San Francisco, CA
4/21/2008
An off the beaten track winery own and run by the husband and wife, Jeff and Florence. Florence was in the tasting room pouring and explaining the wine when we were there. It's a very initimate, personal setting, not some big winery that you are just 1 of many. Everything they sell is sold at the winery or via their wine club. They grow their grapes organically and the vineyard is just right outside the tasting room, next to their home. Florence, the owner, took us on a tour of the barrel room and let us smelled the white and red wine from the barrel and explained the winemaking process to us. We had a lot of fun with her! Florence also gave us some great suggestions on other wineries around the area and we loved them all and bought wine from the recommended wineries too. Check them out if you're in the area! Overall, a couple wines were good, not exceptional, compare to other ones we had around the area. The experience was exceptional, so overall, a 4 star.
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Review from Kimberly G.
Huntington Beach, CA
6/23/2009
Visited for the first time during Passport weekend, but it was towards the end of the day on Friday. Owners seemed more interested in our finishing and leaving than in talking with us about the offerings. A bit off the beaten path; probably won't go back.
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Review from Nakisa S.
San Jose, CA
9/6/2008
This was by far our favorite winery! Super yummy wines, and a dedication to stewardship of the land makes this our favorite winery in Paso Robles! The couple that own the winery were extremely knowledgeable and really care about every aspect of their wines. This is also a farm, so we were able to pick up some organic honey as well! We left with a case of wine and plan to return any time we are down this way again. This is a must go to winery!
