About Mesa Del Sol Vineyards
Mesa Del Sol sits high on a mesa at the western edge of the Arroyo Seco AVA, one of California's earliest appellations, where the Ventana Wilderness drops into the Salinas Valley. The estate runs to 14 acres with roughly 7.5 under vine, planted in 1998 and 1999 and now mature enough that the roots reach some thirty feet down through the rounded river stones locals call Arroyo Seco potatoes. Morning fog pulls inland off the coast and the canyon swings from 100 degrees by day to 50 at night, which is the kind of stress that concentrates fruit.
Gary Lyons and Stacey Schrader Lyons took over the property in 2020 and farm it with organic practices, including a cover crop blend of legumes and peas worked between the rows. Production is small, around 400 cases a year. The wines lean Mediterranean rather than Napa: Syrah is the largest harvest, and the Prima Rosso blends Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Syrah and Grenache. The 2021 vintage of that blend, made by Ian Brand, scored 92 points; current vintages are made by Tyler Russell, whose Rhone-leaning style is well known in Paso Robles. Five rows of Zinfandel have been grafted over to Cabernet.
The property is as much of the draw as the wine. It was a stagecoach stop in the late 1800s and later an early California wellness retreat, and the Stone House still stands alongside a 1920s Cowboy House, a 55-foot pool, ornamental gardens and a 300-year-old oak that draws most of the estate's weddings. The house sleeps large groups and is rented for stays and events, with wines available to guests. Tastings are intimate and by reservation, so arrange the visit before you make the drive.
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