On Friday, July 17, San Luis Obispo County's wine community gathers at the California Mid-State Fair to honor its 2026 award winners, and three of them are Paso Robles wineries you can visit: J Dusi Wines (Winemaker of the Year, Janell Dusi), Field Recordings (Person of the Year, founder Andrew Jones), and Diablo Paso Wines (Central Coast Wine Competition Winery of the Year). The 4 p.m. ceremony is free with fair admission, followed by a walk-around tasting of the competition's gold medal winners.
How Paso Robles Breaks Down
Paso Robles is not one uniform tasting route. The large parent AVA is divided into 11 official viticultural areas, ranging from the limestone-rich mountain slopes of Adelaida and Willow Creek to warmer eastern districts and the marine-influenced Templeton Gap.
For trip planning, most visitors think in practical zones: westside Adelaida and Willow Creek, Highway 46 East, downtown and Tin City, Templeton Gap, and the more remote northern and eastern districts. Drive times matter, so group nearby appointments rather than crossing the entire region repeatedly.
Eleven Official Sub-AVAs
Paso Wine AVA guide →Twenty Winery Profiles
