This year we were invited to judge Hoyt’s 1st Annual Chili Cookoff! With seven chilis to taste, wine, live music, and shopping. How could we say no?
We had always known Hoyt to be a boutique tasting room in downtown Paso Robles, what we didn’t know is that all of their wines are estate grown on a gorgeous property in the Willow Creek ava. *FUN FACT* Did you know they even have access to a zip line? Who else thinks that would be perfect for a future event? 😉
Parking was plentiful and their outdoor space was open with an indoor area where the band played.
Seven chilis were showcased:
Blue Oak Barn 
Higgie’s World BBQ 
Hidden Canyon 
Stoner House Farm 
Homemade Keto &
Green Turkey Chili
Wabi Venice
They even had an area filled with chili sides – cornbread, toppings, tater tots, tortilla chips and more. Honestly, we were so full from tasting all the chili we could barely get to it.
To top it all off Hoyt served their 2017 Pinot Noir Rose, 2016 Chardonnay, and Rhone Blend “Dylema.”
They had a number of vendors selling products, my personal favorite setup was The Barber Shop in Atascadero, they brought out their stagecoach wagon booth and ere offering haircuts at the event. Seriously how could you not take advantage of a chili cookoff, wine and a haircut all at one event (only in Paso).
So many friends popped up at this event. It was great to see the Hoyt Family, Lisa from Cali Strong Candles and more. We also made plenty of new friends like Stewart McLennan co-owner of The Garagiste Festival (which you should all go to!), his wife Michelle who works at Cypher Winery, local art teacher Emily, and an amazing group of travelers from LA who were the biggest hoot.
Chili cook-off winners:
Thank you to everyone for the amazing chili! Thank you to Hoyt for this awesome opportunity at a chance to enjoy all of the local flare Paso Robles has to offer. Make sure you follow Hoyt Family Vineyards for their next upcoming event!
For more pictures check out our facebook page!
