Why Grey Wolf Winery should be your next stop for wine tasting!

Why Grey Wolf Winery should be your next family stop for wine tasting!

After spending a few days drooling over the Instagram pics of Chef Deseray Morales I reached out to see where I could get one of her delicious meals. Chef Morales let me know that she worked at Grey Wolf Winery. “Grey Wolf?” I thought, “How have I not heard of a winery with such an epic name? I think it’s time to go on a food adventure.”

On the 46W about 3 miles from the 101 you’ll find an adorable vineyard with a grey building sitting on the hilltop. You’ll know you are in the right place immediately, there are two wolf statues guarding the driveway. Walking up to their tasting room I was greeted by the two vineyard dogs,  Ginny and Bailey. Being an animal lover I immediately ran over to them to take pictures and to score some pet therapy. The patio is dog friendly as long as they remain leashed, so bring your fur baby with you! After a brief greeting both Ginny and Bailey left me to lay under the cool shade of the trees. Cat lovers, Grey Wolf has you covered as well with a vineyard cat named Willy.  He popped in to say hello a little later during my walk and he’s adorable.

The Grey Wolf  Cellars tasting room has an open layout with high ceilings and a modern vintage feel. If you look closely you’ll spot little family mementos discretely placed throughout. Chef Deseray would later explain that the Barton’s were all about family and that clearly showed during my visit.

The outside patio has plenty of shade provided by the trees and there are many tables setup so that you can sit down and enjoy a glass of wine with a meal from Barton’s Kitchen. The spacious outdoor area has enough room for the kiddos to run around and offers games like giant Jenga, giant checkers, and corn hole. For the adults there is an outdoor lounge perfect for a small group to enjoy a birthday party or celebration that overlooks the vineyard.

The new food menu from Barton’s Kitchen was released just a few weeks ago. It was created by Jeff Thomas, who moved to the area 3 years ago from Los Angeles. Jeff has experience working with Gordon Ramsay, Michael Mina, Steven Fretz, and Curtis Stone. Having shared the kitchen with so many notable chefs who wouldn’t be thrilled to give it a try!?

Their new menu is filled with sandwiches, sides, salads and platters.  For my tasting I had the house chicken pâté, the muffuletta with Zapps potato chips, club sandwich, and a smoked turkey club. All of the food was fresh and very filling with generous portion sizes.  The kitchen purchases local and sustainable products as much as possible. Some of the local vendors they work with include: Alle Pia Salumi, Berryman, Etto Pastifico, Windrose Farms, Edna’s Bakery, Fromagerie Sophie and Reves de Moutons.

House Pâté – Chicken liver mousse, persimmon jam, toasted baguette with house pickles.
Smooth and velvety! The jam and pickled veggies added a refreshing crunch.

Smoked Turkey Club – Bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic mayo, Ednas Bakery Sour Dough Bread.  This is my favorite lunch sandwich!
That thick cut of bacon and avocado though! Why can’t my stomach hold more food?

Muffuletta – With olive salad, salami, ham, mortadella, provolone, swiss cheese and traditional bread by Ednas Bakery.  This really brought me back to New Orleans, especially with the Zapp’s Potato Chips! The muffuletta is definitely a highlight, it celebrates Jeff Thomas’s New Orleans roots.

And let’s not forget about the wine and spirits I had with lunch! On top of having a full selection of wine you can find small batch spirits that are made on site.  Stephen Kroener & Joe Barton joined forces to create a distillery that goes by the name KROBĀR. They produce local whiskey, bourbon, and gin at over 90% proof! The distillery building was created from recycled and re-purposed materials and is located just behind the main tasting room.

One of my favorite parts of the meal was having the opportunity to sit down and have a convo with both Deseray & Jeff. It’s so clear they love where they work and what they do. I can’t thank them and the Barton’s enough for taking time out of their day to share their food and their experiences with me.

So, if you are looking for a spot in Paso Robles where you can share the day with your loved ones make a stop at Grey Wolf Winery where you can find wine, spirits, food and views all in one spot!

• Grey Wolf Cellars & Barton Family Winery tasting room is open daily 11:00am – 5:30pm (last tasting at 5:15pm)
• Barton’s Kitchen is open Thursday-Monday 11:30am -4:30pm
• Krobar is open Thursday-Monday 11am – 5:30pm

Also, don’t forget to mark your calendars for July 7, 2018 Saturday from 6:30 – 9p! Four Lanterns Winery will be hosting the Highway 46 West Summer Block Party. Grey Wolf Winery will be participating so get your tickets early and enjoy 13 wineries in one location!