Come to Bianchi for the wine and Zen-like experience, stay for the Vineyard House
Looking for a tranquil tasting experience, Bianchi Winery and Tasting Room is the place to be. With its waterfall-fed lake, modern tasting room, areas to relax and enjoy wine and a picnic, the Bianchi property embodies serenity and the laidback Paso Robles wine country spirit in the heart of it all.
If you’re looking for an enriched winery experience, stay at Bianchi’s well-appointed Vineyard House centrally located on the 40-acre property. The exquisite three-bedroom, two-bathroom vacation home is complete with a beautiful outdoor barbecue area, and overlooks the undulating hills of vineyards and the lake, providing the quintessential wine country landscape.
Perfect any time of year for a weekend getaway, a honeymoon retreat or just-because, the Vineyard House is available all year long. Bianchi’s attentive staff can help tailor a phenomenal wine tasting experience with suggestions on the best dining, tours and other fun Paso Robles’ experiences.
Known for its fruit forward approach and award-winning wines, the classically elegant wines you’ll taste at the Bianchi family’s winery is the culmination of three generations’ dream of creating ultra-premium wines, beginning with Joseph Bianchi’s first foray into California winemaking in 1974.
His son, Glenn Bianchi, continued building the legacy when he moved to the terroir of Paso Robles in 2000. Over the course of the almost two decades, the dream continues to develop, now with Beau Bianchi embracing the passion and commitment of his father and grandfather, refreshing the winemaking and visitor experience at the estate to make it a world-class wine destination.
The state-of-the-art winemaking facility makes it possible for the winery to create limited production wines, and the barrel room allows blending and aging of small lots.
The modern-meets-natural, cavernous tasting room serves those exclusive estate wines only in the tasting room, along with its most popular wines available at restaurants and retail throughout the country.
Winemaker Chris Stanton
Envisioning a one-of-a-kind winery experience, Bianchi Winery and Tasting Room brought on veteran winemaker, J. Chris Stanton, to head up operations in Paso Robles after former winemaker Tom Lane retired.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, Stanton has a fruitful history of releasing highly rated and reviewed wines throughout the Central Valley and Coast. His eye for simplicity in his use of the land and the grapes pairs well with Bianchi’s goal of creating timeless classics under its label, while continuing expansion into the super and ultra-premium markets. Adding to its already knowledgeable staff, Stanton will continue the Bianchi tradition of making excellent wines at the serene 40-acre estate in Paso Robles. Stanton steps in for Bianchi’s longtime winemaker, Tom Lane, who retired.
Stanton’s first true start-to-finish wine is the 2017 Sauvignon Blanc release, available in the tasting room and in restaurants and retail stores throughout the country. Currently, Stanton is working on several Ultra-Premium Reserves that will be very limited production to be released in early 2019.
“We’re thrilled to have Chris on board,” said proprietor Beau Bianchi. “His simple, but thorough and passionate approach to winemaking fits quite well at Bianchi.”
Prior to joining Bianchi Winery, Stanton teamed up with his brother to start Sobriquet Winery in Napa Valley, Calif. Together they crafted four Sobriquet wines – a pinot noir, syrah, grenache and chardonnay, which consistently received 90+ ratings since its inception in 2008.
The UC Davis graduate served as the general manager at Blackjack Ranch Vineyards & Winery in Solvang, Calif., where he was responsible for making more than 20 unique wines.
He oversaw wine operations at Koehler Vineyards & Winery in Los Olivos, Calif. and Mayo Family Winery in Glen Ellen, Calif. At these estates, Stanton was able to hone his craft, becoming known as one of the premier winemakers in California. He is a graduate of the University of California, Davis.
Stanton’s passion for winemaking paired with his knowledge of the region, aligns with Bianchi Winery’s mission to create wines as exquisite as the surreal scenery and rich history of Paso Robles.
Vineyard plantings & sourced fruit
Bianchi’s sloping vineyards are lined with meticulous plantings of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and zinfandel, all of which go into the Heritage Selection. For the Signature Selection wines such as chardonnay, pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc, grapes are sourced from highly recognized vineyards of Santa Barbara and Monterey Counties.
Tasting room lineup
The tasting lineup offers some 12 wines plus a growing number of reserve and limited release bottlings. Among the 2017 whites, there are two from Santa Barbara County –the aromatic pinot grigio with lychee and kiwi notes and a chardonnay with tasty oak flavor. The sauvignon blanc from Monterey County is crisp and citrusy and both wines are ideal for summer sipping.
The red wines range from the Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir with rich with berries to the estate merlot that shows hints of cinnamon and cherries. Intensely dark, the 2015 petite sirah, from Plummer’s Ranch in Paso Robles, has layers of vanilla, plum and spice and the 2015 cabernet sauvignon is lush with smooth tannins. One of the Reserve tastings includes the handcrafted Syranot – the multi-layered 2015 vintage is a superb blend of pinot noir, syrah and petite sirah.
Bring a picnic to enjoy with a bottle of Bianchi on the banks of its koi-filled pond, with a picture-perfect view that will be the highlight any wine country trip.
Bianchi Winery, located at 3380 Branch Road in Paso Robles, is open daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, visit bianchiwine.com or call (805) 226-9922.
