Page 105 - SLO Visitors Guide Summer 2024

slovisitorsguide.com SUMMER 2024 105
Wine Tasting
about Castoro Cellars is centered
around family, and Max Udsen is a
disc golf fanatic. His passion for disc
golf started in college, and eventu-
ally, he approached his parents,
owners Bimmer and Niels Udsen
about the idea, and in 2013 the
course was born.
Passion seems to run in the
family. Bimmer and Niels Udsen
started Castoro Cellars in 1983.
They started small by buying grapes
and have been building it up over
the years to owning their vine-
yards. Then they created all estate
wines and later transitioned to all
of their wine being made from
organic grapes. Bimmer and Niels
are passionate about being certified
organic. It started when Bimmer
realized she didn’t want the chemi-
cals that were traditionally used in
the vineyards around her small kids.
That began their foray into organic
grapes. They’re now the largest
organic grower in the Paso region
with 1,400 acres of grapes certi-
fied organic by Certified California
Organic Farmers (CCOF) and 500
biodynamic acres.
Niels Udsen explained, “It’s been
a long road to get here, but it’s been
great. Lots of learning. We’re trying
to encourage other people to do the
same thing.”
One thing is clear when they’re
passionate about something they
rise to the top. Another passion is
music and sharing it with the local
community. The Whale Rock Music
and Arts Festival was originally
a one-night bash with bands for
their 30th anniversary. Bimmer
explained, “Then it moved to the
meadow, and then a stage was
added.” One night became two
days, and a music festival was born.
Now it’s an annual festival that
draws thousands of people each
September. It was originally called
Beaverstock, a play on Niels’ nick-
name, Beaver. Castoro means beaver
in Italian. However, the people at
Woodstock kindly asked them to
change it. So, they settled on Whale
Rock because of the whale bones
scattered around the property. Their
Whale Rock Museum has whale
bones on display.
As if disc golf, wine, whale
bones, and music aren’t enough of
a draw, they also hold yoga classes
in the vineyard taught by daughter-
in-law, Lauren. These monthly yoga
classes feature brunch and mimosas
after class and are the perfect way to
start the day.
The 2024 Whale Rock Music
& Arts Festival is scheduled for
September 14 and 15. Tickets are on
sale now through the website, and
the schedule for summer and fall
events is also ready!
There really is something for
everyone at Castoro Cellars!
Castoro Cellars is located at 1315
Bethel Rd. Templeton, CA 93465. The
tasting room is open from 10:00 a.m.-
5:30 p.m. daily. The disc golf course is
open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and is $5
per person to play. Check out other
events at castorocellars.com.
—Karen Lycan