Page 90 - Demo

90 WINTER 2025 slovisitorsguide.com
Olive Oil Tasting
Sunshine Olive Oil, a journey
from France to Paso Robles
A visit to San Luis Obispo County
would not be complete without a
stop at the Sunshine Olive Oil tasting
room and home goods store, lo-
cated in the heart of Downtown Paso
Robles. Featuring a selection of local,
premium, award-winning California
extra virgin olive oils, a wide variety of
home goods, and gorgeous décor, this
family-owned business has earned
a stellar reputation for providing
outstanding service and exceptional
products.
Owner Catherine Miller grew
up in the south of France, where
her childhood was filled with olive
orchards and lavender fields. She and
her husband, Gary, fell in love with
Templeton and the surrounding area
while their son was attending Cal Poly.
They purchased a 10-acre hillside
property and planted different
varieties of olive trees with the help of
Richard and Linda Delahanty. When
Richard introduced the couple to a
mobile milling service, they decided
to make a batch of olive oil from their
first harvest back in 2018.
The first year, the Millers gave
their olive oil to friends who then did
a blind tasting against some of the
most well-known and expensive olive
oils. What started as a hobby soon
blossomed into a passion.
“To our friends’ surprise, they
preferred our oils,” Miller said. “That’s
when we realized we had something
truly special and, since then, growing
and producing olives and oils has
become a passion.”
When deciding on a name for
their new business, Miller decided
Sunshine, also the name of the street
they live on, was a perfect fit. Their
logo, featuring a dove with an olive
branch in its beak, was inspired
by a stained-glass window she had
designed for their home.
Team focuses on award-
winning olive oil
Miller points to their “amazing
team” as being essential to the success
of Sunshine Olive Oil. Together, they
work to produce extra virgin olive oil
(EVOO) bursting with polyphenols
and antioxidants.
“Richard and Linda not only
helped us plant the first trees, they
are the force behind the farming,”
she said. “Dominique Lobjois has
been intrinsic in the evolution of our
family-owned company, while Eileen
Nunes and Corinne Ashley manage
the day-to-day operations in our tast-
ing room.”
Alex MacMiller was hired to assist
Richard and his crew of farmworkers
with planting new trees and main-
taining the groves. He also mills the
olives at the estate mill while his wife,
Michelle, manages the company’s
social media accounts.
Garnering medals this year in
Paso Robles, New York, Japan, and
Greece has inspired the family to keep
moving forward and improving every
aspect of their family-owned business.
Tasting room and
home goods store in
downtown Paso Robles
“We are expanding our
production from 5,000 trees in
San Luis Obispo County to over
20,000,” Miller said. “As from the
beginning, all will be planted,
cared for, and picked by hand.
We are continuing to focus on
how to make the best olive oil,
not only in California but world-
wide.”
Gorgeous tasting room in
downtown Paso Robles
When it comes to enjoying a
unique tasting experience of fab-
ulous and healthy olive oils, the
ambiance of the Sunshine Olive
Oil tasting room and home goods
store in downtown Paso Robles
is unsurpassed. Its welcoming
setting includes a wow factor
Miller describes as “eclectic and
boujee” that somehow manages
to maintain a large portion of its
original Paso Robles history.
Featuring stamped ceilings,
original 100-year-plus hardwood
floors adorned with cowhides
and tapestry rugs, and a tasting
bar made of English Pine topped
with marble, the store definitely
has what Miller refers to as “a lit-
tle French Je ne sais quoi” mixed
with an undeniable Western
flair. Under the sparkle of crystal
chandeliers lie beautiful treasures
for the home and garden includ-
ing tea towels and tablecloths
from France and Denmark, olive
wood products, jams, soaps, gift
baskets, and more.
“Eileen and Corinne do an
amazing job running the store,”
Miller said. “They can answer
questions about all of our home
goods, and love sharing our
amazing olive oils with everyone.
They provide a tasting experi-
ence that is educational and
inspiring.”
During tastings, they like to
start visitors off with a lighter
oil before moving on to one with
a more heavy, spicy, pungent
flavor. Many people like to taste
vinegar as well, including some
Balsamic and local, wine-based
offerings.
The Miller family: Alex, Chloe, Catherine and Gary, with chihuahuas Diva and Lilly.