Lush vineyards of ONX Estate Vineyards.

What happens in the vineyard ends up in your glass!

—Whether you are just starting to get into the wine scene, a more advanced oenophile, or a dirt geek interested in understanding more about what it means to produce terroir-driven wines showing a sense of place, ONX is a must-visit, as they check all the boxes. Visit their Tin City tasting room, be greeted with smiles and enthusiasm and be welcomed into a best friend’s comfortable living room. This is the ONX experience: Fine wine, a relaxed setting, education, humor, and great hospitality.

Put an ONX visit and tasting experience on your Paso Robles destination list.

Sip, learn, enjoy

A visit to the ONX tasting room exposes you to award-winning wines, hand-crafted under the professional guidance of Drew Nenow, head winemaker since 2018. Drew has wine in his veins-being the nephew of the owners/winemakers of Napa’s Behrens & Hitchcock (Behrens Family) boutique winery.

During your tasting, you enjoy a variety of their current releases. Depending on availability, it may also include a library wine or two. Drew’s only rule in making fine wines is that there are no rules. Every year and every vintage are different, so get ready because each tasting of his creations will be different from the previous.

ONX is primarily a blend house, but don’t overlook the single varietals they produce, especially their Fiery Nights Syrah and Black Orchid Petite Syrah. All except two wines are estate-grown.

A new, micro-production luxury brand called Kiler Canyon Vineyards has been introduced from the Willow Creek Estate. The 2020 vintage is available for purchase when booking the Cellar’d experience.

ONX Production team: Sam Carlson, Cellar Assistant; Phoebe Bartoldus, Enologist; Lauren Fessenden, Associate
Winemaker; Drew Nenow, Winemaker; Matt Siegrist, Cellar Master.

Due to the Templeton Gap’s uniqueness, ONX grows over twenty grape varietals, including Rhone, Bordeaux, and Iberian grapes. Additionally, due to the terroir, microclimates, geography, and geology, ONX also grows several whites, including viognier and picpoul blanc. There are approximately 127 planted acres, producing 18 varietals; with the addition of the Willow Creek Vineyard, there are an additional three varietals. A certified sustainable winery, ONX is working on converting all of its vineyard operations to fully organic.

As you sip the wines, your host explains the grape and its characteristics and flavor profiles, including growing and harvesting practices. Jeff Strekas, Director of Wine Growing, has been working with ONX since 2012 and led the way, focusing on creative blending, whether it was a Rhone blend, a Rhone/Bordeaux blend, or even a Rhone/Bordeaux/Iberian varietal blend. Paso Robles and ONX stand out because they weave a tapestry of grapes showing off expressions from various terroirs, creating unique, masterful, exciting, and interesting wines.

Jeff oversees all the vineyard and grape-growing activities. Starting his career as a biochemical engineer he has an encyclopedic mind, an artistic and creative bend. Good luck if you ever get into a trivia contest with him about any subject! Jeff is part of an integral team, and each person brings unique attributes to create the final boutique product, ONX.

Experience ONX your way

ONX experiences fit anyone’s interest level. Sit back and enjoy your tasting in a comfortable, relaxed setting, or explore a deep dive with vineyard tours or even in-home tastings. To get your wine salivary glands working, here are just a few of the options that await you in your wine journey:

• Tin City Winery/Tasting Room experience: Sample various current-release ONX wines (which may include some library selections) in the comfortable tasting room. Relax indoors or outdoors as your wine host guides you through the current tasting menu while explaining the ONX story and philosophy.
• Cellar’d Tasting: Consider booking this private winery and cellar tour for a deep dive into ONX wines and winemaking. Learn more about the details, intricacies, and the hows and whys of winemaking. During this special tour and tasting, you are treated to ONX’s small production and library wines, paired with an artisanal charcuterie platter that will make your senses sing.
• Vineyard Tour and Picnic in the Vineyard: Awake your inner wine geek with one of these simply astonishing tours. Not only are you treated to a selection of wines while touring the vineyard, you also learn about soil, canopy, sustainability, organic growing techniques, and harvest, coming away with a better appreciation of what goes into putting wine in the bottle for you to enjoy. Touring the vineyard, sipping, and enjoying the natural surroundings is captivating.
• In-home experiences: ONX offers two different in-home experiences: a virtual tasting with pre-delivered wines or tasting ONX in the comfort of your own home, on your schedule, with an ONX host who will come to you!

The ONX Tin City tasting room is located at 2910 Limestone Way, Paso Robles. Open daily 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., last tasting at 4:00 p.m. For reservations, vineyard experiences, or more information visit onxwines.com, or call (805) 400-0956.

—Don Sonderling. Don Sonderling is a freelance writer covering California’s unique lifestyle culture of wine, food, and adventure from Southern California up through Napa and beyond. He may be reached at: donsonderling@gmail.com.