The Central California city of Paso Robles, which in Spanish translates as "the Pass of the Oaks", lies north of San Luis Obispo on the Salinas River. Originally the home of the native Salinan people, the area was part of a land grant purchased from Mexico in 1857, at which point it began to attract cattle ranchers, farmers, and winemakers. The first train arrived in 1886, and three years later the city of Paso Robles was incorporated. Today the city is known for its hot springs, wineries, almond orchards, olive oil production, and of course breweries. I mean, what’s not to like? When I was growing up I often passed through this area with my family on our summer holidays, and we had friends who owned a Black Angus ranch just outside the nearby town of Templeton, where my dad taught me to drive our VW Fastback when I was 14. When I was old enough to (legally) drive and would go camping on the coast with friends, I would often stop at a winery or two in this area where we would pick up a couple of bottles -- or even a gallon jug -- of zinfandel or cabernet sauvignon. | ![]() |