The Emergence of Paso Robles (and surrounding areas) as a Wine Destination.

PASO ROBLES:Grapegrowingandwinemakingstartedasearlyas1797withtheadventofSpanishMissionaries; but wasn’t until the introduction of six established wineries in the 1940s that Paso Robles visibly had a future as a premium California wine region. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the wine region continued to grow, but there was not a single winery producing at a national level until the arrival of Gary Eberle. Through hard work and perseverance, Eberle established this newly developed wine country as a premium wine region and successfully directed the attention of the wine world, consumers and media alike, to one of the brightest and most up-and-coming California wine appellations: Paso Robles.

GARY EBERLE, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, started his college career in 1962 at Pennsylvania State University, where he balanced his duties as a defensive tackle for the football team and an undergraduate biology student. After graduation Eberle moved to Louisiana where he did his graduate work in cellular genetics at Louisiana State University (LSU).

While at LSU, a professor introduced Eberle to the decadent world of food and wine. After extensively tasting first and second growth Bordeaux from his professor’s cellar, Eberle quickly took a keen interest in Cabernet Sauvignon. It was then that he began envisioning the creation of an American wine that would rival those of Bordeaux. He soon found himself on his way to California and enrolling in the enology doctorate program at U.C. Davis.

EBERLE WINERY was not Gary Eberle’s first venture when he arrived in Paso Robles. After finishing his work at U.C. Davis, Eberle moved to Paso Robles and began his career by co-founding the Estrella River Winery in 1973 (now Meridian Vineyards & Winery). After several successful years at Estrella River, Eberle refocused his attention and desire to produce premium, small production wines. Moving only a few miles towards downtown Paso Robles, Eberle soon started his own prestigious label which debuted officially with release of Eberle’s flagship wine, the 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon.

With the establishment of his own label and 38-acre Estate Winery, Eberle continued his vision by co-founding the Paso Robles Appellation in 1983 with Herman Schwartz, Vic Roberts and Tom Meyer. Shortly thereafter, in 1983, Eberle opened doors to his newly built redwood winery, sharing his passion for fine wines and food with everyone near and far.

Today, as guests arrive to visit the Eberle tasting room and take guided tours, they are greeted by Gary’s two standard poodles, appropriately named Roussanne and Sangiovese, as well as the famous bronze Porcelino (Wild Boar) statue, a replica of the original in Florence, Italy. And, after 35 years of fine winemaking, the Eberle logo remains the designated ‘small wild boar,’ the literal translation of the German name ‘Eberle’ into English.

EBERLE WINERY P.O. Box 2459 Paso Robles, Ca 93447 Ph: 805.238.9607 F: 805.237.0344 WWW.EBERLEWINERY.COM