Paso Robles Winery Reviews (Continued): Sextant Wines

We entered Sextant through huge wooden double doors into a lovely long oval bar, where we were greeted by servers and a copy of the wine tasting menu. The atmosphere was relaxing, with wood carved waves on the ceiling enhanced by blue optic lights creating an illusion of flowing water overhead.

We stood at the large central bar, reviewing the tasting menu. There are no barstools or chairs (similar to the other tasting rooms we visited), except in a private room reserved for wine club members. Behind us, large windows provided views to the room holding tankards of chilled product.

The menu started with a rosé, and moved up to reds. I am not much of a rosé person, so waited for the reds to be presented. The tasting fee was $20. My husband and I shared the glass (so our total fee was $20), each taking sips of the samples, which was plenty, considering we planned on visiting 4 wineries that day.

Our server engaged us in great conversation, laced with information about the wines and local vineyards, although we felt the depth of information we garnered at Sextant was not nearly as thorough or knowledgeable as the other wineries we visited on our trip.

Overall, the wines were nice enough, but we really didn’t connect with Sextant the way we did with some of the other wineries. The prices per bottle also seemed higher than the other tasting rooms (not that the wines were not lovely), and more than we were willing to spend. This was actually the only winery we did not buy a bottle of wine on our afternoon sojourn. As it turns out, some local stores carry Sextant wines, whereas several of the other wineries we visited do not sell bottles except at the winery or through their wine club. Would I consider going back? Possibly. But I’m more likely to revisit one of my two favorites from last trip, due to the overall enjoyment of the experience, the people, and the wines themselves.

If you go to Sextant, make sure to check ahead for wine tasting room hours. As with all of the tasting rooms we visited, hours are limited. You’ll want to plan your trip ahead. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, since you will be standing during your tasting.

If you want to know more about wine tasting etiquette or the other wineries we visited on our recent trip to Paso Robles, click here.

Happy Wine Tasting!

Miffie