Check my reviews, I don't do a lot of winery reviews. Wine is a very individual choice type of review. One person's preference might not be the next person's. And that does not mean one is better than the other. Wine preferences are individual. Does that make sense? There has to be something that sets a winery apart. This place has it. It is LEED Gold certified. I can't think of anyone else in the area has this designation. The setting is spectacular. The other (and probably most overt to tasters), is the savory cookie pairing.There are several local wineries doing pairings. They are usually cheese or small bites. The savory cookie pairing is an ingenious idea that originated at Shale Oak and that they should patent. The 4-5 pairings show the wine's true potential. Our favorites at the the time of this review were the lemon cookie with a dusting of curry (my husband doesn't usually do curry) with I think Albariño and the lavender thyme cookie with the Ku blend. However, all the pairings were original, enough for 2 to share and really made the quality of wine shine through. Put it this way- an oxidized, high VA wine would not work with these pairings. Just go and do the savory cookie pairing for $20 bucks. read more

Amazing building, tasteful selection and friendly tasting room staff, the perfect way to kick off our day of wine tasting. Loved the 2012 Cab Sauv!!! Will definitely be back again!! read more

Had a really lovely time at Shale Oak! The wines were delish and they had live music on Saturday afternoon The staff were very friendly as well. Definitely will return. read more

While their wine is overall good what made our experience unpleasant was the tasting room attendant who turned out to be racist. She was very rude to us while she was very nice to the White people sitting to the left and right of us. She sped through our tastings and gave us less wine per taste compared to our neighbors. She never looked at us straight in the eye and never smiled directly towards us just had a mad look the whole time. It felt like it could be a story out of the 50-60's civil rights era. We thought either that or maybe she's not used to seeing tanned people more successful than her :-) so we just felt bad, though we didn't need to. We even bought a couple bottles at the end of our tasting. read more

Went here on Saturday 3/16/13 which was our ZInfandel festival. We got there late in the afternoon and they were not very busy. The service was terrible, the tasting room attendants were NOT very attentive and when we got there one of them tried to put us next to the cash register rather than letting us know there were tables outside and inside we could sit at and taste. We had to ask about the tables and went outside. The tasting attendant outside had her puppy there which was very cute but they were all more concerned with the puppy then serving wine. Our table and other tables outside had to go inside to get more wine and we waited there too until finally another attendant helped us. Again there were only about 6 of us at the counter. The wines are really good but based on the tasting room service, we will not be going back or recommend it. read more

Shale Oak winery is a "must stop" when out tasting in Paso Robles. The building is beautiful and constructed using recycled materials. The Staff was very friendly and helpful. Katie was knowledgeable about the selections we tried and went out of her way to make our visit pleasant. She even helped us plan our next stops! I highly recommend visiting Shale Oak. read more

First time in Paso wine tasting, after tasting at 6 other winery's this was by far the best experience with the best wines.

Visited this beautiful winery during Zin Fest. The owner served our tastings and even upgraded us to the Girl Scout tasting for free. Winery is very modern and the atmosphere is amazing. This place is a must visit while in Paso Robles. read more

Gale is amazing and made our experience very special! I would recommend this winery for anyone who loves wine, eco-friendly, and nature! Wonderful time! read more

Checked out Shale Oak for my friend's bachelorette party and it was amazing. Brought lunch and set up in the back patio, what an awesome experience! read more

What a little slice of heaven to spend an afternoon, not to mention delicious wines from start to finish! As a Bay Area native who's visited a fair share of wineries, I only wish this was closer so I could enjoy it more. I was apart of a group tour that visited and they came and greeted us with a glass of wine as we arrived and escorted us to their beautiful tasting room. Even though I am a red wine lover at heart, I have never met so many white wines I've equally been in love with. My only regret is their club shipments are 3 times a year instead of 4! read more

Great friendly service and delicious wine. Beautiful setting with live music that really made the day. Would recommend!

A non traditional tasting experience but our favorite of the day! Very good wines, an inside/outside tasting space, and reasonable tasting fee policy (they waived our four fees for a two bottle purchase). We sat outside on the back patio where they had a live ukulele musician playing at just the right volume to allow for conversation with a nice sonic backdrop. The service was friendly and our attendant explained the eco features of the winery and LEED certified building. I would come back again, especially with a bigger group since the patio has plenty of space. read more

We were recommended to see this winery from another winery! I had the best red wine (Cab) that I have ever tasted but of course it was limited edition so I was only able to get one bottle and shortly after they were gone. We decided to join the club and they never disappoint. We are too far away to enjoy the winery very often but it is our first stop when we do. They are sustainable, green and innovative. read more

This is a nice find. Paso Robles has many fine wineries with tasting rooms, but this is worth a visit for their commitment to providing good wines in an attractive and thought-provoking setting. This is a beautiful tasting room. It reminds me of the "Glass Church" in Palos Verdes Peninsula, but it is LEED certified and pretty much everything here is repurposed/recycled. I wish there were more examples of this in the area. read more

Great small winery with excellent ambiance and outstanding wine. Affordable wines and unpretentiousness staff. Our first time here and we are sold. We will always come back here. read more

This was the first stop on our wine tasting tour and this place is amazing! The building is gorgeous and every part of the building is recycled from different things. I believe the roof is a recycle bridge. They are pet friendly and they have large tables for big groups which we used to eat our lunch and cheeses that we had brought to eat with our wines. The servers were very knowledgable and very accommodating. Can't wait to go back and try their larger wine tasting rather than the 6-7 wines we had. I also purchased the white wine that they sell because it was a good balance between a sweet and dry taste. read more

LOVE this sustainable winery so much we joined their wine club. Not only is Joanne an extremely knowledgeable sommelier, she is also a very hospitable manager and took the time to take us on a tour. Looking forward to making a trip up again to spend more time here and share with friends in this beautiful setting. read more

This winery focuses on sustainability- with the wines and the stunning building and grounds. It looks quite modern, but hospitable none the less. We rolled up on a Tuesday afternoon, not realizing they aren't open on Tuesdays. The woman (owner I think) invited us in anyway! She was having a small event but let us taste and look around! So hospitable! This would be a great place to picnic and sip wine outside as well. She sells sustainably made goods in the tasting room too- like jewelry and bags made of cork! Check out this place and Red Soles across the street for great but very different wine tasting experiences! read more

This was the first stop of our weekend trip to SLO & Paso Robles. It was a rainy day and we were unable to have a picnic in their very nice picnic area, but the tasting was quite fun. We were the only guests at the time and we had all the attention! Eight wines we tasted were all so nice. I purchased a couple of bottles :-) In the tasting building, there is a nice stylish sofas and a stove. The color scheme is very different from any other places I've been to. Nature, eco, modern, hospitality - these are the words I'd describe this place. I would definitely come back in another season to enjoy the outdoor as well. Oh, and thank you for the mystery flight menu which is suppose to bloom if I plant it in the dirt! read more

We took my grandmother to Shale Oak on Sat for her birthday. And by "we" I mean my entire family including my twin toddlers. They had live music and a food truck and thought maybe the kids could hang on the patio for a few, but then we would have to leave as fellow winery goers do not want to hear loud toddlers. The winery and patio were absolutely serene. The music was amazing. Local talent that truly impressed an avid music lover like myself. Angela, the winery manager, accommodated our large party easily and gracefully. My kids loved dancing to the music and the food from the food truck was amazing. We were able to stay for 3 hours because my kids had such a blast and did not disrupt other patrons because of Angela's hospitality. We will definitely be back!! What a great day!! read more

This was my third trip to Shale Oak and I give it very mixed reviews. The water odor in the bathroom MUST be addressed. I used the lavoratory before beginning my wine tasting. Bad idea! The odor of their water was on my hands for hours afterwards. It DID interfere with what little wine I tasted. A bigger interference with the tasting was the lack of service. Of the four people behind the counter, only one seemed to be doing any work. The manager was tending to some administrative tasks, One young woman was so mesmerized by one couple that she was oblivous to anything else in the room. And one young man stood dumbly behind the counter. I guess his job was to smile benevolently because he sure as hell wasn't working. I was left unattended for about 10 minutes. I finally complained that there was a problem with their service. The manager offered to comp me my tasting. But I was so irritated at being treated like the Invisible Middle Aged Woman by a bunch of millennials that I decided to leave instead of completing my tasting. Otherwise, the building and the atmosphere at the winery are lovely. Nevertheless, there are a lot of other wineries in town. It will be a while before I go there again. read more

We fell upon this winery looking for a place where Will Bremen (from The Voice) was playing in Central Coast, and we're so pleasantly surprised by the hospitality even over the phone. The staff was amazingly welcoming & the winery is stunning!! So blessed to have found this gem! Angela Katie and Gayle were so accommodating and warm. We'll be back soon!! read more

Good selection of wines. All were very good - white blend, Zinfandel, cab, petit verdot. None of their wines were over $32. I ended up joining their wine club. The tasting room is beautiful, too. It was a joy to be there. read more

I LOVE this place! It's so pretty and the wine is amazing. Lots of great places to sit and unwind. Pick from the couple of patios out front with oak barrel furniture or cozy couches or inside with cool couches and a great view thru the amazing window wall! You can sit at the picnic patio with great tables and chairs or the upper patio or walk down to the super long bar in the woods. They have a few small nibbles but not a full food menu. They do a wine and cookie pairing that looks awesome. I'll have to try that next time. They give a generous pour when you order a glass. Great spot! read more

This is an amazing winery and tasting room. They have great girls working in the tasting room and everytime you go its a fun experience. Only 5 wines, but some of the best ive tasted.. Their Syrah is my favorite. Check them out.. read more

The wine and cookie pairing sounded amazing and it is what brought us here. We stayed outside and everything was so lovely and peaceful the staff was so friendly and helpful. It really was great service but we weren't fans of the cookies or the wines. The experience however was great. read more

this is a hidden gem! You'll love the architecture, you'll love the wines, you'll love the people serving them. You wont love missing out on this place, so make sure you put it on your agenda. read more

Nice wines. I loved that they gave us a palate cleanser in between the wines. I bought some of the Petit Verdot (I love this varietal on it's own). Our server was sweet and helpful. The building was very unique and if you like structural photography this might be a good place to go. I definitely will be back... read more

Wine poured We tried. We really tried to like it...but We dumped Walked out before the tasting was done. The place is decorated really nicely! Maybe a little few more years and the wine will match the building. read more

Shale Oak winery is fully sustainable and absolutely amazing. Joanne greeted us at the car with our first tasting and gave us a brief overview of the winery. She gave us the 5-star treatment and helped kick start an unforgettable girls weekend. I ended up buying 3 bottles of the sirah, it was so damn tasty! Thank you for everything Joanne, we had such a great time at Shale Oak! read more

Such a relaxing winery with good wine. They were nice enough to allow us to taste outside, as it was such a beautiful day. It had such a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. Their whites were refreshing and light and my favorite was their rose. read more

I have to re-review Shale Oak Winery because I recently used their newly furnished secluded picnic area for a birthday brunch. SOW offers multiple picnic areas and this are is a little more private, located just above the tasting room and winery facility among the oak trees. The staff at SOW were very accommodating and made sure that my group had everything that we needed to make a fabulous afternoon. I have been receiving rave reviews from friends and family that attended the party. We love the location, wines and everything about SOW. We will be back soon! read more

Good wine. Try the KU - not to be missed. Beautiful place. Great outdoor seating. Try not to visit the restroom - smell do to using reclaimed water is pretty bad. read more

Amanda and Katie were so accommodating and sweet to our group of 11 ! They sold us a bottles and gave us a beautiful spot up top to relax and enjoy our time . 10/10 would come again! Thank you ! read more

Great place. Fun, good wine, and Eco-friendly sustainable growing and operating. Beautiful tasting outside. I believe Danielle (sorry if I got it wrong) helped us and she was great. Entire staff was friendly and helpful. I would stop here again. read more

This place made a profound impression on me. Every red we tried here was remarkable. I enjoyed the contemporary architecture and the patio area was inviting. read more

Really cool winery. If you go you have to do the "savory cookies and wine paring" amazing how they enhanced the wines. Loved that it was pet friendly as well. Very cool contemporary decor. read more

They had a very good white wine selection and their rose was very light and smooth. They also have a brownie pairing with the wine that's and additional $19 but worth it! read more

Beautiful location and great wines. Great service ask for Gayle...she's the best. The building is beautiful.