They moved to Edna Valley! And I think that was a smart business decision. Their wines are great and the wine maker is renowned in the area. We came for a ReSiprocal tasting for February and loved the wines so much, we bought a bottle to save for the home. Service was great and personable! We didn't have a reservation but they were able to accommodate us. They are only open on certain days of the week, not every day so check their website before heading here. We sat at their temporary tasting room, which had a great view of the farms! read more

Stephen Ross Wine Cellars - Upstairs temporary tasting room space in Edna Valley - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

See all

Outdoor tasting, amazing wine, and good people. That is what Stephen Ross Wine Cellars is all about.  You may not have come across this winery when looking for wine tasting rooms down in the San Luis Obispo or Edna Valley (ava) area. However, you will be missing out if you don't veer of the beaten path and head out for an adventure (you will not be sorry). Tucked inside the south end of San Luis Obispo the winery is located in a nice quiet area just a little off South Higuera. I have been here many times before, and usually the tastings were held inside their comfy tasting room. If a special event or just lucky you can get the treat get to taste in their production/barrel room (is this where the term barrel-o-fun comes from?).  The latest trip, due to the current safety requirements, the tasting were held just outside the tasting room on a nice set of tables with a new sun screen. Reservations were a snap (or call) and easy to work with their system and the staff were super helpful. Here is the most important part! The wines here are extraordinary, and would have to say some of the best Pinot Noir here in California. With the amazing soils (like Stone Corral and Bien Nacido) and the magic touch from winemaker Stephen Dooleys, these wines and especially the Pinot are not to be missed. The price considering the quality is reasonable and easy to pick up a few bottles to enjoy later. Now I need to figure out a pairing to pull together for dinner (hmm?). One of the things I appreciate about this winery and tasting room is their continued focus on the small touches they put on the experience and their special events. Previously I had attended a special tasting tour and this winery was one of the stops. The team put together and tasting menu with a smelling chart to compare smells and the different wines.  It was well done and loved how they really focused on providing value and a great experience for their guests.  If you're planning on some wine tasting or just being adventurous make a slight jaunt off the path and head to Stephen Ross Wine Cellars for a pinot and get to meet their team and wine family.  Be sure to put in your review what your favorite pinot was!? Cheers. read more

Stephen Ross Wine Cellars - Barrel room with winemaker Stephen Dooley. Wine for all. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Wonderful wine and wonderful people! We had their wine at our wedding and everyone loved it. Relatives ask for a bottle every time we visit, for good reason! read more

Had some of their wines at Barrels In The Plaza. Was looking forward to visiting. Maybe my tastebuds were off. It wasn't bad, it wasn't good. Just ok. Still bought a couple of bottles that I liked, but for all the good stuff people had told us about the wine I have to say I was a little disappointed. read more

I know very little about wine, but with the help of my knowledgeable wine loving friend, I've now learned that Stephen Ross is at the top of my list in this region. I believe the wine is excellent, but not pretentious or over priced. Try their Rose, do it now! Also, the Grenache...oh wait and their Pinot...oh well, just try them all! read more

Stephen Ross Wine Cellars - All of our wine loot! We couldn't get enough! - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

The tasting spanned an albarino, a chardonnay, and three pinots. I felt their Edna Valley pinots were their strong suit while my girlfriend preferred whites (I didn't mean to make that sound racist). Modestly priced, the whites were both in the mid-20's while the pinots I bought started in the 30's. The $12 tasting fee is waived with $50 purchase. Don't let the industrial park location dissuade from visiting. read more

Amazing wines and great staff. If you are looking for great wines you will find them at Stphen Ross. read more

Stephen Ross Wine Cellars - Fantastic wines! A must stop when in the area. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

I always feel a bit strange writing a bad review when everyone else loves it. The good: the wines were quality. The bad: the service was snooty. I believe we were helped by Mr. Dooley's (owner) wife. She gave the distinct impression, which unfortunately happens at some wineries, that she didn't want to help us because we weren't wealthy. She made minimal conversation and spent all her time chatting with an older couple. It was not busy, only us and the other couple. I tried a couple of times to make conversation--I said something like, "I really enjoyed your chardonnay and the first pinot," which is a cue for tasting room employees to begin talking about those wines. She merely said "good" and returned to the other couple. Well, she doesn't want our business, so we won't be buying these wines! I'll also probably avoid buying Jack and Jillhammer. read more

Stephen Ross wines are hands down the best wines on the Central Coast. I realize that is a strong statement and I do stand by it. My husband loves the Bien Nacido Pinot Noir and my favorite is the Edna Valley Chardonnay. Trust me when I say you can't go wrong here! We have been drinking Stephen Ross regularly for the past 3 years, and it is very difficult to enjoy anything else, as the bar has now been set so high. The tasting room is tucked away behind Trader Joe's, however, very close to downtown SLO as well as Edna Valley if you happen to be out wine tasting. I highly recommend a visit to the tasting room as you will be pleasantly surprised. read more

Completely agree with Gabrielle. We came here after a tasting at Telosa, and the small tasting room that Stephen Ross provided was a breath of fresh air. Ross's wife was behind the counter, and served us some amazing wines. She even took us on a tour of their barrel room. We bought a bottle of their Pinot Noir "Chorro Creek." They have six different types of Pinot - Since they buy a majority of their grapes, they're able to provide a wide array of wines. Here is a link to their current selection: http://www.stephenrosswine.com/current.html Definitely check it out if you're in the area. It's just a minute off of the main road, and completely worth it. read more

Tucked into an unassuming industrial building near Higuera and Suburban on the south side of San Luis Obispo is a hidden gem: Stephen Ross Vineyard. Owner and winemaker Stephen Dooley has been making wine for 40 years and his experience shines through in his wines. High quality estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are synonymous with the Stephen Ross label, and the Flying Cloud label features other varietals and blends from the Central Coast at a very attractive price point. As you walk in the tasting room, you'll notice a lovely large rustic table tucked under the stAirwell overhand. Not only does the winemaker make great wine, he's a fine woodworker too. With high ceilings and a spacious feel, the tasting room is inviting. Sarah poured our tasting and shared more about the winery and focus. Great wines, knowledgable and friendly staff, and a winemaker with serious talent but not pretentiousness result in a thoroughly positive experience. read more

Stephen Ross Wine Cellars - That pretty much sums it up :). - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - San Luis Obispo, California

Case and point that you don't need to have a winery and tasting room smack in the middle of a vineyard to find some phenomenal wine. This tasting room and winery are in a business park -178 Suburban Road I believe. Very incognito. Stephen's experience in creating memorable wine comes as no surprise- trained as a UC Davis Aggie followed by a strong tenure with Louis Martini Winery in St. Helena, later coming into the Edna Valley and making waves amongst local wineries, Stephen Ross wines are the product of knowledge, labor, and true passion for this industry. We walked out with several bottles of Zinfandel and Pinot Noirs which we subsequently brought to a local restaurant; made the somelier taste, and left the somelier with Stephen Ross' contact info to discuss selling his wine. Off the beaten track of the "Zin Alley" and larger labels of Edna Valley, but absolutely worth the detour and potential quest of finding. read more

As others have noted, Stephen Ross wines are first rate. The winery is indeed, a breath of fresh air. Rather than trying to fool you into thinking you are in a hundred year old relic, Stephen Ross sits in a brand new building in an unassuming office park. The tasting experience is different from most other wineries you may visit. It is very likely you are going to have someone pouring you a taste who actually had a hand in making the wine - maybe even Steve himself. My favorite part of the experience was entering the winery and seeing a small hand printed sign on the bar that said something to the effect of, "We are in the back making wine - come find us and we'll gladly pour you some." Which is exactly what we did and boy were we rewarded for the effort. Long story short, we had two cases shipped to us and we will be enjoying Stephen Ross for some time to come. read more

As a wine tour operator that has been uncorking the central coast since 1995, we can't say enough about Stephen Ross. First off the wine is top notch, secondly, the hospitality is the perfect pairing to the excellent wine. The interior has a warm and inviting feel, worth the trip off the beaten wine trail so make sure you make note and stop by soon, you'll be so glad you did! read more

Stephen's wines are not typical of the area, and that is why I live them. He sometimes strays from the "norm", and finds things to put in a bottle that so can't experience anywhere else. His Albariño is as good as the best I have had in Espana. But mostly, I love his Chardonnay (and I don't like Chardonnay)... Please stop in taste, and explore... You won't be disappointed. Just know that he puts his work in the bottle, the tasting room is not a chatty place. read more

Went to this winery for the first time today...loved it! Really delicious wines and the pourer, Maureen, was very nice. Strange location, in industrial area, so they probably don't get super busy. But the tasting room was set up nicely and the wine was great. I recommend Stephen Ross Wines! read more

We did the wine tastings at Stephen Ross, located locally in an office building. The atmosphere was laid back with cool artwork. The wines were all very good--my favorite was the 2010 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon. I walked away with a bottle. The staff were amazing and and answered all our questions. She even talked about her experiences and how to get into the wine business. Overall a wonderful place to check out and our favorite winery of the day. Highly recommended. read more

Such an amazing place went here for Valentine's day weekend and they had a great tasting selection the girl who was working was absolutely great and very knowledgable about all of the wines..we purchased the Albariño and it by far blew my boyfriend and I away such a great tasting wine.. We had a great experience here I highly suggest to stop here when in the SLO area or even if you are not in the area this is a must stop wine tasting room! read more

Besides the fact that it's in an office building, I loved this place. Our host, Jill, was awesome and really knew her stuff. The wines were yummy and not outrageously priced. The decor inside is very up to date and welcoming. Would recommend to anyone looking for a small tasting room experience! read more

Very good wines. Right across from tennis warehouse. So convenient for drunk tennis matches. Great service and sweet jams in the background.

I've been to many tasting rooms and wineries on the Central Coast and Stephen Ross Wine Cellars is really one of the best. The location isn't in the middle of some grand estate in the country but who cares. The wines are first rate my favorite was the 2008 Chorro Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir. The staff is so good at explaining the nuances of the wines and they don't make you feel stupid for asking questions. read more

The wine tasting room is located in an industrial section of San Luis Obispo just off the 101 Highway. Very good Pinot Noir. I purchased three bottles and the tasting fee was waived. Not very busy on a Thursday, but parking could be a problem on the weekend. read more

Right outside SLO, this was a enjoyable experience. Rachel was the tasting room hostess , who was approachable, knowledgeable and friendly. The Pinots were both a different style- one quite complex with minerals on the nose and front pallete , a nuance of fruit which captured my interest. My personal fav was the 100%Grenache, which was a lovely shade of burgundy , with essence of cherries, plums and a hint of something of the mouthfeel of a berry tart.The finnish left me thinking it would complement a Hungarian Goulash or a Lamb and Veal Gyros Wrap ! read more

I have been here few times to do tastings. The tasting experience I've had Stephen Ross is the best out of the experiences I've had at local tasting rooms. The tasting room attendant I've had is very knowledgeable and doesn't rush you through your tasting. And, most importantly, I love their wine. They have a wine for everyone. They have light, refreshing wines (like their Grenache Blanc) and fuller body wines (like their Pinot Noirs). read more

We found a very warm welcome, some well-aged wisdom about winemaking, and of course some delightful wine. Great-hearted people!

Wow! Just pricked up our fall red wine collection. We are not great pinot noir fans, but I had to write. The Edna Valley Estate Bottled Pinot Noir, is one of the best reds we have EVER had, regardless of variety. It is so smooth, flavorful, fruity, without being overly so. Magnificent. We will be purchasing more of these bottles of Pinot from the winery soon. We are true zin and cab fans. And, Ross doesn't produce so many of these varieties, at least since we have been part of the wine club. This bottle alone makes up for any missed zin or cab. It is so smooth on the tongue and lingers ever so slightly with almost a sweet aftereffect. Not being an official wine describer, I hope you understand this is just an exceptional bottle of wine. Thank you Paula and Stephen and staff. Thank you for your hard work and all your efforts. You continuously exceed our expectations especially for a smaller winery. Bravo! May you enjoy a great wine year. dia read more

Great flight of wines w/ the Zin being atypical....still a big beginning, but not a fruit basket like so many others....

Tastings are $10. For that we got 5 small pours. The tasting was very rushed. She started pouring the next wine before everyone in our group had finished the previous wine. The wines are generally light and non-traditional. read more

I thought his was a strange location for a winery/tasting room, but am so glad I went. I am now a big fan of this urban winery with its delicious high quality wines, friendly and very knowledgeable staff and it is great to be able to see the wine making process happening right behind the bar! read more