Dark Star Cellars
Dark Star Cellars
5
10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Dark Star was established in 1994. We are conveniently located just two miles west of the 101, just off of the 46 on Anderson Road. Dark Star makes small lots of premium, hand-crafted wines, including traditional Bordeaux and Rhône styles, creative California blends, and some things not everyone has: Montepulciano, Tempranillo, Viognier, Roussanne, Rosé of Grenache and a Port. Our menu presently includes about twenty different varietals and blends. Drop by and visit our spacious indoor tasting room and outdoor patio, both with comfortable seating. Bring your own picnic and enjoy wine by the glass, or Dark Star snacks if it is your lucky day. Dark Star is pet and family friendly. Check out our observation beehive, free-range chickens and winery cats. Taste eight-ish wines for a twenty -dollar tasting fee, waived with a bottle purchase. Check the darkstarcellars.com "events" page for our regular music events and parties.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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Popular mentions
5.0
24 reviews
Excellent
21
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
stacewells
Oakland, CA70 contributions
Jul 2023
Dark Star is a gem we're glad we discovered.
The winemaker and folks in the tasting room were friendly and generous.
The wine was great and we took a few bottles to go.
The winery seemed very kid and dog friendly.
We were able to camp overnight in our van by reserving a space through Harvest Host and found the location private and quiet.
We very much enjoyed our visit. Highly recommend.
The winemaker and folks in the tasting room were friendly and generous.
The wine was great and we took a few bottles to go.
The winery seemed very kid and dog friendly.
We were able to camp overnight in our van by reserving a space through Harvest Host and found the location private and quiet.
We very much enjoyed our visit. Highly recommend.
Written July 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MDamato2015
Saint Paul, MN2 contributions
Jul 2015 • Couples
Having been to many vineyards, wineries, and tasting cellars over the years, I have found that my most memorable experiences have been about more than just the wine. That is not to say the quality of the wine doesn't matter, drinking great wine is always a fond memory in and of itself, but certain places stand out as bringing more than just wine to the experience, and those have always been the most memorable.
Dark Star was one of those places that brought something more to the table than simply a bottle and glass.
An unassuming, yet surprisingly charming location, with a stylishly decorated tasting room and gift shop, was such an inviting back drop for tasting some really good examples Paso Robles styled wines.
Susan Benson was pouring the wines that day and sharing her and husband Norm's story behind the orgin of Dark Star, as well as describing all the details about each of the wines we were tasting. Yes, most every wine tasting comes with descriptions about the wines, but some people just bring more joy and personality to the experience, and Susan was so much fun to talk to and taste with.
Oh, and the wine was great!
So make sure to include Dark Star on your list next time you are tasting and touring in Paso Robles!
Dark Star was one of those places that brought something more to the table than simply a bottle and glass.
An unassuming, yet surprisingly charming location, with a stylishly decorated tasting room and gift shop, was such an inviting back drop for tasting some really good examples Paso Robles styled wines.
Susan Benson was pouring the wines that day and sharing her and husband Norm's story behind the orgin of Dark Star, as well as describing all the details about each of the wines we were tasting. Yes, most every wine tasting comes with descriptions about the wines, but some people just bring more joy and personality to the experience, and Susan was so much fun to talk to and taste with.
Oh, and the wine was great!
So make sure to include Dark Star on your list next time you are tasting and touring in Paso Robles!
Written July 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leadville98
Athens, GA204 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
We have been club members for years after stumbling on a bottle of Dark Star in Atlanta (from back when it was distributed in more states than it is now), and were finally able to come to see where the magic happens. Husband even finagled a tour out of Norm-what a treat! The blends here are the best-I'm a fan of Chain Reaction, but Anderson Road, Left Turn and Ricordati are all fantastic as well. For those who don't already love the wines, don't be put off by the less chic surroundings, give it a try.
Written April 7, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Darcy S
Riverside, CA764 contributions
Oct 2018 • Friends
Such a cute and rustic winery ~ the day we went, they had a band and food available with wine tastings. $10 for 8 tastings. We didn't stay long enough to sample all their wines available. All wines we tasted were pretty good.
Written October 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
flippytoetap
115 contributions
Dec 2016 • Friends
Paul is a kind, generous and knowledgeable host. Wines are delicious and we were even given tacos to snack on free of charge. Only estate that stays open late (until 7). An absolute must, make sure you stop in!
Written December 30, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert W
87 contributions
On our way to the coast one year we stopped at Dark Star Cellars. No real reason to do so but we are very glad we did. They treated the young son like visiting royalty and the wine tasting was fair and generous. It bears emphasis that the folks at Dark Star utilize environmentally correct farming procedures and then make a top notch wine. We have had some of the best French and California wines and their wines compare very favorably. At the opening of Petty and Warshawsky, Attorneys at Law, we served their wine exclusively and received rave reviews. The prices are good and their product surperb. Shipping is available, which we do as we live several hours away. Excellent winery.
Written July 19, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diana B
Fayetteville, AR416 contributions
Dec 2019
Our last stop before heading out of town. The wines were good. The staff was friendly and super knowledgable. I definitely will be visiting again!
Written December 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mrs_Kenobi
Rancho Cucamonga, CA1,139 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
We loved the rustic, casual atmosphere, and our friends even joined the wine club. This is a terrific "Paso" winery to visit. They are low key, casual, and relaxed--plus the wines are delicious. Definitely drop by if you are in the area.
Written May 28, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thetipsydutchman
Pflugerville, TX352 contributions
Oct 2017 • Friends
Loved Dark Star! Can't believe I've never been before. Tasting room has a great indoor/outdoor flow. Bar area is huge with plenty of room. Plenty of seating inside and outside. They had live music, which was great. They even have a cool bee hive feature that was pretty cool. Huge lists of wines with plenty of options for everyone. A few whites, with a long list of reds. They have a Montepulciano that was outstanding. The only reason I'm giving a 4 and not a 5 rating is because the guy behind the bar could have been more helpful. He didn't really give us any info on the wines we tried. We left with 10 bottles so obviously we still enjoyed our visit.
Written October 16, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul D
Fresno, CA79 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
This place is small and special. When we first arrived we were greeted like family. It's pretty low key and the wines are excellent. We especially enjoyed the Roussane, Rose and Tempranillo, but wound up taking home a mixed case. We were there on a weekday and Paul, the winemaker, gave us a tour of the winery. He is not only knowledgeable about wine and wine making, but he is passionate about his craft. It is fun and enlightening to listen to him. We can't wait to go back.
Written August 11, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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