Calcareous Vineyard is tucked away in the hills of Paso Robles, with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape. The name of the winery is drawn from the calcareous lime-rich clay soils that the property sits on which give the wines their character. The new-ish tasting room is nicknamed "Lloyd's Lookout" after the winery's cofounder, Lloyd Messer. This was our first stop of the day, and we had the tasting room all to ourselves. We were assisted by a young fellow named Erik, who was both friendly and knowledgeable. At $15, the tasting was reasonably priced, and the fee was waived with a 3-bottle purchase. Our tasting consisted of 2 whites (Chardonnay and a Rhone Blend) and 2 reds (a Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel), and an additional bonus pour of "Lloyd," a Bordeaux-style blend. All the wines were solid, but I enjoyed the "Lily Blanc" blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Viognier the best.

This is definitely a great spot to pop a bottle and enjoy a picnic lunch. There is a cute outdoor area just outside the tasting room with several tables with umbrellas, and even a cornhole set made from a wine barrel. On "Wine Down Wednesdays", they keep the tasting room open late and make pizzas in a giant pizza oven that sits outside, adjacent to the tasting room. All-in-all, we really enjoyed our visit to Calcareous and wouldn't hesitate to stop by the next time we are in Paso.