Paso Robles on a plate, poured right
Downtown Paso Robles · Paso Robles · Italian-influenced American, upscale casual · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 22, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Cello Ristorante & Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're inside a resort, but the wine list doesn't feel like an afterthought coasting on location. The Paso Robles AVA gets top billing here, and that's exactly right — you're in the backyard of some of California's most interesting Rhône and Cabernet country. The list is approachable without being dumbed down.
The list runs 100-150 bottles and leans heavily on local Paso producers — Tablas Creek, Epoch Estate, Justin, and Daou all make appearances, which is the correct call when you're sitting this close to the source. There's enough reach into Napa, Sonoma, and Monterey to keep variety seekers happy, but the soul of the list is Central Coast and it shows. Where it falls a little short is in depth below the headline names — the supporting cast of smaller Paso producers feels thinner than it could be given the geography. Still, for a resort restaurant, it punches above its weight class.
Twenty options by the glass is a legitimately strong program — most resort restaurants phone this in with six bottles and call it a day. The selection rotates enough to stay interesting, and having a sommelier on staff means the pours aren't just whatever the distributor rep pushed that week. We'd like to see a few more adventurous picks in the glass lineup, but what's here is solid.
Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas — $$$
Tablas Creek's flagship Rhône blend is legitimately world-class and often underpriced relative to what it delivers. Drinking this a few miles from the vineyard at a resort restaurant is as close to a fair deal as you'll find on a list that otherwise skews steep.
Epoch Estate Wines
Most tables here are going to reach for Justin or Daou on autopilot — both fine, both safe. Epoch flies under the radar but makes some of the most serious Zinfandel and Rhône-style wines in Paso Robles. If it's on the list, order it before someone else does.
Daou Cabernet Sauvignon
Daou is everywhere right now — on every restaurant list, in every airport wine bar, in your uncle's garage fridge. It's a decent wine but it's also one of the most marked-up labels in California at the moment. You can find it for less almost anywhere else, and you're in Paso Robles — you can do better and more interesting for the same money.
Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas + Wood-fired pizza
The Esprit de Tablas is a Grenache-dominant Rhône blend with enough acid and red fruit to cut through char and cheese without steamrolling the toppings. It's the kind of wine that makes a wood-fired pizza feel like a real meal, not just a snack.
The Bottom Line
Cello is doing the right things for a resort restaurant in wine country — local focus, sommelier on staff, a serious glass program — and it's mostly worth your time. The markup keeps it from being a destination wine experience, but if you're already staying at the Allegretto, this is absolutely where you're drinking tonight.
· Paso Robles · Latin / New American
Luna Red plays it safe with a short, approachable list that prioritizes accessibility over adventure — fair pricing and a generous by-the-glass program make it easy to drink well without overthinking it. The glaring absence of local Paso Robles producers is a head-scratcher for a restaurant sitting in the middle of wine country, but if you grab the Jermann Pinot Grigio or the Dona Paula Malbec, you won't be unhappy. Send a friend here for a casual dinner and decent pours; don't send them here expecting to discover something new.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Paso Robles · French
Cépage is a destination restaurant in a destination wine region — the kind of place you plan a Saturday around, not somewhere you stumble into. The wine program appears honest to its terroir and purpose, though pricing at this caliber of operation rarely favors the guest. If you're already out on Highway 46 with a reservation in hand, you're likely going to have a very good time; just don't arrive expecting a sprawling global list or a killer value-hunting opportunity.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Paso Robles · Mexican / California
Finca is doing something genuinely unusual: a sparkling-forward wine list in a Mexican-California restaurant in Paso Robles, executed with real taste and mostly fair pricing. If you love Champagne, grower bubbles, or just want to drink something unexpected with your meal, this list rewards curiosity. If you need a robust still wine section, look elsewhere — this kitchen paired its cellar to a very specific vision and leaned all the way in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Paso Robles · Wine Lounge
The Piper Wine Lounge punches above its hotel-bar weight class by leaning hard into local producers and offering some genuinely adventurous whites by the glass. Markup is fair across the board, and $15 for Tablas Creek is the kind of detail that earns goodwill fast. If you're staying at Paso Robles Inn or just wandering through town, this is worth a stop — especially if you let the Albariños and Grenache Blancs do the talking.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Paso Robles · Italian / California
Melo Mela Kitchen earns its Wild Card badge because a polished Italian-California kitchen inside a working Paso Robles winery is exactly the kind of unexpected combo that over-delivers. The service reputation is genuinely strong, the setting is hard to beat, and the wine program's regional focus feels earned rather than lazy. If you're driving through wine country and want a sit-down meal where the glass in your hand actually reflects the land outside, this is the move — just book ahead.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Paso Robles · BBQ
Jeffry's is a genuinely interesting concept — Paso Robles wine country meets Central Coast smoke culture — and the downtown setting gives it enough foot traffic to keep things lively. We don't have the full wine list details to make specific bottle calls, so go in curious, ask your server what's local, and let the smoked tri-tip do the rest of the convincing. Worth a visit if you're already in Paso and want wine with your brisket without feeling overdressed.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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