Clesi wines was amazing! We had excellent service and conversation with Adrienne, one of the owners. The Italian wines are balanced and full of flavor. Highly recommend the Sagrantino, the Convivió, the Estate Cuvée and the amphora Aglianico. We loved this place and will be back. Also, the wine dogs give a wonderful welcome! read more

Heidi is a five-star host. Very knowledgeable, very personable and made us feel welcome. The tasting menu it's pretty good, and we wound up purchasing a bit of wine. read more

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Very kick back winery. All Italian style wine. Younger wines during the tasting, so the Sangiovese we did buy will sit for a year or so before opening. The owner is really friendly great service, and he's completely knowledgeable about the area... read more

Great hidden gem in greater Paso ! A winery focusing on Italian grapes? Yes, Please! Great Old World wines in California... what a melding! The owners/winemakers pour their superb wines for the visitors, and we're very hospitable. Signed up for the wine club so I can enjoy these wines all year long! Don't miss them! read more

Clesi Wines - Wineries Near Me - Templeton, California

So glad we were able to taste at Clesi wines! We went home with half a case and our friend joined their club (even though she swore she wasn't joining any other wine clubs!). Adrienne and Chris, the owners and winemakers, were super friendly and knowledgeable. We had the standard tasting and a little more, as we inquired about some wines that weren't on the tasting but either were open or they were willing to open them! Tannic, acidic, complex--perfection for the Cal-Italia style wines that Jim G. and I love! We also had a great time playing with McCoy, their super energetic and friendly dog. Can't wait to enjoy one of their wines again soon and to return to the tasting room; ideally on a warmer day so we can enjoy the outside seating area! read more

Lissa G and I LOVE Italian style wines. Not only were the wines right up our alley but the friendly and knowledgeable owners were great to chat with too. Chris and Adrienne are what is missing in is big corporate wineries. We had a fun time tasting, chatting, and playing with their super energetic dog. The wines were fantastic. No fruity sweet bombs here. Tannic, complex, wines are what we love and all of them fit that mold. read more

Visited Clesi a couple months back and had a fun time! This is not your typical vineyard view winery, but rather a tasting room at what seems to be a working farm. As we drove through the gates, we were greeted by a flock of chickens running around the parking lot. We had a reservation for our party of 4 and were able to sit outside at whichever of the open picnic tables we wanted. We enjoyed a flight of their wines which are all Italian varietals. I hadn't heard of many of the grapes before, but it was a nice change from what I usually drink. My favorite was the Sagrantino, I ended up coming home with a bottle of it. Off to the side of the tasting room was a barn and two pastures of cows. We happened to be there during feeding time so the cows were very loud, it was actually pretty funny and our group got a big kick out of it. We were able to walk over towards the cows with our wine for a better look and listen. read more

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Oh my gosh, this winery is outstandingly gorgeous! I'm so glad we came here today. Becky was such a sweet hostess for us as she poured our tasting. The wines here are so delicious, but seriously, don't miss the location! read more

Clesi Wines - Wineries Near Me - Templeton, California

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What a great stop! We were on a mission to find different wine in paso and we got great Italian wine here. We had a great tasting for an affordable $20 - waived by a 1 bottle purchase. Got to chat with the friendly owners and had a wonderful time. Please stop here when you're in town or if you are a local! Great place, company, wine, and great views too! read more

Clesi is definitely one of my favorite wineries in SLO County. Their selection of Italian varietals is definitely exciting, and it's nice to taste wines that you don't normally see at other wineries in the area. They also have a fantastic library selection if you're into tasting their older wines. Our tasting host was very nice and attentive, always wearing her mask outside around us. She was also very knowledgeable about the wines and Clesi itself. The Clesi outdoor area is extremely beautiful, surrounded by various different oak trees. There is more than ample spacing between the tables to ensure safety, and when my SO and I were there, we were the only guests almost the whole time. I've now been to Clesi twice and bought bottles both times. I'll definitely be coming back more often in the future as I start to venture out more. read more

Adrienne is amazing. The wine is amazing. The winery is quaint and family friendly. Don't miss this family owned, friendly, hospitable winery on your trip... read more

To bring my toddler and let him be able to run around while tasting the only wine of its kind in the whole region? Yep, score. Brought the in-laws with us this time, with their Sicilian roots, it was a blast! Don't miss this one, definitely delicious! read more

If you are looking for a casual and laid back tasting experience off the beaten path with beautiful scenery this could be a great spot for you! Fabulous wines at great prices and a cute pup running around the property. You can hear moos from the nearby cows and enjoy peace and serenity here. A cute spot for a tasting for sure! read more

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We bring the picnic they pour the BEST wines! Convivio & Dolchetto are my favorite. Their rose & Albrino are incredible refreshing white wines. ENJOY! read more

Clesi Wines - Wineries Near Me - Templeton, California

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Wow is all I can say!!! We made reservations for President Weekend in Feb. First time visitors, wines did not disappoint. Had a nice lunch after tasting and purchased several bottles. Tonight 3/10 we opened a bottle of Convivio to have with some burgers. The Convivio paired great with our burger and salad. We will be back next trip to Paso. Clesi is on our top 5 list!! read more

Clesi Wines - Wineries Near Me - Templeton, California

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Given that they don't have an online reservations system, we hoped they would accept us as a walk-in. They did - just like in the pre-Covid days. The warm welcome was consistent with non-corporate wineries in the tight-knit Templeton Gap. My girlfriend enjoyed the wine enough to buy bottles which waived the tasting fee. I was more ambivalent - finding nothing wrong with the Italian varietals but nothing noteworthy despite the affordable $30 to $42 per bottle price. The setting includes an indoor bar and outdoor picnic tables. Previously a cheese-making dairy farm, the grounds still have sheep and chickens. The tasting can be amplified with cured meats and cheeses from the mini fridge and local olive oil. read more

Family owned small winery with a lot of Italian varietal options. All their wines are amazing. Some are aged in amphora, ancient Roman style. The winery is in a beautiful country location with picnic tables where you can enjoy your lunch under the majestic oak trees. Dog friendly. read more

Great little find! My husband and I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon. Hidden in the back and down a short private drive. The winemaker greeted us and was very friendly and we learned about a few grapes we'd never heard of. All the wines we sampled were great! We love italian wines! So we were excited to try them all! They were sold out of two varietals. We did enjoy the Cab Sav and bought a few bottles to take with us. Hope to visit again when back in the area! read more

Clesi Wines - Entry - Wineries Near Me - Templeton, California

Great Italian varietals!!! Definitely will be back. $20 tasting waived with 1 bottle. Small tasting room with outside area. Sits on a beautiful piece of land in Templeton! read more

Excellent wines. Really friendly people. If you want a change from the fruity zins and want to try some really good Italian wines, this is the place. read more

Great choice!! you have found the Excellent Wines you were looking for!! With so many bigger(and smaller) distribution wineries in the area, knowing where to go can be tough. Clesi may slip under the radar, but it's definitely worth the detour when visiting the Paso/SLO area. Clesi's unique Italian grape varietals (you won't find everywhere) are what first drew my interest, but I stayed for the great tasting wine and unpretentious, familial atmosphere. Chris(the winemaker), his wife, and every employee I have spoken with over the years have been nothing less than professional and accommodating. He doesn't like to talk overly sophisticated about his processes, but they know their wines and even have a few aging old world style, in large amphora(clay vessels). The winery and tasting room they opened 2 years ago in Templeton is just a few minutes off the 101, tucked between farms and vineyards on a winding road, and on some occasions they have local food trucks. You can have the biggest, fanciest tasting room or the best view, but if you don't have great wine, fuhgeddabouddit! read more

Clesi Wines - Brando basking in the breeze while I imbibe the Barbera. - Wineries Near Me - Templeton, California

I had the wine a while ago, I forgot what restaurant but it was the most memorable thing that night. read more

Clesi Wines - Clesi wine - Wineries Near Me - Templeton, California

Best kept secret in California- this extremely small production winery has some of the best tasting, well balanced wines I've ever had. Period. read more

A unique location with California style Italian wines in a quaint tasting room among a rural feeling setting. I made a reservation, but it didn't seem to matter as they welcomed me as I walked in. This is a small winery with limited staff, so if there are multiple parties, you expect to wait and just take in the surroundings. The wines are all unique and I enjoyed them all. read more

Chris, the owner/ winemaker is awesome. This is worth the drive to Templeton. Make the time to go here and check it out. He makes Italian varietals and all are amazing!!! He is super down to earth and the tasting room is intimate. read more

Being interested in Italian varietals, we noticed that Clesi specializes in them, so we paid them a visit. What a lovely experience. All outdoors, with the very warm, pleasant, and knowledgeable Becky conducting the tasting for us. We happily bought several bottles each of Convivio (a blend based on Sangiovese) and the Nero d'Avola. We'll look forward to visiting again, when new bottlings are ready to try. read more

Absolutely love the new location!! It is such a beautiful drive to end with the best wine! I have not had a wine here that I don't love! I have been a member here for 2 years and I look forward to the next shipment as I open the current one. Hard to leave without adding a bottle to my collection. read more

Clesi Wines - Wineries Near Me - Templeton, California

We stopped in this weekend not knowing what to expect. We loved this winery. Very friendly people serving some fabulous wines. We will be back on our next trip. Love good Italian varietals and they surely hit the mark. Don't miss them. read more

Clesi is a little gem. Reminds me of Kiame in Paso Robles because it's hidden and rustic. It's so nice that Clesi is a dependable good time. The wines are good, the customer service is even better. The owner has been there every time I've stopped by. We got lost this past weekend although we've come here before because its a little tricky to get here. This weekend it was unseasonably warm, so even my favorite Dolcetto was hard to stomach. $10 for a tasting or your tasting fee is waived with 1 bottle purchase. I took off 1 star because as a previous review said, there's nothing luxurious about this spot. read more

We love the italian wines here. Our favorites are their reds. The color, the taste, the everything... Clesi -A Saluti! read more

After reading the reviews for Clesi, we made it one of our stops on a wine tasting weekend in Paso. We were seated promptly on the patio. There were two other couples tasting. The service was incredibly slow. We waited 10 or 15 minutes between pours. We got frustrated, closed out and left. read more

What an amazing stop! Total gem. Each wine was distinctive. We are now club members...

One of the best wines I've had in a while!! The wine maker was fun and engaging! Highly recommend!

One of my favorite wineries of all time. It's actually the only wine club I am part of from this area. They specialize in Italian varietals which is a breath of fresh air in the land of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs in Edna Valley. They are really nice. Normally it is the winemaker conducting the tasting but sometimes it's his wife or a family friend. Very small, but some really nice wine and once again more variety than most of the other wineries in the area. read more

My wife and I dropped by here based on other yelper reviews. What a great place! The owner served us the wine tasting and was very knowledgeable about his product. He was friendly and shared the story of his small business. All the wines were good. We ended up buying two bottles. We will come back again when we return to this area. read more

I visited the tasting room today. Chris was awesome. We had a great discussion about wine (of course) and about parenting and life. He is a great guy. The wine is fantastic. I will be recommending this winery to all of my friends!! Love this place. Again..thanks Chris! You made my day. read more

Amazing wine, and fantastic service! They instantly made our group with kiddos feel so welcome and comfortable. A wonderful winery with great family values. The sweet sheep and cows are a definite plus. If you're worried about it being too far out of the way, DONT! It's so well worth it. read more

Clesi is located on the west side of the 101 so it takes a while for visitors to make their way across Edna Valley...or they don't come at all. As such, Clesi doesn't feel crowded. The wine tasting room is housed in a large metal storage complex and has a workman-like feel to it. No luxuries here. Just straight up wine. They specialize in Italian varietals. I was lucky enough to score a tasting of their Montepulciano, which is reserved for wine club members - definitely a winner, but I couldn't bite at the $45+ price point. I did buy a bottle of their Convivio, a nice red blend that's immediately drinkable. read more

I have known Chris (Winemaker) and Adrienne at Clesi Winery for a long time since their winery was in the back corner of someone else's winery. Super friendly and more importantly some of the best wines in the region. Chris' style of wine making is very fruit forward. His wines are an adventure moving from his lighter white to some big bold reds. If you like unique varietals and high quality cabs, this is a must do if you are in the Paso, Templeton, SLO region. read more

Finding Clesi was a happy wine-tasting surprise. Not being from the area, we were not familiar with this little gem, which produces Italian varietals. All were very good but we especially liked the 2011 Sangiovese and the 2011 Convivio, a blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Sangiovese. We bought 2 bottles of Convivio to enjoy with dinner. The tasting room hostess was very friendly and knowledgable, and the winery mascot, a Corgi, made us feel very welcome. read more