We booked nearly a month in advance for a very special occasion. Bob canceled on us, 4 days beforehand- saying that our driver was "sick". This is an incredibly busy weekend for wine tasting with the influx of Napa wine tasters, and the Harvest Festival. No doubt, Bob bumped us in order to book someone else for more time. Extremely unprofessional, at best. He knew that we we would have next-to-no chance of securing another driver with such late notice, and even if we did, there are now 5 hour minimums with every company for this busy weekend. Not how one does business, Bob. You traded in character and integrity for a couple extra bucks. Hope it was with it to you. read more

I'm not much of a "Yelper" but I had to come on to Yelp to give some props to Bob Barker, our driver with Designated Wine Driver. Bob was straight up awesome. I emailed with Bob back and forth prior to our arrival in Paso Robles and he's very quick to reply to inquiries as well. I rented a car and wanted to get Bob added as an authorized driver and Bob even showed up a bit early so we could go down and get him signed up. We had a pretty planned out day but one of Bob's recommendations that he made over email was truly the highlight of the day and was the most unique wine tasting experience I've had to date. The entire group had an amazing and safe experience with Bob at the helm. Bob was a careful driver, always went out and pulled the car up with the A/C going when we were ready to leave (it was a VERY hot day) and was a wealth of knowledge as well as just an all around good guy. Bob had a snack pack for us that was pretty awesome. If you are lucky, he'll include some of his homemade mustard which is amazing. Do not hesitate to book with Bob and if you aren't knowledgeable on the area or the wines, Bob has you covered and I would trust his recommendations. This is not the last time Bob has seen us! read more

Hiring Bob was the best decision we made on our girls trip to Paso. He's so knowledgeable about the region and seems to know someone at every winery. He made sure we had a great time, and was always looking out for us--finding us a place to belly up in a crowded tasting room, and suggesting additional great wineries that weren't on our original list. The group photos and snack pack were the cherries on top! Next time we're in Paso, we're definitely calling Bob! read more

I have been wine tasting more times than I can count, I have been on tours, I have done it on my own and I have visited all the of the wine territories in California! This by far was the best experience I had ever had! Bob was amazing, he took us to some amazing spots we had never been to! He made reservations for us at wineries he knew we shouldn't miss! He took photos of us throughout the entire time and even went as far us to bring us an entire spread including his delicious home made honey mustard (which we definitely feel he should sell!!!) he truly made my birthday celebration a very special one!!! I can't wait to go back to paso and use his services again!!! BEST TRIP TO PASO EVER!!! read more

If there were more than 5 stars Bob would get it! From the time spoke to him on the phone to the following day when he brought us our cd he was absolutely amazing! I have had over 10 drivers in paso and he is by far the best! Very knowledgeable patient and keeps you on schedule without feeling rushed! If he is available you should book him! You will not be disappointed ! Thanks bob for a great day of wine tasting ! read more

I came to paso to do wine tasting with some friends for my 28th birthday and somehow stumbled across this company while researching the trip, and I am SO glad I did! Bob was our driver and he was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. If you're debating whether to use them, I say you're crazy if you don't. It was leaps and bounds above using a limo or car service because bob knows the area well and has excellent recommendations. He made my birthday very memorable, and I will absolutely be using this company in the future and recommending them to all of my family and friends. Thank you bob!!! read more

Great time! Our driver Jason was extremely accommodating, friendly, and had excellent recommendations. It was a great day out and I would definitely use this service again! read more

On our honeymoon trip to Paso Robles, my wife and I thought it'd be fun to skip the taxis/Ubers we normally rely on for wine tasting, and go with something a little more personal. The concept that we could have someone drive our own car around to any of the wineries in the area we'd like and take our time was extremely appealing. We booked our reservation the day before and the company was quick to connect us with a driver. We met up with Jason the next afternoon and had the most amazing trip around the Paso/San Miguel area. Jason was very friendly and we really appreciated the great conversations about living in the area and finding common interests in the local wines. We checked out Graveyard, Lone Madrone and Adelaida, and Jason brought a delicious assortment of cheese, crackers and veggies for the perfect food break. The price was very reasonable for the several hours we got to bounce around the area, and Jason even took some wonderful photos throughout the trip of us slurping at the various wineries. Not only did Jason help make our honeymoon even more special, he also made us a total believer in this company and we'll be hitting them up again in the future on our next Paso wine trip. read more

You will not regret having Bob take you around Paso Robles to taste some great wine and see some beautiful scenery (all in the comfort of your own car!) Leading up to our trip Bob was available by phone and worked with us to form a plan for the day. He took into account our wish list of wineries and suggested a few that were not on our list. Bob met us in the lobby of our hotel at the agreed upon time and we finalized our plan including a few stops that Bob had suggested. If you plan ahead, he may be able to get you appointments at certain places that are not open to the public for tasting. Bob's driving was safe and his knowledge of the area was extensive. He knows many of the people at the wineries but will give you as much time and space as you would like throughout the day. We were able to visit a few places we would have not been able to without him which greatly added to the experience; there is nothing like having an insider showing you around. I would certainly recommend Bob to my friends and will surely call him the next time I am visiting Paso Robles. Thanks again, Bob. read more

Michael made our day relaxing and stress free. He knows the windy narrow roads in the Paso Robles west side where we enjoyed some boutique wineries. He helped us choose our visits and introduced us to the wine hosts and even a special hilltop tasting with Jeff, the wine maker at Croads Vineyard. I recommend using this service when wine tasting. Ask for Michael you won't be disappointed. read more

We always use Bob Barker. Safe, friendly and a great knowledge of Paso wines. His extra snacks and photos always good deal. 5 star! read more

Bob did a first class job showing us around wine country. As operators of our own tour company we have high standards and he did a great job, brought us great snacks and water and knew everything about the wines and recommended some amazing wineries. Don't miss this opportunity when staying around Paso! read more

If I could give this company 10 stars I would. Jason was absolutely amazing! He thought of every detail, waited in the background and was always there with perfect timing. We were on a sort of "girls family reunion" trip and he took a ton of pictures so that we would have great memories. He was also incredibly flexible, staying with us much longer than we had booked for. I honestly have never had a driver like Jason and I can't recommend him highly enough. Thanks Jason for a spectacular day~ read more

What a great way for all of us to have fun together in the wine country. No getting lost and wondering which stop to go to next. We had Bob for our driver and he did a bang up job. Get him started between stops on fishing and he is on a roll. We also were interested in mostly reds so he knows where to go for the best selections. Plus he provided us with some extra goodies to munch on during the trip that he makes himself. The great thing is no headaches about planing the da,y just enjoyed it. Thanks, Bob read more

I read a review on here, someone mentioned if there were more than 5 stars Bob would get them, and I couldn't agree more. A group of us knew we were going to be celebrating a 25th birthday wine tasting. Clearly, we didn't want anyone to have to be responsible for driving so we decided to find a company that would drive for us. After doing some research I came across the company Designate Wine Driver- Bob Barker. I called him about some details, e-mailed him that day. By the next day, he had already replied with all of my questions answered as well as other details and information. One of the important qualities was that Bob knows the area extremely well, knows what to expect at each winery and can help you set up a tour specific to your likings. He recommended amazing wineries that we went to and incorporated the few that we really wanted to go to. Bob was fun, very friendly, a safe driver and knowledgeable. Not to mention the gourmet picnic foods he brings were very nice to have to snack on! He also makes you a CD full of pictures from your experience. My group and I took pictures along the way, but Bob was able to get many group shots of us. It was also special to have pictures of the wineries themselves - which none of us thought to take pictures of. I have already recommended Bob to other friends and families. read more

I highly recommend Bob and his services! He is friendly, thoughtful and very knowledgeable. He introduced us to several new wineries including those that require an appointment. His price point is very reasonable and includes a few very appreciated extras (snacks, pictures, etc). He went out of his way to ensure that we had a great time. read more

First, let me start off by saying that I have gone wine tasting many times in the Paso area. I have used limos, party busses, and the chartered tasting tours that do the whole hop-on-hop-off theory. I have also used companies whom send out a van for pick up and drive you for the day. I have not always had the best of experiences in these past trips. Designated Wine Driver was by far, the best experience I have had! I found this company through google because I wanted to try someone new. Let me just say that I wish I would have stumbled upon this company my first go around with wine tasting. From the initial reservation booking to the actual day of wine tasting was a great experience. Bob was the person I communicated with for the reservation. He required no hold on a credit card and was so confident with their service that he does not have cancellation policy. I had never experienced this with booking a driver for wine tasting, so initially I was nervous that I would have a faulty reservation. He assured me that our reservation was booked, but had life taken us by surprise and if I needed to cancel at any point, he would willingly do so. He put my reservation on the calendar and stated that my driver would be making contact before our date. Beth was our driver. Three days prior she did indeed call me to discuss our details. Although I had already taken care of it myself, she offered to make reservations for wineries that our group wanted to visit. She arrived on time and the paperwork was minimal. She was very tentative throughout our day; Constantly asking if we wanted/needed water, asking how our tastings were going, and if she could do anything extra for us. She took plenty of both candid and posed pictures while we were going about our day. Prior to her arrival she had snacks prepared for us, which consisted of: 3 different cheeses, salami, crackers, a mustard sauce, chocolate pretzels, and a petite sized container of veggies. These were great to munch on while heading to each new winery. I had requested for her to help keep us on schedule so we did not miss out on any of our wineries. She did great at doing so! She was so polite about every detail that involved us. At our third winery, she dropped us off and drove to a local sandwich shop to pick up our lunch. One of my favorite things about this day, which I thought was so incredibly sweet was Beth's thoughtfulness. Once we arrived at our last winery, she surprised our birthday girl with a birthday cake and party hats! This was definitely unexpected. We all put on our party hats, sang happy birthday to our friend and had cake. This was something Beth chose to do out of her own heart and kindness, which was greatly appreciated. The fact that she came up with this idea and did this for us only added more greatness to our experience with Designated Wine Driver. At the end of our day, she offered to stop at anywhere we wanted to pick up groceries for dinner. Beth was friendly, professional, and best of all- Genuine! Our group was completely satisfied with our experience. I have only good to say about Beth and Designated Wine Driver. I will definitely be a returning customer. For anyone who is looking for a reasonably priced wine tasting trip, this is the route to go. Make sure you ask for Beth- You will not regret it! Thanks again Beth & Designated Wine Driver! read more

Had an old frat brother and his wife pay us a visit last week. They wanted to go wine tasting in the north county....but not the kind of wine tasting we did back in the 60's....think Red Mountain and Bali Hai! With so many wineries that have popped up over the last several years, I didn't even know where to begin. So I decided to see if I could find someone who could recommend which vineyards to visit. Knowing my and my fraternity brother's propensity to over indulge, my wife suggested we find someone that could not only recommend wineries but could also drive us. Thanks to a Google search I came across Designated Wine Driver. Our driver's name was Bob and he was not only a walking encyclopedia about the wine industry, but an absolute riot to be with. He kept us laughing the whole time......even before we had our first glass of vino. We had an absolutely amazing time.....every bit as entertaining as the old toga parties. A nice feature provided by Designated Wine Driver was a delicious cheese basket......good stuff too. Bob also gave us a photo CD which really helped Tom (my frat bro) and I remember where the heck the four of us had been. Bottom line.....Bob and Designated Wine Driver made our wine tasting adventure one of the most enjoyable experiences we have ever had. We'll definitely use them again. read more

My husband and I and another couple booked a two-day wine-tasting trip to Paso Robles and decided we would have more fun if we let someone else do the driving. We booked Bob at Designated Wine Driver after reading several positive reviews, and we were not disappointed! Bob was extremely knowledgeable about the entire region, and the wineries he suggested we visit were outstanding. He arranged some special deals in a few places and made sure we were having a wonderful time. He brought a light picnic lunch the first day, which was a lovely surprise. We can't recommend Bob highly enough, and we'll definitely book his services again when we return. read more

Bob was amazing! Great day and lots of fun! Highly recommend using his service in Paso!

We used Designated Wine Driver for the memorial day weekend and had a great experience! Beth was our driver both days and we loved her. She knew her way around perfectly, knew all the wineries and was very thoughtful. It was my birthday and she even brought me cupcakes and a card. :-) And to top it all off, at the end of the weekend, Bob and Beth sent me a CD with photos from our 2 days of wine tasting which was so much fun to see!!! Highly recommended!! read more

Great service and wonderful option for wine tasting. Our driver was fairly new but made the trip enjoyable. Will use them again for our next visit. read more

We had the good fortune to find Bob Barker, the Designated Wine Driver, when we visited the Paso Robles wine region over Valentine's Day weekend. For 2 very full days, Bob treated us (2 couples) to his vast knowledge of the area and its wonderful wineries. His guidance and suggestions made the weekend a huge hit! There are far too many wineries to try to negotiate on your own, and the roads are windy and tight - (not a good idea to be imbibing and trying to find your own way.) Having Bob let us enjoy our tasting without a single worry, and he is an excellent guide and host! I now feel that we have a good friend in a top wine region, and will definitely use his valuable services again!! read more

100% the best decision we made on our trip to Paso Robles! Bob and his wife Carol were the best hosts we could ask for and MORE! I asked for a tall order-please help me have an adult wine tasting experience that was family friendly. My 10 and 12 year old tagged along and I had a low expectation of success. My kids are great but wine tasting is not how they spend their days! Bob took us to some of the best wineries in the area. Because he is such an insider, we were able to include the kids without guilt or incident. Wineries allowed our kids to chalk their patios, wander the vineyards and best of all, enjoy the snack pack Bob and Carol provided! Delish! I cannot thank this business enough for allowing me to enjoy a passion for wine while showing my kids it is NOT OK to drink and drive, wine country is beautiful, and wine is an accessible art form. We all benefited from Bob's knowledge of the area, the wine trails, local lore and quality wine tasting. Normally I would say the best part was not getting a DUI, but I would add that it was also great luck to hire Bob as a driver. Thanks Designated Wine Driver! read more

Simply put, Bob Barker is the man. If you want a stress free day where your tour is planned out for you, you get to not only the best wineries but also to some other interesting things the region has to offer (Olive Oil! Vodka!), and not spend a fortune on a group wine tour, just do this. It makes so much sense all the way around. read more

What an amazing experience! Bob was incredibly responsive, picked us up right on time and created a perfect itinerary for us. We went to beautiful wineries with fantastic wine and enjoyed a nice sunny day of wine tasting. Highly, highly recommend Designated Wine Driver for your own personal tour of the up and coming Paso Robles wine country. read more

My husband and I found the Designated Wine Driver while looking for the best way to get around to the wineries WE wanted to visit on our first trip to Paso Robles. We are so glad we found them. What a way to go! Bob was professional and knowledgeable, and a really nice guy. He genuinely cared about what we took away from our experience, in a place he genuinely cares about. He made great suggestions, and did a great job of subtly letting know us when it was time to move on so we could make the most of our trip. Thinking of everything, he arrived to pick us up with a snack should we like one during our tour. (how great is that?!) Throughout the day, he took pictures at each winery, and put them on a disk for us. Outstanding. Instead of a tour bus with strangers and a pre-chosen itinerary, instead of a limo driver that may only care about getting paid at the end of 8 hours, hands down, we would recommend the Designated Wine Driver to anyone visiting Paso Robles. read more

We decided to visit Paso Robles for our anniversary. We planned our trip at the last minute. Bob was very accommodating. He arrived on time and took us to some great wineries. He is very personable and super knowledgable about the area. He provided one of our best wine tasting experiences! I would recommend him to anyone wine tasting in Paso Robles!! read more

I contacted Bob to drive my girlfriend and I around the wineries for her Birthday. Bob was extremely prompt and met us as promised in the lobby of our hotel 5 min prior to our agreed start time. Bob was extremely personable and very knowledgeable about the area. Unless you are extremely familiar with the area, I'd recommend letting Bob take you to some of his suggestions. Our favorite visit that day was to Jada which wasn't even on our radar prior to the trip. I will definitely hire Bob again on my next visit! read more

Bob came our way while looking for a wine tour option while in Paso for a wedding weekend. So glad we found him! What a treat it was to not only meet Bob, but have his knowledge and contacts at all the wineries in town. We provided him a list of places that were suggested to us and he quickly turned it into a map of fun for the day. He was on time, approachable, friendly, entertaining and took some great photos! I would highly recommend Bob and already look forward to the next time I can use him myself. Have fun! read more