Aaron Wines

Aaron Wines is a small, family-run winery based in Paso Robles, California, founded by winemaker Aaron Jackson in 2002. A Central Coast native, Jackson launched his eponymous label while studying wine at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, funding the first vintage of Aaron Petite Sirah with savings from weekend jobs. The winery has since built a reputation for producing powerful, age-worthy wines from the rugged hillsides of westside Paso Robles, with a particular focus on Petite Sirah and Rhône-style blends. Its portfolio also includes single-vineyard Pinot Noirs and white wines from the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA, an appellation Jackson helped create and which was approved in 2021. The winery operates a tasting room in Paso Robles' Tin City, a vibrant enclave of artisan producers just minutes from downtown Paso Robles. Open daily from 11:00am to 5:30pm, the tasting room offers visitors a chance to sample current releases steps away from where they are produced. The team is intentionally small—just four people—and includes Katie Lewis as Director of Sales, Justin Rapolas as Marketing & Brand Manager, Gibson Wagner as Cellarmaster, and Amber Sandoval, whose role is listed as "Quesadillas." Aaron Wines also runs a wine club that ships new releases to members every six months before they are available to the public. Jackson's winemaking philosophy is rooted in a sense of place and a desire to break from convention. He has stated that his wines are "love letters to the Central Coast," honoring the region where he grew up. After more than two decades, he continues to push boundaries and explore the potential of Paso Robles and the San Luis Obispo Coast. The winery remains privately owned and operated, with no outside corporate parent, and sells primarily within the United States.

Aaron Wines was founded in 2002 by Aaron Jackson, a Central Coast native who grew up in Cayucos, California. Jackson's path to winemaking began with a question: "How can we write a new story for Central Coast wine, and how do we unlock its potential?" To answer it, he worked in coastal Pinot Noir vineyards near his hometown and in cellars producing wines from Paso Robles' westside, most notably Petite Sirah. While studying wine at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, he pooled savings from weekend jobs to launch his eponymous label with the first vintage of Aaron Petite Sirah in 2002. Jackson's career continued to develop through work with several acclaimed wineries in Paso Robles, and he earned a Master's degree in Oenology from the University of Adelaide in South Australia. In 2017, he took charge of the effort to create the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA (SLO Coast), which was approved in 2021. This appellation recognizes the unique coastal influence on vineyards in the region and has become central to the winery's Pinot Noir and white wine program. From its beginnings, Aaron Wines focused on producing powerful, age-worthy wines from the rugged hillsides of westside Paso Robles. The winery found inspiration in Petite Sirah, one of California's most historic grapes, crafting a portfolio centered around its depth, structure, and unmistakable character. Fruit is sourced from a small selection of exceptional vineyards in the Willow Creek, Adelaida, and Templeton Gap districts of west Paso Robles, as well as from the SLO Coast AVA for Pinot Noir and white wines. Over more than two decades, the winery has remained small and independent. It operates a tasting room in Paso Robles' Tin City, a community of artisan producers, where visitors can taste current releases just steps from the production facility. The team consists of just four people, and the winery runs a wine club that ships new releases to members every six months before public release. Aaron Jackson continues to lead the winery as winemaker, focusing on authenticity and unearthing the potential of Paso Robles and the San Luis Obispo Coast.

• 2021

  The San Luis Obispo Coast AVA is officially approved.

• 2017

  Aaron Jackson leads the effort to create the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA.

• 2002

  Aaron Jackson launches Aaron Wines with the first vintage of Aaron Petite Sirah.

Boutique, terroir-driven winery specializing in Petite Sirah and cool-climate Pinot Noir from California's Central Coast.

• Aaron Petite Sirah

  Flagship Petite Sirah from westside Paso Robles.

• Single Vineyard Pinot Noir

  Pinot Noir from the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA.

• Rhône Blends

  Rhône-style blends from Paso Robles.

• White Wines

  White wines from the SLO Coast AVA.

1. 1Aaron Wines Official Websiteaaronwines.com
2. 2About - Aaron Winesaaronwines.com
3. 3Wikidata - Aaron Wineswikidata.org