Villicana Winery

Specialties

Villicana Winery specializes in producing small lots of concentrated wines that pair beautifully with all things culinary. We personally planted our 13 acre vineyard and continue to farm it with an emphasis on maintaining low yields which translate into unique wines. Our focus is in our vineyard as that is where 90% of the winemaking takes place.

DISTILLERY: Villicana Winery is the 1^st Craft Distillery in Paso Robles making vodka and gin under the label Re: Find. Stop in for tours, tastings, and purchases.

History

Established in 1993.

Villicana Winery is the result of an unsuccessful culinary school. After college, Alex Villicana pursued his love of food and wine by enrolling in a culinary program. When the school failed to open, he turned his attention to wine making. Captivated by this craft Alex began taking viticulture & oenology courses. Enamored by the wine making process, Alex and his wife Monica purchased 72 acres on the west side of Paso Robles and planted their 13 acre vineyard. They commuted each weekend from So. Cal. to Paso Robles to farm their vineyard. Eventually the trip would include a stop in Santa Maria where they made their small lot, craft wines at a cooperative crush facility. By 2000, Alex and Monica were ready to break ground on their own winery. Two years later the couple moved to Paso Robles to work the winery and vineyard full-​time. Since April of 2002 Alex and Monica have placed their sole focus on this venture and work the tasting bar in their quaint tasting room.

Meet the Business Owner

Alex V.

Business Owner

Alex Villicana was exposed to the world of wine thanks to his father’s passion for wine. As a teenager he and his family explored the wine regions of France and Spain, and began taking wine appreciation courses as a family. Alex decided to pursue his interest in food and wine and enrolled in a culinary program. He knew it would be an asset to his culinary training if he understood the scientific relationship between wine and food. This is when Alex Villicana put his eye on Paso Robles. He got a job as a ‘cellar rat’ and fell in love with the process of turning grapes into wine. This is when Alex decided to focused his energy soley in the world of wine and began taking classes. In ’93 he jumped at the opportunity to make his first Cabernet Sauvignon vintage from the famed Tchelistcheff vineyard at HMR. Since this first vintage Alex has continued to study the wine making process in his constant quest to continually improve and seek knowledge.