So it’s no surprise that the growth of the Paso Robles wine industry has been matched by a corresponding emergence of local art galleries—and that wineries and artists are joining together to offer collaborative experiences.

One such experience is “First Saturdays: Wine & The Arts” on the first Saturday of every month in downtown Paso Robles. On these evenings, numerous downtown wine tasting rooms open their doors from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. to share their wines, showcase individual artists and offer other special treats, such as live music or appetizers.

The origins of “First Saturdays: Wine & The Arts” date back to August of 2008, when the Paso Robles Main Street Association staged a Saturday series of “Art, Wine & Song” open houses across downtown. Ortman Family Wines and our peers in the Paso Robles Downtown Wineries organization enjoyed it so much that we decided to launch our own ongoing monthly series. The atmosphere of these evenings is casual and festive. There is no formal route or itinerary. You can simplystart at the City Park and go where your feet and your taste buds take you!

At Ortman Family Wines, we open up our back patio, which we call the “O”asis. We typically feature live music,and we offer our wines by the glass, as well as in the regular tasting format. We also unveil a month-long showcase for a local artist in our tasting room. Recent featured artists have included Lynn Duron, who paints on silk canvasses, and Etty Klinger, who specializes in watercolors. We feature numerous works for viewing and purchase, and the artists join us to discuss their craft.

Of course, you don’t have to visit on the first Saturday of the month to enjoy wine and art in downtown Paso Robles. More than a dozen tasting rooms are located within a few blocks of the park, as are several galleries,including the popular Studios on the Park featuring nine studios and 40 working artists.

 I hope that you will join us in downtown Paso Robles soon to partake in this classic pairing!