Being wine country (and one of the fastest-growing in all of Cali. at that – they’ve well over 200 wineries now), Paso Robles can be visually stunning. You’d probably have guessed that already, since, well, it’s wine country and there’s a damn good reason why even people like me visit wine country when they go on vacation (even when, as in my case, they’re going on vacation from wine!) – it’s usually breath-takingly gorgeous.

What you might not have known about Paso is that it’s starting to (rightfully) fancy itself a gourmand’s small-town paradise. Restaurants like Artisan, Farmstand 46, and Villa Creek are testament to the culinary prowess being drawn to the area (those I got to witness first-hand on my recent Paso jaunt). But there’s also a bevvy of businesses that supply the high-end foodstuffs that go into those local culinary delights, including two spots I had the pleasure of visiting: The Abalone Farm (pricey seaward stuff is cultivated there by laid-back owner Brad Buckley, but it’s an amazing grilled match for Paso’s white Rhone blends), and organic produce producer Thomas Hill Farms (generous owner Joe Thomas will probably let you eat all the pears, figs and jujubes you can stomach, but I can assure you from personal experience that you will pay for it dearly the following day).

I managed a few pictures of all of the above, in-between all the eating a drinking in Paso – check ‘em out after the jump. Coming soon: more mini-reviews of Paso wines, and my take on what’s right (and not-so-right) in Paso Robles viniculture (you know, like, when I get around to it, man). Enjoy!…

Cheers!