Tobin James

Tobin James Cellars is family owned and operated by Tobin James, Lance Silver, and Claire Silver. Tobin James was started when a local grape harvester showed up with six tons of Zinfandel grapes that he was willing to give away. Tobin “Toby” James, a young assistant winemaker at the time, asked if he could have the grapes to make his own wine. “Sure kid, knock yourself out,” the owner replied. A year and a half later, Toby’s first wine—the now-famous 1985 Blue Moon Zinfandel—won double gold medals, and a spot on The Wine Spectator’s coveted “Top 100 Wines of the Year.” Tobin James Cellars was born.

For the next few years, Toby quietly produced his own popular small-batch wines, tasting and selling them out of a local wine shop in Paso Robles. Then in 1993, Toby finally took the plunge and built Tobin James Cellars. In 1996, Toby was joined by partners and winemakers, Lance and Claire Silver, who updated and expanded the winery. They also launched the “James Gang” Wine Club, California’s most popular wine club. Located eight miles east of Paso Robles on Highway 46, Tobin James Cellars sits among 71 acres of vineyards and oak dotted hills. Built from the ground up on the site of the old “10-mile Stagecoach Stop,” the old-fashioned western-style tasting room saloon embraces the rough and rugged frontier history of Paso Robles, California.