In San Luis Obispo, Find Fine Wine, and a Peaceful Place to Stay

In San Luis Obispo, Find Fine Wine, and a Peaceful Place to Stay

By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov

Visiting San Luis Obispo (SLO) on the Central Coast of California is always a treat, because, even though slightly overshadowed by Napa and Sonoma, it’s a world-class wine region, known for its exceptional cool-climate wines—elegant pinot noirs, crisp chardonnays, and more exotic Spanish and Rhône varieties, like Albariño, syrah, and grenache.  

On a recent summer trip to SLO, we received a triple doze of “vitamin C” (all good things that start with a “C”). We stayed at a newly renovated Courtyard by Marriott San Luis Obispo, with comfy guest rooms, large pool, and on-site breakfast, and we had an outstanding wine tasting experience at one of the best area wineries, Claiborne & Churchill, specializing in Alsatian-style whites, like dry Riesling and Gewürztraminer, served in a charming garden setting.

The hotel, beautifully refreshed and redesigned with all the contemporary amenities, provided us with spacious, well-appointed and aesthetically pleasing room, a good night sleep, and a nice outdoor swimming pool at the center of the campus, surrounded by palm trees, beach umbrellas and lounge chairs, and separated from a glass-walled open-concept lobby by an open-air patio with fire pits and benches. The lobby bar impressed us with elegant, artful décor, and cozy sitting areas throughout the thoughtfully designed space.

“This project was an opportunity to reimagine what a Courtyard experience can be in a destination like San Luis Obispo,” said Dilraj Bhadare, hotel ownership representative. “We approached the renovation with a hands-on, detail-oriented mindset, thoughtfully considering how each space would feel, function, and connect to its surroundings. Our goal was to create something that feels elevated while offering the modern comforts today’s travelers expect. We are proud to introduce a refreshed and thoughtfully designed hospitality experience to the community.”

Indeed, each space at the Courtyard was pleasing to the eyes, warm, and comfortable, with the hotel location surely conducive to all our travel plans.   

Upon arrival, we spent quite some time swimming and lounging by the pool. Since the hotel campus is removed from the noise of the main roads, the atmosphere here is always peaceful and quiet—just what a weary traveler seeks in a home away from home. Next morning after our arrival, we hurried to the lobby bar, turned into a breakfast restaurant at this hour. That was especially convenient, because finding ourselves in this blessed part of California, between the Pacific Ocean, the Irish Hills Natural Reserve, and downtown San Luis Obispo, where boutique shops and unique restaurants abound, we wished to fuel up fast before starting exploring.

While more sophisticated breakfast items were readily available, we settled for a simple, yet freshly prepared treat of eggs, bacon, country-style potatoes, and toast, enhanced by orange juice and a cup of Starbucks coffee.

A considerately chosen location in natural surrounding makes Courtyard by Marriott SLO close to the local wine country, which includes several American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) with their distinct microclimates and grape-growing characteristics. Cool and foggy Edna Valley AVA, and a newly designated SLO Coast AVA are known for yielding vibrant chardonnays, other aromatic whites, and soft, mild pinot noirs. A warmer Paso Robles AVA produces bold, full-bodied reds, like cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, and Rhône-style blends. Similar to Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande Valley AVA is a coastal enclave, perfect for pinots and sparkling wines. Altogether, SLO County produces over 60 different grape varieties.

The best area wineries are located in the scenic Edna Valley, planted with vineyards, lemon groves, and flower fields, and framed by a picturesque mountain range. In the heart of Edna Valley, there’s a family-owned Claiborne & Churchill winery, famous for unique, top-tier wines and a very special ambiance.

The story of the brand tells us about a lucky combination of love, passion, perseverance, and the strength of character of two goal-oriented people, Claiborne Thompson and Fredericka Churchill, who happened to travel to California from the East Coast in 1981, decided to get involved with the wine industry right then and there, and founded their own winery near San Luis Obispo in 1983.   

A university professor, Thompson didn’t mince words, explaining his decision to switch occupations. “Working in the wine business was a breath of fresh air after the stale and stultifying atmosphere of the university,” a historical stand on the property quotes him saying. “Here I found co-workers who reveled in hard work, who supported each other at all times, and whose satisfaction came from creating a product of the highest quality.”

Inspired by the dry, fruity, and well-structured Alsatian wines after traveling to Germany in 1983, the spouses found suitable terroir and climate conditions on the Central Coast of California, and started producing dry Riesling, dry Gewürztraminer, pinot gris, pinot blanc, and hand-crafted pinot noirs.

On the day we visited the winery, Thompson and Churchill’s daughter, Elizabeth, herself a young mother, and a keeper of the winemaking family tradition, greeted guests at the art-filled tasting room within the spacious, cool wine cellar.

For our own tasting experience, we picked outdoor seating in the garden, and indulged in house flights of reds and whites, paired with cheese and charcuterie plate.

Our White Wine Flight included 2025 Dry Gewürztraminer, produced in the amount of only 448 cases, and redolent of exotic fruit aroma and citrus and piña colada flavors; 2024 Central Coast Dry Riesling (“Dry Riesling is what put us on the map,” said our sommelier, Tony); citrusy 2024 Estate Dry Riesling with lively acidity; perfectly blended, layered with aromas of ripe persimmon and a palate of apricot and butterscotch 2024 Cuvée Fredericka (56% chardonnay, 25% Gewürztraminer, 13% Riesling, 6% pinot noir blanc), and 2023 Greengate Chardonnay, warmed with cedar, caramel, and baking spice flavors.  

In the Red Wine Flight there were spice-forward, food-friendly 2024 Twin Creeks Pinot Noir; complex, refined, and beautifully structured 2023 Greengate Pinot Noir; unique, savory 2022 Spanish Spring Grenache; smoothly tannic 2023 Spanish Spring Syrah, and masterfully balanced, floral and fruity 2023 Syrah/Grenache.  

The food pairing plate provided a fitting match for the amazing wines with Black Diamond 5 year cheddar, Prima Donna Maturo, and Bellavitano Merlot cheeses; Salami Sopressa Columbus and Old Forest Salami Pillers cold meats; Castelvetrano olives, dried fruit, almonds, cashew, and pecans.  

As always, a trip to SLO, even just for a couple days, felt like a full-blown vacation, and provided great experiences, not found anywhere else. Hurry to make your reservations, and try to visit this charmed land while it’s still summer!

For more information and reservations, visit https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/sbpcy-courtyard-san-luis-obispo/overview/, https://www.claibornechurchill.com/.