Paso Robles, Calif. – Écluse Wines, a boutique, family-owned winery located on the Westside of Paso Robles, was just named a Top 25 American destination winery by Travel + Leisure magazine.

The recent story, The Top Vineyards All Around the U.S., names Écluse Wines as No. 9 of the 25 wineries listed. Écluse was the only Paso Robles producer to make the list.

“What an honor!” says Steve Lock, winemaker and proprietor of Écluse Wines and Lock Vineyard, along with his wife, Pam. “We have always focused on both the quality of our small-production wines and the intimate experience we love to provide in our tasting room and vineyard for our visitors. We truly feel that this article was really a people’s choice award due to the way the top vineyards were selected.”

To create their must-visit winery list, Travel + Leisure editors used a combination of on-the-ground reporting and an analysis of Yelp reviews. The parameters included quality of wine, winery atmosphere and beauty, service, and overall approachability.

“Whether travelers are heading out to learn how wine grapes are grown or just trying to test out all the samples they can, these favorite vineyards can cater to all different tastes,” Travel + Leisure’s Cailey Rizzo says in the article.

Along with its award-winning wines year to year, Écluse is also the proud recipient of the Sweepstakes Award from the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the largest competition of American wines in the world, where its 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon was named Best Red Wine. You can enjoy their award winning wines in the tasting room that overlooks Lock Vineyard.  Tastings take place in the barrel room, offering a unique tasting experience focused on educating their guests, while highlighting their barrel program and winemaking style.

For more information on Écluse Wines, and to plan your visit, please go to EcluseWines.com.