The Halter Ranch Story

Set along the westernmost boundaries of Paso Robles and surrounded by the wild Santa Lucia Mountain Range of California’s Central Coast, the Halter Ranch Estate is a 2,700-acre organic nature estate dedicated to land, art, and 100% organically farmed grapes. Envisioned by Swiss entrepreneur, philanthropist, and world-leading land conservationist Hansjörg Wyss, the estate is an homage to his mother, Alice Halter. It is a haven for the natural world to continue flourishing while it delivers exceptional, timeless wines.

Fully Organic Vineyards

All 256 acres of Estate vineyards are 100% CCOF certified organic. Twenty different grape varieties are planted on the steepest southern-facing slopes on our property, with ideal southern sun exposure and an elevation reaching 1,950 feet.

The certified organic Estate vineyards makes up only a small piece of the Halter Ranch estate. We are dedicated to preserving a diverse environment and mitigating the effects of a monoculture. With less than 10% of our property dedicated to farming and building development, the remainder is left to the natural landscape, which includes oak woodland and migratory wildlife corridors.

The Winery

Our production facility utilizes a multi-level gravity flow system that allows our winemaker to handle the fruit in the gentlest, most natural way possible while avoiding the pumping of stems and seeds. Integral to our facility’s sustainability are 20,000 square feet of wine caves, natural lighting, and nighttime air-cooling. A natural mass of hillside limestone, combined with the cave’s concrete walls, stabilizes our wine at the perfect 58º temperature and optimizes humidity for storage.

We’re steadfast believers in environmentally efficient practices—and we think you’ll love every sip of the finished product.

our winemaker

Kevin Sass

One of Paso Robles’ most renowned and respected winemakers, Kevin Sass, has been the winemaker behind the Adelaida district’s most famous wines for over 25 years. His craft focuses on phenolic analysis of the grapes, with the singular goal of making age-worthy wines of character and quality.

Legend has it that while an intern at JUSTIN, Kevin would visit the Halter Estate to harvest a few extra clusters of grapes for his garage and make his own Halter wine.

Today, he leads all vineyard and winery operations, including the oversight of our organic vineyard partnerships in Temecula and Texas.

Stewards of Central Coast Terroir

Our natural environment means everything. It’s not lost on us how reliant we are on the fruits of this land in Paso Robles, and we work every day to instill better land management practices that yield a better wine for you.

  • Energy Efficiency & Greenhouse Gas Reduction

    Our solar array offsets every output of our winery operations and 58% of overall site operations. Additional solar array panels are under construction to offset 100% of overall site operations. We are also among just a few distinguished wineries across America who are set to deploy fully electric tractors as a means of reducing emissions.

  • Oak Forest Preservation & Wildlife Conservation

    Less than ten percent of our land is used for growing grapes, and that’s by design. The remainder is left for the world to enjoy: for guests to wander at their leisure, and for wildlife to flourish within. Ancient oak trees, wild manzanita, fragrant sagebrush—these are the colors on our natural canvas. What’s more: They’re home to a myriad of wildlife such as mountain lions, Tule elk, coyotes, and deer, to name a few.

  • Water Conservation

    Custom rainwater harvesting systems on the roof, in the floors, and in drains around the exterior of our facility at Halter Ranch help retrieve every single ounce of water used in the winemaking process. That’s 100% of all output offset by natural rainwater collection. Every drop beyond our needs is used to fill our vineyard’s irrigation pond and irrigate vineyards. Three runoff ponds collect the water off the land, recharging the groundwater aquifers.

Culinary Program

At Halter Ranch, the menu follows the seasons. Under the direction of Executive Chef Paul Arangorin, our two restaurants focus exclusively on seasonal, organic cuisine that celebrates Paso Robles and the Texas Hill Country's bounty. Each menu offers fresh ingredients from local farmers and ranchers who adhere to organic and regenerative farming practices.

Our wine, made from 100% organic grapes, should be enjoyed with great organic food from the local environs.

Organic Farming at Halter Ranch

We’re dedicated to ensuring this land is fruitful for generations to come. To yield a delicious crop of organic grapes year after year, we abide by strict organic farming practices throughout the estate. We abstain from the use of all synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, prioritizing instead the use of renewable resources and diligently conserving soil and water. 

All 256 acres of the Halter Ranch vineyards are proudly certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers. Plus, our olive orchards hold the same prestigious Certified Organic designation.

The History of Our Land

Halter Ranch Estate, first established in 2000, sits on an expansive 2,700-acre estate with a rich history dating back to the 1800s. The property has had a total of six owners in that time, including current proprietor Hansjörg Wyss.

our proprietor

Hansjörg Wyss

Growing up traversing the ridges of the Rocky Mountains as a young man, Hansjörg Wyss developed a lifelong love for America’s open lands and a passion for discovery and innovation. Thanks to a successful career in life-saving medical science, Mr. Wyss created the Wyss Foundation in 1998 to help ensure the protection of iconic Western landscapes that inspired him in his youth. 

Today, the Wyss Foundation’s philanthropy supports projects in areas from conservation and education to economic opportunity and social justice. Each philanthropic investment seeks to encourage new ideas and new solutions that expand the reach of human possibility and compassion and work with a generations-long horizon in mind.

The Halter Ranch / Hansjoerg Wyss Charitable Trust

The owner of Halter Ranch, Hansjörg Wyss, formed the Halter Ranch / Hansjoerg Wyss Charitable Trust to ensure a strong future for the Central Coast and to give back to the San Luis Obispo community in which so many Halter Ranch employees live and work. The trust was created in 2021 with the goal to empower the changemakers and charitable organizations in our local community.

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