It’s official — Gary Eberle, the Godfather of modern winemaking in Paso Robles, has been named the 2024 Roblan of the Year by the Paso Robles & Templeton Chamber of Commerce.
“It is an honor to see Gary Eberle named the 2024 Roblan of the Year. As a true cornerstone of our community, his vision, leadership, and passion have shaped Paso Robles, setting a standard of excellence. A devoted Rotarian, Gary exemplifies service above self with a generous heart, while his humor and quick wit make a lasting impression. His unmatched contributions to both the wine industry and our community make him more than deserving of this recognition, and I look forward to celebrating him,” said Chamber President/CEO Gina Fitzpatrick.
An annual tradition embodying our community, the Roblan of the Year is chosen from the previous Roblans of the Month. The award is an initiative put together by the Paso Robles & Templeton Chamber of Commerce to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to Paso Robles through community action, donations, and other ongoing community outreaches.
Becoming Roblan of the Year is not a title Gary saw himself receiving, “I can think of so many people, a lot of people, that I think are more deserving.”
Though Gary is no stranger to being recognized for his work — his awards and recognitions in the wine industry are endless — but Roblan of the Year hits differently. Becoming a Roblan brings Gary into a fold of people and pioneers he admired since coming to the area in the early ’70s.
Reflecting on those early days, Gary says, “There were the Steinbecks and the Woodlands and the Twisselmans and the Iversons and all these old farming families and people like Swift Jewell and Buck Butterfield and Johnny Palla and Orville Monroe — I just fell head over heels. I love Paso Robles.”
The Pittsburgh Kid
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Gary grew up with just him and his mother, who was from Poland. Being half Polish and half German, he jokes, “I want to conquer the world, but I can’t remember why.”
Gary describes himself as a good student who needed to apply themselves a bit more to be great. College, though, was out of the question. He would inevitably end up in a steel mill or coking plant. Until Gary hit a growth spurt in the late ’50s, which allowed him to become an All-American football player.
Photos by Derek Luff for Paso Magazine
“I always say my life started at 18,” said Gary, who began his college career in 1962 at Pennsylvania State University, where he balanced between being a defensive tackle for the Penn State Nittany Lions and an undergraduate biology student.
At an early age, Gary found an interest in biology from playing in swamps and collecting critters. He figured Marine Biology was going to be a great fit. But when he found that it wasn’t as hands-on as he thought (no playing with Flipper), he ended up attending Louisiana State University (LSU) for graduate work in cellular genetics. Gary later earned a National Science Fellowship to Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana, where one of his professors introduced him to the world of food and wine.
“Once I was in college, I really blossomed,” says Gary. “I’ve had so much fun. I’m so damn lucky.”
Becoming the ‘Godfather’
Gary came to love Cabernet Sauvignon through tasting first and second growth Bordeaux from his professor’s cellar. With each sip and tasting his interest grew to learn more about the chemistry of wine and learn how to make it himself.
“There’s an intellectual part about wine, and I really liked that part of it,” Gary explains. “To make a long story short, I just had an epiphany.”
It didn’t take long before Gary was on his way to California, where he enrolled in the Enology Doctorate Program at the University of California Davis. There, he joined the Soil Science Department and the Viticulture Department to conduct a survey of the coastal counties south of the Bay, looking for the next Napa Valley. The team repeatedly came back to Paso Robles due to its poor soil, which was ideal for grape growing.
Gary agreed, the soil and weather was made for perfect grape growing conditions but what attracted him most to the area were the people.
“I think the best part about Paso is the people,” he says.
After earning his Ph.D. in Enology and Viticulture at U.C. Davis, Gary made his move to Paso Robles where he co-founded the Estrella River Winery in 1973 and worked as the winemaker. Soon though, Gary had a new itch to scratch, this time by producing a premium, small production wine.
Photos by Derek Luff for Paso Magazine
Eberle Winery finally debuted in 1979 with Gary’s flagship wine that really kind of started it all — the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Since getting his start in Paso Robles wine, Gary has earned many accolades for his work. From co-founding the Paso Robles Appellation in 1983, being the first to list the Paso Robles Appellation on his label, and being the first to produce a 100 percent commercially produced Syrah to also earning The Robert Mondavi Hospitality Award, the California State Fair Lifetime Achievement Award, Wine Industry Person of the Year from the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, and the 2020 American Legend Wine Star Award from the Wine Enthusiast.
These awards are just a glimpse into why people in the industry have deemed him the Godfather of modernizing Paso Robles wine — to which he says is only because he outlived everyone else.
In love with Paso
One of the best things that he says he ever did though was joining the Rotary Club of Paso Robles (Rotary) in October 1973. At the time, Gary was working to build the Estrella River Winery and many of the people he was doing business with belonged to the Rotary, “This was back when Rotary was the movers and shakers in Paso Robles, and they asked me to join … I went, and it was one of the smartest things that I ever did.”
Since the Paso Robles chapter began in 1924, the Rotary has always raised funds to give out scholarships to local students. At the time, the Rotary was handing out less than $5,000 worth of scholarships per year.
However, Gary felt they could do better, so he thought of the idea for a cookoff between wineries. With the help of fellow Rotarian Vicki Silva — who Gary gives much credit to for making the event happen — they went ahead and raised $7,000 their first year. Now, 26 years later, the Paso Robles Rotary Club Winemakers’ Cookoff® is one of the most looked forward to events of the year. The Rotary now distributes over $90,000 in scholarships each year — $100,000 this year — thanks to the event.
Though Gary doesn’t have children, donating to education has remained greatly important to him, “I always believed in education. I’m a strong believer. I still sponsor a scholarship he likes at Penn State and at [UC] Davis.”
Photos by Derek Luff for Paso Magazine
In addition to supporting education, Gary is a dedicated supporter of Veterans and the community. When he learned the City was working to bring back the Fourth of July celebration at Barney Schwartz Park, he wrote a check for $10,000 to help sponsor the event. He has continued to do so every year since.
Thinking back, Gary says, “I used to joke when I first came to Paso Robles, the first thing I had to do was learn how to drive with one hand on the steering wheel because when you went to town … you knew everybody.”
Now, Gary can almost always be found seated at the entrance of the Eberle Winery tasting room — likely with a glass of Cab — talking to guests and accompanied by his Black Standard Poodles. If you ask Gary, the poodles are the real face of Eberle Winery. Always named after a grape varietal, the Black Standard Poodle holds a very sentimental spot in Gary’s heart. Sangiovese and Barbera lovingly greet over 75,000 winery visitors each year — and they do love a meatball every now and then.
Along with his poodles, Gary is always “In love with Paso Robles.”
The Roblan of the Year and the Beautification of the Year will all be honored at the Paso Robles and Templeton Chamber of Commerce Annual Gala at Rava Wines on March 8. You can continue to read about the 2024 Beautification winners on page 22. At the Gala, the new 2025 Board of Directors will be welcomed in, and goodbyes and thank yous will be said to the 2024 outgoing board members.
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