Ep 173 The Highlands District: Featuring Rococo Wines | French Camp Vineyard’s Miller Family Wine

🍇 WHERE WINE TAKES YOU – EPISODE 173: THE HIGHLANDS DISTRICT 🍷 Everybody knows Willow Creek. Everybody knows Adelaida. But venture east into Paso Robles and you&#8217;ll find one of the region&#8217;s most fascinating, and least understood, wine-growing areas: the Highlands District. In this episode of Where Wine Takes You, Adam sits down with two people uniquely positioned to tell the story of Paso&#8217;s highest-elevation sub-AVA. Natalie Brown, owner and winemaker of Rococo Wines and Willow Creek Wine Co., shares her passion for old-vine Chenin Blanc and the remarkable Highlands District vineyard that continues to produce some of California&#8217;s most distinctive expressions of the grape. What began as an obsession with forgotten Chenin Blanc vineyards has grown into one of the most compelling Chenin-focused projects in the state. Joining her is Nicholas Miller, fifth-generation California farmer and Vice President of Sales &#38; Marketing for Miller Family Wine Company. Nicholas helps steward the legendary French Camp Vineyard, one of Paso Robles&#8217; most important vineyard properties and a cornerstone of the Highlands District. Together, the conversation explores massive diurnal shifts, old vines, farming challenges, climate, terroir, Wild West history, Basque shepherds, and why this rugged, remote region deserves far more attention than it gets. Along the way, Adam discovers that the Highlands District may be one of Paso&#8217;s best-kept secrets, a place where triple-digit summer days collide with chilly nights, where old vines continue to thrive, and where some of California&#8217;s most respected wines quietly begin. Later in the show, Adam recaps the 2026 Travel Paso Tourism Round Up, celebrating the people who help make Paso Robles one of California&#8217;s most welcoming destinations. The event featured presentations from Wine Institute&#8217;s Honore Comfort, branding strategist Mark Barden of EatBigFish, and travel expert Aida Mollenkamp of Salt &#38; Wind Travel, alongside recognition of local hospitality leaders who continue to elevate the visitor experience throughout Paso Wine Country. 🥂 FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE Rococo Wines https://rococowines.com Instagram: @rococowines https://www.instagram.com/rococowines Willow Creek Wine Co. https://willowcreekwineco.com Miller Family Wine Company https://millerfamilywines.com Optik Wines https://optikwines.com Instagram: @optikwines https://www.instagram.com/optikwines <span