It’s not every day that you find a boutique winery making hand-crafted wines in a working automotive repair garage. But winemakers and winery owners have come from many disparate industries and occupations that wouldn’t at first glance seem to be the right fit, and have produced good and even great wines.

With that thought in mind, a visit to Cerro Caliente (Hot Hill) Cellars is a rare opportunity to taste a Bordeaux blend named “Multi-Viscosity Red” or the “Garage Sale Syrah.” One-of-a-kind artwork labels featuring specific cars that the owner has restored adorn special limited-release wines.

Family owned and operated Boutique winery located in San Luis Obispo, California. When you first pull up it looks like a well-kept warehouse, until you take your first step inside. Suddenly, you are taken into a whole new world. Surrounded by Venetian plastered walls, cobblestone floors, the artwork of Gene Francis, a faux second story complete with windows and planters. A long tasting bar in an open space, with a beautiful set up & gift shop.

The winery/garage is located in an industrial park on the east side of San Luis Obispo, squeezed in among nondescript low-slung buildings housing small businesses owned by various local entrepreneurs. The winery is open limited hours, but otherwise welcomes visitors to their clean mustard-colored tasting room with roll-up doors and other automotive flourishes. As the owner describes it, “This is the place where Cabernets and Cadillacs are at home, Merlots and Mercurys mix, Chardonnays and Chevrolets play, and hydraulic presses and wine presses work side by side.”

Cerro Caliente’s wines are from grapes sourced in the local area and include Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Cab Franc, Sangiovese and their Multi-Viscosity non-vintage Bordeaux blends.