Absolution Cellars makes Paso Robles and Central Coast wine, then pours it where the land meets the sea. The waterside lounge sits on the Embarcadero in Morro Bay, in the shadow of the great rock, and inside Dirk and Tania Neumann pour more than twenty handcrafted wines a year, from familiar Cabernet to rare grapes you will not find on many menus.

Dirk and Tania Neumann

Absolution Cellars is the work of owner and winemaker Dirk Neumann and his wife, Tania, who officially opened the winery in February 2020. The project is built on a love of single vineyard, handcrafted wine and a willingness to work with grapes most producers ignore.

The setting is a big part of the story. The Neumanns run a charming Waterside Tasting Lounge on the Embarcadero in Morro Bay, one of the most scenic spots on the Central Coast, with indoor and outdoor tasting steps from the water.

Absolution pours its Paso Robles and Central Coast wines from a waterside lounge on the Morro Bay Embarcadero.

Paso and the Central Coast

Though the lounge sits on the coast, the fruit comes from carefully selected vineyards across Paso Robles and the wider Central Coast. That gives Absolution an enormous palette to work from, since Paso alone ripens everything from Bordeaux grapes to Rhone varieties to Mediterranean rarities.

The Paso wide temperature swing and varied soils are what make that range possible, building ripe flavor while keeping acidity fresh. Absolution leans into the diversity, bottling single vineyard wines that each show off a specific site.

The wines

Absolution makes more than twenty different handcrafted wines a year, spanning the familiar and the rare. Alongside classic Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah sit unusual varietals like Aglianico, Tempranillo, Graciano, and Touriga Nacional, grapes from Italy, Spain, and Portugal that thrive in the Central Coast sun.

Everything is made in limited, single vineyard quantities, so the lineup is deep and always a little surprising. It is a winery for the curious drinker who wants to taste beyond the usual suspects.

What to pour it with

With a lineup this wide, pair by the grape. The Cabernet and Syrah are classic red meat wines, their tannins meeting the fat in a grilled steak, lamb, or the local tri-tip, where the meat softens the wine and the wine cuts the richness. Touriga Nacional, dark and floral, loves smoky grilled lamb.

The Spanish and Italian rarities point to their home tables. Tempranillo and Graciano suit chorizo, jamon, and aged Manchego, the salt and fat rounding the tannins, while Aglianico, savory and earthy, is a natural with tomato rich pasta and roasted meats. Keep the food savory and a little salty and these wines come alive.

Absolution Cellars: common questions