Ulloa Cellars is unlike anything else in Paso Robles. Nancy Ulloa makes obscure white wines, grapes most California drinkers have never tried, and pours them with crystals, mantras, and intention. Born in Guadalajara and self made in the cellar, she has built a small, soulful brand around the whites nobody else is bottling.

Nancy Ulloa

Nancy Ulloa is the winemaker, owner, and boss of Ulloa Cellars. Born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, she moved from the Bay Area to Paso Robles in 2017 with a burning desire to learn the art of winemaking, soaking up knowledge from a string of respected mentors. In 2019 she launched her own label with a single wine, a Gruner Veltliner she calls Baby Gruner, sourced from the historic Paragon Vineyard in the Edna Valley.

That first wine became her signature, and the brand grew from there. As a Latina winemaker and owner working almost entirely in obscure whites, Nancy is a genuine original on the Paso scene.

Nancy Ulloa builds her brand on obscure white grapes and pours them with crystals, mantras, and intention.

The case for obscure whites

Most of Paso Robles is planted to big reds, which makes the Ulloa focus on white wine all the more distinctive. Nancy seeks out lesser known grapes that thrive in the Central Coast climate, varieties built for warm days and cool, ocean influenced nights that keep white wines crisp and aromatic.

The lineup has grown to around eight obscure varieties, including Picpoul Blanc, Vermentino, Verdejo, and Semillon alongside the flagship Gruner Veltliner. These are grapes with deep roots in Europe, from Austria to the south of France to Spain, given a fresh, sun warmed Central Coast expression.

The wines and the experience

Ulloa is built on bright, aromatic, food friendly white wines, made in small quantities and chosen for character over convention. The tasting experience is just as singular. Nancy offers wine and crystal pairings, infusing each wine with intention through crystal healing, Sanskrit mantras, and positive affirmations, and using the tasting as a chance to talk about wellness and mental health.

You will not find another tasting quite like it, and the wines hold up to the showmanship. They are clean, expressive, and genuinely rare.

What to pour it with

Crisp, aromatic whites are some of the most versatile food wines there are. Picpoul Blanc and Vermentino, bright and saline, are made for the sea, perfect with oysters, grilled fish, shrimp, and ceviche, their acidity slicing through anything fried or rich. Gruner Veltliner, peppery and citrusy, is one of the few wines that handles tricky vegetables like asparagus and artichoke, and it loves Vietnamese and Thai food.

Verdejo and Semillon, with a little more body, suit roast chicken, soft cheeses, and creamy dishes. Across the board, a pinch of salt on the food makes these whites taste rounder. Serve them well chilled on a warm afternoon and they are hard to beat.

Ulloa Cellars: common questions