Paso Robles Winemaker Sticks to Roots with High-Elevation Vines and a 2003 Chevy

Bob Tillman drives a worn 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup with over 365,000 miles on the odometer, using it to reach his high-elevation vineyard in Paso Robles. As the founder of Alta Colina Vineyard and Winery, Tillman continues to bet on Paso Robles as a serious wine region, years after uprooting a career in the tech industry to grow Rhône varietals on his own terms.

Tillman purchased his 130-acre property in 2003 after leaving Silicon Valley, where he had worked in engineering and tech management. He planted the first vines the following year, targeting the western hills of Paso Robles for their diurnal temperature swings, elevation, and calcareous soils. These natural conditions mimic climate aspects of the southern Rhône Valley in France, making the area ideal for grapes like syrah, grenache, and mourvèdre.

Alta Colina means “high hill” in Spanish, a nod to the terrain shaping the final product. The estate sits at elevations over 1,800 feet, some 400 feet above nearby vineyards. This elevation provides cooler nights that slow grape ripening and help preserve acidity. The resulting wines often carry noticeable freshness and firm structure, qualities appreciated by critics and loyal customers alike.

Instead of outsourcing winemaking, Tillman chose a hands-on approach. His daughter Maggie joined the business in 2008 and now runs daily operations. Together, they oversee everything from vine management to fermentation. Whereas large wineries in the region often rely on contract growers and high-volume production, Alta Colina produces just under 4,000 cases annually, focusing on estate-grown fruit and limited blends.

The Paso Robles region has shifted in recent years, attracting more tourism and price-driven production. But Alta Colina has remained focused on long-term sustainability across its farming and business decisions. The vineyard is certified organic under the California Certified Organic Farmers program and continues to experiment with dry farming on some blocks to conserve water.

Alta Colina opened a tasting room and small trailer campground, called The Trailer Pond, in 2017. It attracts visitors interested in small-production wines and direct interaction with vineyard staff. Tasting appointments are limited and mostly outdoors, with views of the rocky slopes where the grapes are grown.

The region’s growth hasn’t displaced Tillman’s thinking. He remains skeptical of the explosion in Paso’s high-volume winemaking. “We’re not trying to scale,” he said during a recent vineyard tour. “We get to do this at our pace.”

Tillman’s Silverado, maintained with more care than comfort, reflects that ethos. He still uses it to haul equipment, drive up steep vineyard roads, and ferry staff between blocks. At 76, he spends most days outside. The vineyard’s top plateau, known by staff as “Bob’s Lookout,” offers a 360-degree view of the entire Alta Colina property.

From that vantage point, the changes in Paso Robles are visible. Billboards and tourism campaigns now tout the area as a premier destination for wine travelers. Several neighboring properties have been sold or consolidated into larger wine holdings. Alta Colina continues to resist that pressure.

With less than twenty years in business, the winery has built a following among sommeliers and Rhône-style wine enthusiasts drawn to its site-driven, small-lot approach. As Paso Robles shifts toward larger-scale economics, Alta Colina serves as a reminder that craftsmanship and personal investment still have a place amid the growing industry.