Our Story
From the Vineyard to the bottle, Proulx Wines is a family operation that has been carefully tended and nurtured by owners, Kevin Riley, since the beginning.
The name, Proulx, is Kevin's maternal family name and its roots lie in the family vineyard, located in the heart of Paso Robles' renowned West Side. The fifty-five year old vineyard has produced stellar wines for many years, and when the Riley's began crushing fruit for Proulx in 2004, it did not disappoint. After taking a chance and chasing their dream to make exceptional wine of their own, they hit the ground running, selling out of 200 cases of their first vintage in a matter of months.
The years following have brought continued success for Proulx Wines, and the Rileys attribute a large part of that success to the fact that they are able to source the best fruit from the choicest vineyards, in addition to their own. Kevin’s experience consulting for many local wineries has cemented long-existing relationships with growers allowing him to hand-pick the fruit he knows will be right to create the trademark smoothness of each Proulx wine.
Today, Proulx Wines produces 1500 cases yearly with a tight focus on creating high-quality, approachable wines that are ready to drink at an early age. They are wines without pretense, equally suitable for casual evenings spent with those closest to you and special occasions that call for a smooth, refined wine. Most importantly, they are meant to be enjoyed with family, friends, and behind every bottle are the passion and dedication of the Riley family.
Winemaker
Kevin Riley has always had his feet wet in the wine industry. Growing up in Westport, Connecticut, he worked along side his father and grandfather at Greens Farm Spirit Shop, where his passion for wines and wine making all began. After graduating high school Kevin was California bound and as luck would have it he found himself in San Luis Obispo County, where the wine industry was just putting itself on the map. Naturally, he started taking steps to educate himself on wine making at Cal Poly and quickly immersed himself in the industry.
During his college years it was important to Kevin that he learn all aspects of wine production. He trained at several micro wineries including Dark Star Cellars, where he learned what “hand made” entailed and also trained at large production facilities, where he was just one of many. In 2002, he graduated with a degree in Agricultural Business and a minor in Viticulture. As if his plate was not full enough, Kevin also consults for several wineries, manages numerous vineyards and occasionally gets in a round of golf.