The Community Wine Awards recognize individuals and organizations that make Paso Robles Wine Country a better place to live and work. For the fifth year in a row, we called for nominations for our Wine Awards from the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance membership, and the awards are voted on by their peers. It is exciting to announce the recipients of the 2023 Good Neighbor, Master Marketer, and Unsung Hero awards.

A person that has gone above and beyond to build great relationships with the local community. This persons positively contributes to the fabric of life in the greater wine community of Paso Robles that makes it a better place to work and live.

Bob Tillman, Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery

Bob is always willing to help a neighbor or friend by lending out equipment or sharing the bottling line! He and Maggie are also avid members of the community and are involved in numerous community events to support the region.

An innovative person that constantly thinks outside the box to creatively market their business and uniquely promote Paso Wine. This includes a cool ad campaign, a new innovative product, or maybe a creative program that is too good to not recognize. We’re looking for the vanguard.

Neeta Mittal, LXV Wines

Neeta is a tireless marketer, who has used her energy and passion to create LXV Wines a decade ago and taken it from a fledgling 500 case brand and grown it into a 3000+ case per year premium market brand that is entirely direct to consumer. Neeta and Kunal have created an extraordinary brand with an extraordinary experience. Her ceaseless efforts, natural hospitality, embracing of culinary spices and unique experiences, and drive to continually grow and improve the brand have made LXV a force to be reckoned with!

As a good steward of Paso Wine, this person comes to work every day with a smile on their face and works hard to contribute to their team and their community, never asking to be recognized for their diligent efforts. This person quietly contributes and deserves a little spotlight.

Mikayla Anderson, Hubba Wines

Mikayla is an incredibly hard-working cellar lead, assistant winemaker, and wearer of many hats. She always has an uplifting spirit and shares her positivity with everyone she interacts with. You can find her happily singing every lyric to every song in the cellar, and she can answer any question you could have about Hubba and their wines! Her friendly attitude and hard work have been awesome contributions to the Tin City community.

Mollie Slater, Herman Story Wines

Straight out of college Mollie came to work in our tasting room and was quickly promoted to Tasting Room Manager, Wine Club Manager, and now Assistant GM. She’s humble, loyal, works hard and never asks for anything. Mollie is hands down the best human. Her hospitality and customer service skills are unmatched. She is very organized, has great communication, wonderful hospitality with guests, and runs the wine club smoothly! We have to force her to take a vacation. Mollie Slater is endlessly generous and thoughtful. She’s not only dedicated to her job but being a constant source of joy in the workplace and a helping hand to everyone around her.

Photos by Joseph Taranto