We strive to convey the qualities of the fruit we work with and express our creativity throught our wines. IIWII (“ee-wee”) represents the culmination of the materials and forces that go into creating a wine. We are the chroniclers of the season, the site, and the people. Every wine tells the story of when and where it came from, and who made it.
“It is sunshine, It is soil, It is passion.”
IIWII WINES
SUMMER 2026
We just got done with our final bottling of the year. We can not wait to share these wines with you. The 2024 vintage was a prototypical Paso growing season, and we were able to craft several of our best wines to date. We even have a new vineyard designate that will be coming in the future, and in barrel we are beginning to develop our extended age program for the red wines. There are a lot of great things coming soon, so stay in touch and follow us on our socials for more regular updates!
we are featured on a Paso Wine-focused podcast called Where Wine Takes You. Adam Montiel, the host, is a local legend, and participating in any podcast that he curates is a rite of passage for any Central Coast brands. Phil got the chance to sit down and talk with him about IIWII Wines. Check it out if you want to discover some details you might not know about Phil or the origin story of IIWII Wines. You can click the link below or find it wherever great podcasts are curated. Subscribe to Where Wine Takes You while you are there; the stories that are told on this program are truly amazing!
IIWII ON A PODCAST
CURRENT RELEASE
We are thrilled to introduce our 2025 white wine releases — Clairette Blanche and Among the Wildflowers, a blend of Grenache Blanc and Clairette Blanche. These wines continue our exploration of whites with increased texture and aromatic depth.
The 2025 growing season in Paso Robles was one of rare patience and precision. A lighter rainfall year with a cooler spring and summer that created a long measured ripening period and late sporadic rain episodes in the fall. The kind of season that allows flavors to develop deeply while preserving freshness and energy in the fruit, keeping aromatics lifted and bright acidity.
ABOUT US
IIWII Wines was born from a shared passion between Phil and Cyril. After years working side by side at TH Estates, we took a leap in 2022 to start a brand built on authenticity, craftsmanship, and curiosity. IIWII, short for "It Is What It Is," reflects our grounded, no-frills approach to winemaking and life. The result is honest, expressive wines shaped by experience, risk, and a deep love for the Central Coast.
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A local to the Central Coast, Phil grew up running around the hills on the west side of Paso Robles. With a love for cooking and music he first embarked on a career in the service industry while moonlighting as a local musician. In 2011 he started working at Shale Oak Winery for some extra cash and discounted wine for his upcoming wedding. Working at a boutique winery unlocked access to winemakers, cellars, and vineyards across the Central Coast. From there a new passion, and ultimately a new career, was born. Phil spent any free time in vineyards and cellars, swept up in the excitement of the rapidly growing Paso Robles wine scene. By 2015, he was enrolled in the Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture program while working over at Denner Vineyards and Terry Hoage Vineyards. In 2016 Phil became the first recipient of the Garagiste Festival Scholarship on his way to graduating summa cum laude from the Wine and Viticulture program. Harvest of 2016 Phil was named Assistant Winemaker at Terry Hoage Vineyards. Just a year later, he was promoted to Lead Winemaker and was given the reins to the winemaking program. While running the wine program at Terry Hoage (TH Estates) the winery released its most heralded and critically acclaimed wines in its 20+ year history. In 2022 the Hoages made the decision to retire and close down the winery operations. Phil used the opportunity to strike out on his own project, teaming up with longtime coworker and friend, Cyril Pujadas. They cashed out their retirement plans and bought 10 tons of fruit from some of their favorite blocks to work with and IIWII Wines was born.
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Native to France, I was born and raised in the South West, in a small village just outside of Toulouse. As a teen, I enrolled in culinary school with the ambition of traveling the world by pursuing a career in the restaurant industry. After graduation I headed to London, where I learned to speak English and had my first taste of working in a big city. In 2009 I made my way over to the US, my first stop being one of the most famous cities for hospitality and entertainment in the world, Las Vegas. Then with good advice from my best friend, I decided to make a move East for New York City. Manhattan is where I gained exposure to the sommelier world; my interest in wine flourished, and I began to imagine a new career path in the wine industry.The beauty of the central coast instantly captured my interest. With the apparent dynamic of the wine industry and opportunities within it, Paso Robles felt like a natural fit for me. In 2018 I took a position at TH Estates as a harvest intern. I then spent the next 4 years learning all the ins and outs of wine making, farming, and tasting room hospitality. I found passion in the wine industry as it allowed me to apply many of my acquired skills as well as gain many new ones. TH is also where I met my partner Phil LaMontagne. From working together over the years I saw the potential to build something with a winemaker I admired, for his dedication, passion, and his never ending thirst for discovery. 2022 felt like the right time to put our ambitions together and bring our own brand to fruition.
VISIT US
Tasting room
2725 Adelaida Road
Paso Robles, CA 93446
Summer 2026
Hours
Friday - Sunday
10am–4pm
Monday - Thursday
By Appointment
Phone
Cyril - (702) 533-1184
Phil - (805) 423 4683