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
HARVEST 2026
A little update from a harvest season that started early this year. We now have almost all the fruit in for the 2026 season, and we’re still in September! Everything looks great and is happily fermenting.
We even had the opportunity to bring the kids along to help with some stomping and punch-downs during fermentation. We also managed to get some friends together for the Lighthouse bike ride on Highway 1, between Morro Bay and the lighthouse in San Simeon. A great day, and 100 km completed for most of our riders.
We’re looking forward to wrapping up harvest by the end of October and then enjoying the holiday season.
IIWII ON A PODCAST
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!
FALL RELEASE
We are excited to introduce the 2024 Such as Dreams, Mother of Invention, and The Realization; three wines that reflect both the character of the vintage and the individual sites and varieties that make up IIWII.
For the first time, we are also introducing a different expression of white wine; our 2024 Clairette Blanche, Extended Barrel Aged. With more time in barrel, this wine takes Clairette in a new direction for us, developing beautiful aromatics, texture and depth while maintaining the freshness we look for in our whites. It is our first winter white, and an important step in where we see our white wines expending to.
ABOUT US
IIWII Wines was born from a shared passion between Phil and Cyril. After years working side by side at TH Estates wines (Formally Terry Hoage Vineayrd), 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
Walk-in welcome
Monday - Thursday
By Appointment
Phone
Cyril - (702) 533-1184
Phil - (805) 423 4683