Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery

This dynamic duo has grown the Steinbeck legacy for decades. High-school sweethearts, they raised four children while managing a 700-acre ranch of cattle and barley. In the 1970s, Paso pioneer Gary Eberle partnered with Howie, and in 1982 Steinbeck Vineyards was established. Eberle Winery continues to purchase a large share of fruit from what is now a 300-acre estate vineyard.

Howie trained his daughter Cindy and grandson Ryan in the art of vinedressing. Even in his 80s, he’s in the vineyard daily with Ryan—overseeing work through the seasons, driving tractor, and leading hand-pick crews during harvest. Howie and Bev are also famous for BBQing and crafting delicious small bites at our tasting-room parties.

A visionary, author, and proud mother and grandmother, Cindy returned home in 1997 to work alongside her father, Howie. With a Master’s in Christian Studies, she logged countless tractor hours and dreamed up ways to share vineyard life with guests. In the early 2000s she launched California’s first vineyard “crash-course” tours with an agricultural focus.

In 2006 she began the Steinbeck wine label, using one percent of her father’s 300-acre vineyard, and transformed the family’s 1921 blacksmith shop into today’s tasting room. Cindy has written four books (see her books) and teaches nationwide. A stalwart champion for landowners, she’s helped hundreds of families defend their groundwater rights. You’ll often find her in the tasting room, sharing family stories and pouring the wines—usually with her kids and five grandkids nearby.

Ryan grew up among the rows and knew by age four he wanted to work with Grandpa Howie. After studying viticulture at Fresno State (where he met Caitlin), the couple returned to the family vineyard. As head of vineyard operations, Ryan directs year-round farming and markets premium estate fruit to select wineries. Ryan and Caitlin are raising two future vineyard explorers—Bradley and Amelia.

Stacy (Cindy’s daughter) holds degrees in both music and physical therapy. While studying music in Chicago, she met fellow musician Bryan. After graduating, they returned to Paso Robles where Bryan began winemaking under Cal Poly enology instructor Jim Shumate.

They later moved to Tasmania—Bryan made cool-climate wines and traditional-method sparkling at Pipers Brook while Stacy managed the wine club. In 2018 they rejoined the family to focus on winemaking, sales, and marketing. Bryan became Steinbeck’s winemaker in 2023. Their kids: Joryn, Allora, and Cyrus.

Joining Steinbeck in 2012, Leslie manages the tasting room and wine clubs while Mike leads sales in the tasting room. They love sharing the Steinbeck story and pouring estate wines for guests. Mike is also a skilled carpenter—he crafts furniture and home décor from retired wine barrels.

Together, Steve and Lola are the balance of craft and connection.

Steve brings depth in cellar and vineyard. Lola brings vision in guest experience and relationships. The result is a winery built on intention: small-lot quality, uncompromising standards, and a commitment to treating every bottle like it matters — because it does.

They share one philosophy:
Wine should reflect where it’s from, and it should mean something to the people who drink it.

Whether they’re walking rows at first light, tasting through barrels, or pouring for a couple celebrating an anniversary, Steve and Lola approach the work the same way — personally, thoughtfully, and with pride.

This isn’t mass production. This is who they are.