Don Burns

We are thrilled to be working with Don Burns, who shares our love of Rhône varietal wines. Don grew up in Paso Robles and attended Cal Poly. In the late 1990’s he took a two-year sailboat trip through Central America that ended in Palm Beach, FL. Don reunited with his love of wine when he began working at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Florida. While opening new restaurants and crafting the wine lists, Don had access to wines from all over the world where he narrowed in on his fondness for the Rhône Valley. He returned to Paso Robles to work alongside his childhood friend Justin Smith of Saxum Vineyards where he is now Assistant Winemaker. 

Don brings his knowledge of the local geological and viticultural nuances to select choice vineyards that create the best expression of Grenache, Syrah, and Mouvedre. Don crafts his own Rhone-varietal wines produced under the Turtle Rock Vineyards label and Westberg, a Zinfandel dominated brand started by his uncle Tom Westberg. Building on his love of grapes, Don has recently launched Wine Shine, a boutique still house specializing in flavored moonshines, brandies and Whiskey produced in Paso.