At Dilécta, the artwork is not packaging. Paintings by Betty Wick return to our labels every vintage, the hues shift each year to follow the wine. Paloma Bilson paints the newer work, and a signature heart is hidden in all of it.
Paloma is proprietor and vintner. Her son, Andre Minassian, makes the wines, fermenting each block separately and deciding on blends only after everything has had time to show itself. They farm a small vineyard on Vineyard Drive, in the Adelaida District on the western edge of Paso Robles, and buy fruit from a few growers whose blocks they know well.
The name means beloved. Dilécta was founded in 2011 and has been family owned and operated every year since. Andre joined the winery in 2017, became winemaker in 2020, and in 2021 he and Paloma purchased it from the founding family on their retirement.
At Dilecta Wines, we believe that great wine begins in the vineyard. We employ sustainable farming practices and meticulous attention to detail in the winemaking process to ensure that each bottle is a true expression of the grape’s character and the region’s unique terroir.
The Adelaida District occupies the western edge of the Paso Robles appellation, in the Santa Lucia range. The soils are shallow and calcareous over limestone. The district receives more rainfall than any other in Paso Robles, and the days are warm while the nights turn cold.
It is one of the few places in California where Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhône varieties both succeed on the same hillside. That is the reason we make both.
Beyond our estate blocks, we buy fruit from growers on the east and west sides of Paso Robles, selected block by block for what a given wine requires.
Every Dilécta label conceals a heart in the artwork.
The earliest paintings are the work of Betty Wick, and several of them still return each vintage. Paloma paints the newer labels. What changes from year to year is deliberate, and best explained over a glass.
Our team is a tight-knit group of passionate individuals who share a love for wine and a commitment to excellence. From our skilled vineyard workers to our expert winemakers, each person plays a vital role in bringing Dilecta Wines to life.
Paloma Bilson – CEO, Proprietor, Vintner
The heart and soul of Dilécta Wines, Paloma Bilson is a visionary leader whose deep love for winemaking is rooted in both passion and precision. As vintner, she brings an intuitive approach to the final blends, focusing on the nuances that make each vintage unique. She oversees the winery’s operations and shapes the artwork on every bottle, ensuring that Dilécta remains bold, expressive, and unmistakably itself. Whether she’s tasting through components ahead of bottling, pouring at events across the state, or in the tasting room sharing the story behind a label, Paloma’s presence is felt in every aspect of the winery.
Andre Minassian – General Manager / Winemaker
As winemaker, Andre oversees production from fruit to bottle, along with the wine club and tasting room. He is skeptical of recipes, and the lineup shifts vintage to vintage depending on what the year gives him.
Born in 1993 in the San Fernando Valley to Armenian and Portuguese family, he grew up with food and wine at the center of the table. His interest turned serious while studying at Universidad Fernando Pessoa-Canarias in Portugal, a country with several hundred indigenous varieties and a wine culture built on them. That range shaped how he thinks about blending.
He came to Dilécta in 2017 and started in the vineyard. From there he moved into the tasting room on weekends and holidays, then into production, then into managing the tasting room and wine club. He became winemaker in 2020 and purchased the winery with his mother in 2021.
Bob Wachob – Tasting Room Educator & Associate
Bob Wachob is the friendly and knowledgeable face that greets guests at Dilecta Wines. With a deep passion for wine education, he transforms each tasting into an immersive journey, helping guests explore the complexities and stories behind every bottle. His ability to connect with visitors and guide them through the nuances of winemaking makes him an invaluable part of the Dilecta experience.