A pianist, composer, diplomat, and First Prime Minister of Independent Poland—you might wonder why we here on the Central Coast celebrate Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941). The answer is simple:  he helped make Paso Robles famous.

In the early 20^th century he planted Zinfandel wine grapes on parts of his 2,864 acre land and eventually made his wine at the famous York Mountain Cellars.  He first came to the hot springs in Paso in his mid-50s and decided to make a residence here, buying Rancho San Ignacio and Rancho Santa Helena to start agricultural practices in the area.  Throughout this time Paderewski was still composing, performing, and touring all over the world, whilst also being a Prime Minister of Poland, even being the representative to sign the Treaty of Versailles in 1918, restoring Polish Sovereignty after over 120 years. (To read more, click link below...)