VINEYARD GRANT JAMES...

K'nB Wine Cellars in Del Cerro...

VESPER VINEYARDS has a new tasting room in Escondido...

PAMO VALLEY WINERY tasting room

The Pamo tasting room has expanded. There's now an additional space behind the main bar, ideal for socializing with friends or watching a game. And the patio is nicer than ever. Thanks Jennifer!

Link to first Pamo post...

MILAGRO FARM VINEYARDS AND WINERY

The vineyard house

We always have a great time at Milagro Farm in the Ramona Valley, but this weekend we were in for a special treat: a guided, golf-cart-propelled tour of the 110-acre property. Well tended rows of vines grow among rock formations, stands of olive trees, ponds, and some impressive man-made structures.

The house overlooks a healthy pond

So many choices

We finally met a wild turkey. People tell us they're really not elusive.

Entrance to the cave



Tony's incredible stonework

The greenhouse

Vintage 2012 in the making



There's a rose bush at the end of every row of grapes because, as we learned from Kyle in the tasting room, roses and grapes are succeptible to the same diseases. At least sometimes the roses succumb first, warning the grape grower in time to apply a fungicide.

Master Guide Vicente

Happy guests in the tasting room

What's wonderful in the tasting room right now? The weather's warming up; a lot of guests were sipping slightly sweet Manzana de Milagro sparkling apple wine, crisp and grassy Sauvignon Blanc, or an exceptional dry Rosé of Cabernet Franc. But as usual we gravitated towards the reds, especially Sangiovese and Barbera. All of these estate-grown wines are vintage 2010. The Barbera won a gold medal at the 2012 Riverside International Wine Competition.

Milagro Farm Vineyards and Winery is open Fridays-Sundays 11-5. We don't promise you'll get a guided tour, but you will encounter some excellent wines and friendly people in a stunning setting.

Link to post about bottling at Milagro...

Link to older Milagro post...

CACTUS STAR VINEYARD AT SCAREDY CAT RANCH

Becky Cullen designs cool labels like this one.

We were the very first customers to visit Cactus Star Vineyard’s new tasting patio. The Vineyard is part of Joe and Becky Cullen’s Scaredy Cat Ranch,  named after a very timid horse. Joe’s engineering job took him to Spain, Italy, Germany and Turkey, where came to know and enjoy wine. In 1995 Becky gave him a winemaking kit for his birthday; the rest is history. The couple relocated from Pittsburgh to Ramona, planting their first grapes in 2001. Their winery – ensconced in a couple of small, semi-underground structures – has been licensed and bonded since 2006. There are now 600 vines on the Cullens' property. Joe makes around 150 cases of wine each year, most of which is estate-grown. His “Two Dogs Barking” label differentiates non-estate wine sourced exclusively from the Ramona AVA.

Two Dogs Barking

We liked everything here, starting with a dry, tasty, 2009 Two Dogs Barking Grenache. The 2009 Scaredy Cat Ranch (100%) Tempranillo is a winner. This grape is hard to grow in Ramona because it’s not heat tolerant, but Joe’s vines are on a slope that gets a marine breeze. It was interesting to compare the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (80% Cab, 15% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec) and the Petit Verdot from the same year (80% Petit Verdot, 15% Cab, 5% Malbec). We ultimately decided on the Cabernet Sauvignon for its well rounded flavor and dry finish.

It was a pleasure to visit and taste these wines. We'll be back! 

Stained glass art adorns the winery structures.

Cactus Star's tasting patio is open on weekends by appointment.
760.787.0779

EDWARDS VINEYARD AND CELLARS

On our second visit to the Edwards’s beautiful tasting patio, Beth was pouring a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and two distinctive Syrahs: ’04 and ’05. We scored  another bottle of the ’04. Winemaker Victor – indisputably one of the best in the Ramona AVA – and vineyard canine Doc joined us on a perch overlooking the vines.

Doc

Victor told us about how, after a harvest, he likes to taste the grape juices and experiment with blending them. For instance, he has four different clones of Syrah that he tastes separately and together. After fermentation, most of his wines are aged in pre-owned French Oak barrels. “You can pick your aroma profile from barrels that are already seasoned and have had wine in them.”



Victor Edwards and some of his Vines

The Edwards will officially release their 2007 Petit Syrah on Saturday Nov. 5, but they were kind enough to give us a pre-taste. Very impressed, we asked to buy a bottle and Victor took us up to the winery to fetch one. There we saw some serious equipment and met dark-faced white sheep, quite a few free-ranging chickens, and of course the winery cats.

The Edwards tasting patio is open on weekends 11:00-4:00. 760.788.0738

Baaaaa....

Link to first Edwards post...

ROCK CANYON VINEYARDS AND WINERY

Tim and Mona Petersons' Alpine-area estate encompasses – besides the vineyard and winery – stalls and corrals for their Andalusian horses, an art studio, a chicken house, and limited guest accommodations. They started with 75 plants in 2000 and currently have about 1500 Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Syrah vines strategically positioned across their property.  Winemaker Tim augments his estate vines with grapes from other San Diego County vineyards. The first thing he poured for us in his underground, rock-framed barrel room was a pleasantly buttery Viognier that originated in San Marcos.

New Grapes

Then... some reds.  We first enjoyed a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon aged in American oak, then tried two 2009 Zinfandels: one in American oak (lots of plum!), the other in Hungarian oak (less fruit, more spice, well developed tannins).  We moved on to some barrel tasting including a 2010 Syrah (American oak), which is coming along very nicely;  people are already reserving bottles. Next we hopped into Tim's small and efficient ATV to tour the property. We admired the horses, got a first-hand look at (and delicious taste of) the grapes and petted resident burros Roxy, Bonnie, and Clyde. Mona’s beautiful drawings of the burros distinguish Rock Canyon’s wine labels.



The Burros

Rock Canyon wholesales to supermarkets (e.g., Albertson’s, Costco, Whole Foods) and local restaurants, and offers a memorable on-site experience to visitors who are willing to drive a couple miles up a winding dirt road.  Besides tasting wine one can arrange to hike and/or ride horses on the many trails that surround the property and even end the day in the Jacuzzi. Bottles in the barrel room are available at (very reasonable) retail prices and Tim can arrange shipping.

Rock Canyon is open by appointment. 619.445.4763

Link to first Rock Canyon post

KOHILL WINERY

Mike Kohill loves wine. He got serious about winemaking shortly after he met Johnny Schwaesdall (one of the Grand Daddies of the Ramona winemaking scene).  Mike’s vocation is engineering, making him part of a significant subset of San Diego County winemakers.  A UC-Davis distance-learning course helped him launch what is still a “weekend winery” as he still holds a fulltime job away from the estate. Kohill Winery released its first vintage in 2006 and is now producing 250-300 cases per year, made exclusively from Ramona Valley grapes. We especially like Mike's reds, including the 2008 "Aurora's Blend" (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Viognier), and the bright and pleasantly tannic 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

Barbera Grapes Fermenting 
The 2008 vintage will be released this year.

The wine club here is pretty casual - an email list that affords members the first opportunity to puchase new wines.

Kohill Winery is a great place to taste. Open weekends 12:00-5:00. 760.787.1042

WINE TOURING IN TEMECULA

Wine tasting in Temecula is a lot like listening to smooth jazz; it’s easy and fairly predictable. The most recent Temecula Wine Country brochure lists 35 tasting rooms, most of which are open daily, within about a ten-mile range. Weekend crowds are dominated by buses and limos full of partiers from all over Southern California, and the wineries do a great job of accommodating them. Winery restaurants are proliferating; so are after-closing parties with live music – popular with locals and accessible to visitors who opt to spend the night at one of the area’s numerous hotels.

The tasting route we propose encapsulates the diversity that one can still find among Temecula wineries that are doing interesting things. Start at Mount Palomar (A on map), a giant winery with local roots. Everyone can find something to like here, in terms of food as well as wine. About a mile up the road from Palomar is Van Roekel (B), which will seem small and homey and is a nice place to picnic. Continue to Doffo Winery (C), situated just off Rancho California Road in what looks like a residential neighborhood. You’re likely to meet the Doffo family, especially on a weekday. (Note that they’re closed on Wednesdays.) Right across the street from Doffo is Chapin Family Vineyards, where Steve Chapin pours some excellent reds and there's a comfortable picnic patio with vineyard views. Next, head back west about a mile and take a left on Glenoaks Road to find Foot Path (D) – the proudly funkiest winery of the lot. Leaving Foot Path, go left onto Glenoaks Road and then make a right on De Portola, where you will encounter at least eight more wineries.  We recommend a stop at Frangipani (E) or Robert Renzoni (F) – or both if you have time. Frangipani has indoor picnic tables, which are rare in these parts and proved invaluable when we hosted guests on a rainy November day. Renzoni also has a very nice picnic area perched atop a little hill that overlooks his vineyard.

Temecula Touring Map

FRIDAY TOURING IN JULIAN & RAMONA

Friday touring requires a bit of preparation as some tasting rooms are only open on weekends. Here's a lineup we put together to introduce our friend Edgar,  visiting from Seattle, to San Diego County wines and some memorable scenery.

We started the day at the Blue Door Winery tasting room in Julian. After six years, winemaker Marc Hashagan is in the business full time, and the wines reflect his skill and attention. We loved the newly released Press Cuvée, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Barbera. And on its own, the 2009 Barbera is a winner. Kameron is a wonderful tasting room host - knowledgeable and welcoming. We always have a good time here.

Next we drove up the road to see Mel at  J. Jenkins Winery. She was pouring a new Vin Gris de Syrah - perfect for a hot day, and a nice 2009 Sauvignon Blanc with notes of grapefruit and melon. Moving on to reds, the current standouts are a smoky 2005 Syrah and the newly released 2010 Merlot - dry and full bodied, with a complex spectrum of flavors.

Outside the J. Jenkins tasting room

Heading towards Ramona, we spread our picnic on the patio at Milagro Farms Vineyard and Winery, where tasting room manager Kyle and marketing manager Audrey kindly served us each a flight. We can't seem to leave this place without (at least) a bottle of Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Vines at Milagro

We'd made an appointment to visit Marilyn and Steve Kahle's Woof 'n Rose Winery, tucked away on a hillside overlooking the Ramona Valley. A lot is new since the last time we stopped by, including a delicious 2009 Highland Valley Merlot, 2009 Eglantine (Cab. Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon), and 2009 Estate Cabernet Franc. Steve and Marilyn were the first to grow Cabernet Franc in Ramona; their award-winning wines are clear evidence that this was a good idea!

Modest about their success, the Kahles told us they never stop learning about viticulture and wine making, stressing the importance of belonging to other wine clubs (to avoid "cellar mouth" - developing a narrow palate for one's own wines) and a spirit of cooperation among the region's grape growers and winemakers.

To end the day we stopped in to see Rose and Herman Salerno at their winery. In contrast to the bustling weekend scene, late on a Friday afternoon it was quiet enough to visit with the Salernos while we tasted Herman's excellent red wines, all made without added sulfites. Our favorite is (still) the 2007 Lagrein. We left with a bottle, plus two giant zucchinis from the garden. 

Blue Door Winery Tasting Room

2608 B Street, Julian

760.765.0316

Open Thursday - Monday noon-5

J. Jenkins Winery

1255 Julian Orchards Drive, Julian

760.765.3267

Open Thursday - Sunday 11-5

Milagro Farms Vineyard and Winery

18750 Littlepage Road, Ramona

760.787.0738

Open Friday - Sunday 11-5

Woof 'n Rose Winery

17073 Garjan Lane, Ramona

760.788.4818

Open by appointment

Salerno Winery

17948 Highway 67, Ramona

760.788.7160

Open Wednesday-Sunday 11-6 (or later)

GRAPE CONNECTIONS tasting room & wine shop

Bob Gelman has been in the wine business for 30 years. He etablished this cozy wine shop on Scott Street in Point Loma in 2000, stocking a sophisticated and well priced collection of wines from around the world, including San Deigo County. There are always some nice bottles open for tasting between noon and 6pm daily. On a recent visit we especially enjoyed a 2006 Diamond Terrace Napa Cab.

The tasting bar

Bob has recently become the exclusive U.S. importer and distributor of Domaine du Grand Crès estate wines from the Languedoc region of France. There's a steel tank-fermented Roussane/Viognier blend, a soft, delicate "Cuvee Classique" (Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault), a spicy, full-bodied "Cuvee Majeure" (Syrah, Grenache), and an easy drinking Cabernet Sauvignon. As is true of the other wines at Grape Connections, the Domaine du Grand Crès line offers excellent value for the price.

Loyal customer patiently await "Bob's Big Blowout Sale," with deeply discounted wines from about forty different producers, all available to taste before you buy.

Grape Connections is open Monday-Saturday 10am - 7pm.
1130 Scott Street, San Diego
619.523.6441

 

CARRUTH CELLARS

A lot is new since the last time we stopped by Carruth Cellars, an impressive urban winery on Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach. They've enlarged their space , there's lots more wine now, and they're offering several new releases to taste.

Barrels galore



Carruth's 2011 Lake County Sauvignon Blanc is pear essence in a glass from nose to finish. Of the five reds we tasted our favorites were the 2009 South Coast Barbera - medium-bodied with lots of dark cherry, and 2008 Paso Robles Petit Syrah - full-bodied with a nice, dry finish.

The tasting bar

This fall Carruth Cellars will open a second larger location next to the new Stone Brewery in Point Loma's Liberty Station. Most of the winemaking will take place there, leaving more space for tasting and relaxing around tables in the Solana Beach space.

Link to first Carruth Cellars post...

MAHOGANY MOUNTAIN VINEYARD AND WINERY

Last weekend Mahogany Mountain Vineyards and Winery invited wine club members and friends to try five new releases - all 100% varietals from the Ramona AVA, vintage 2009. A nice dry Barbera has the tannin structure to compliment red meats or rich pasta dishes. The Mourvedre, light and fruit forward, moved our palates in a different but also pleasant direction that led to a Merlot that is slightly sweeter, with fruit lingering on the finish. Our two favorites were the Zinfandel - dry and spicy, with a hint of black cherry, and a well-balanced Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Michael Hargett has a strong hunch that this wine will be even better in three or four years.

Kim Hargett described each wine.

All of the wines in this release are estate grown except the Barbera, which was made with grapes from nearby Highland Hills Vineyard. The new wines are already available to wine club members and will be offered in the tasting room over the summer.

If you like red wines, this is a great place to taste.

Mahogany Mountain wines showcase the characteristics of each grape and vintage. It's always fun to see what's new! And lately it's been easier to do so; flags and signs now point the way to the tasting room, open 1-5 on weekends.

760.788.7048

Link to first Mahogany Mountain post...