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)

J. JENKINS WINERY

Retired pediatrician Jim Jenkins has been making wine for many years, and doing so commercially since 2003. He and his wife Jeanne have ten acres of vines and apple trees just two miles north of Julian. Their estate grapes include Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir; Jim sources additional grapes from Ramona and other SoCal vineyards.

We were happy to find the Jenkins’ original tasting room re-opened after a hiatus. And we liked the Dolcezza apple wine! With only 0.5% residual sugar, it'll be a pleasant summer sipper. The 2009 Estate Pinot Noir has mineral notes and more weight than we generally encounter; it would be perfect with salmon. But the 2004 Syrah with its smoky and grassy nose won the day. What an amazing find for $25 – and the grapes came from Pyramid Vineyard, just down the road in Ramona.

The Jenkins estate includes kid- and dog-friendly picnic spots. In early fall look for a farm stand too, with tomatoes, pears… and of course apples and cider.

The J. Jenkins tasting room is open Thursday – Sunday 11:00-5:00.  760.765.3267

WINE TOURING IN JULIAN

There’s now a critical mass of wineries and tasting rooms in historic Julian, about an hour’s drive from central San Diego. In the center of town, start at Blue Door (2608 B Street). You may also want to visit the Witch Creek tasting room (2000 Main Street). After that, take short drive to J. Jenkins (1255 Julian Orchards Drive) and then Menghini (1150 Julian Orchards Drive). If you’ve brought a picnic, Menghini’s patio is the best spot to enjoy it.

Backtrack a bit and turn right onto Highway 78, where you’ll soon encounter Country Cellars (4456 Highway 78) and Orfila (4470 Highway 78). If you're game for more, stop at Milagro (18750-C Littlepage Road, accessible from the 78) or Edwards (26502 Highway 78) and then proceed back to San Diego via Ramona and Poway. You’ll be home before you know it.

Current Julian Tasting Room Hours:

Blue Door: Friday-Saturday 11-6, Sunday-Thursday 12-5

Witch Creek: Daily 11-5

J. Jenkins: Thursday-Sunday 11-5

Menghini: Monday-Friday 10-4, Saturday-Sunday 10-5

Country Cellars: Wednesday-Sunday 11-5, holiday Mondays 11-4

Milagro: Friday-Monday 11-5

Edwards: Saturday-Sunday 11-4

 

COUNTRY CELLARS tasting room and wine shop

There’s nothing close to Country Cellars in the city of San Diego: it's truly a one-stop shop for San Diego County wine and beer. Located on Highway 78 between Julian and Ramona, this place is a gem that attracts both locals and tourists. Owner Trez Gotfredson changes up the tasting menu every week, so there’s always something new to try, and even more to buy. Her current list includes five whites, sixteen reds, and eight dessert wines (and we didn’t even look at the beer!).  The shop stocks some cheeses and other picnic supplies as well.

Country Cellars has both monthly and quarterly wine clubs, with lots of options. The discount is at least 15%, plus free tasting and invitations to quarterly wine-appetizer pairings and other events.

Country Cellars is open for tasting and sales Wednesday-Sunday 11-5 and holiday Mondays 11-4. 760.765.0089

BLUE DOOR WINERY tasting room

Blue Door Winery in San Marcos recently opened a tasting room in the heart of Julian – a welcome addition to the town’s budding wine landscape. Winemaker Marc Hashagen sources grapes from many parts of California, with a lot (especially white varietals) coming from Santa Barbara County. We loved his 2010 unoaked Chardonnay.

Marc was working in international finance when he had an epiphany of sorts: he wanted to become a boutique winemaker, expressing his passion while keeping things simple and natural. Meanwhile, his old friend Kameron was working in the Santa Barbara wine industry. She moved to San Diego and reconnected with Marc… now they’re engaged. Blue Door’s annual production has grown to approximately 750 cases. Kameron manages the tasting room and vigorously promotes the wines.We tried three outstanding reds: a 2008 Santa Barbara Barbera – soft on the palate but still with plenty of tannins, 2008 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon (our favorite) aged in American oak – fruit and spice on the nose, pepper later on. This wine is light; one could mistake it for a Pinot Noir. The just-released 2008 Santa Barbara Cabernet Franc is, we were told, highly changeable depending on one's mood and food. We enjoyed its pleasant grassiness.

We look forward to tasting Marc’s famous Merlot, with fruit from the Hidden Meadows area of Escondido. The 2010 vintage will be released at the end of this month. There’s also a Zinfandel on the horizon.

Blue Door’s wine club members get two bottles every three months, at $20/bottle or 20% off retail. And free tasting, of course.

The tasting room is open Friday-Saturday 11-6, Sunday-Thursday 12-5. 760.765.0361

WITCH CREEK WINERY

Witch Creek, established in 1993, is the oldest urban winery in San Diego County. They've won 27 medals in the San Francisco Chronicle’s competitions. The main tasting room is a couple blocks off the beach in Carlsbad, but the tasting room selections don't represent this winery's range. We bought a 2007 Chateau Neuf Du Cat at Whole Foods ($27). It's 50% Grenache, 25% Morvedre, and 25% Syrah. It certainly went well with the barely grilled clams we swirled in a garlic-and-chili-laden mixture of olive oil, lemon, and their own juices before popping them into our mouths.

Gotta Love the Cat

Members of Witch Creek's Winery Cellar Club definitely get the best bottles. They commit to two bottles per month for at least three months. In return the winery offers 20% off other purchases, free tasting, and invitations to private events.

Witch Creek's Carsbad and Julian tasting rooms are open daily 11:00-5:00. Carlsbad: 760.720.7499 Julian: 760.765.2023

ORFILA WINERY

We’ve long enjoyed Orfila in Escondido for its beautiful picnic grounds, but for a time we could barely find a wine that satisfied our craving for earthiness and distinguishable tannins. This changed gradually but we’ve never been as impressed as we were this month. Of special note: 2008 Estate Sangiovese, 2008 Estate Ambassadors Reserve Merlot, and several Syrahs. Both the Escondido winery and the Julian tasting room are festooned with flags from all over the world. Mr. Orfila was Argentina's ambassador to the U.S. He figured that when people see their flag, they feel at home.

View from Our Picnic Table on Orfila's Escondido Grounds

Orfila's wine club offers quarterly 3-bottle shipments taylored to members' preferences for $45-$82. Members also get free "V.I.P." tastings in Escondido and Julian, 20% off additional purchases, and invitations to special events.

The Escondido tasting room is open daily 10:00-6:00. 760.738.6500
The Julian tasting room is open Friday-Tuesday 10:00-5:00 760.765.0102

MENGHINI WINERY

 

Menghini is one of two wineries located in Julian, a small town in the mountains east of San Diego. The property includes six acres of vineyards, an apple orchard, and an outdoor dance floor/performance space. Owners Mike and Toni Menghini are super friendly an very knowledgeable about wine and everything else in east San Diego County.  A number of cats and a dog here and there help greet visitors who stop by for a tasting or a picnic on the veranda. The Menghinis want us to drink their wines now, which is not hard to do! The whites are crisp an fresh; the reds are medium-bodied and very food friendly. During the summer the winery hosts several music and art events.

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