Red Wines

Red Wines

Castello Di Amorosa

glass of wine - PIxabay

This is one of Napa's most memorable wineries - and the newest. It took more than half a decade to build and involved hand masonry by Italian artisans. Why? Because Castello is truly a castle. A Medieval, stone castle.... with a moat!

Benom Wines

Painting by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski - people enjoying wine

Arnaud and Guillaume Fabre moved to California for love. For Guillaume, it was his passion for winemaking and farming without limits that brought him to Paso Robles. This love led him to one of the most prestigious wineries in Paso Robles,

Meet Arnaud and Guillaume Fabre, two brothers from France whose passion for winemaking is deeply rooted in their heritage. Their journey to California was sparked by love—Guillaume's ardor for winemaking and limitless farming led him to the picturesque Paso Robles, where he initially joined one of the region’s most esteemed wineries, L’Aventure, before launching his own venture, Clos Solène.

Arnaud's tale is equally captivating, reminiscent of a romantic film. His move to California was driven by his love for Chloe, leading the brothers—Les Deux Frères Fabre—to settle in the heart of Paso Robles.

But the story doesn’t end there. The Fabre brothers invite wine lovers to discover the intriguing chapters of their journey for themselves. With a deep respect for their family legacy spanning six generations in the Languedoc-Roussillon and Bordeaux regions, their winery, BENOM, beautifully marries the freedom of winemaking in Paso Robles with the exceptional talent inherent in the Fabre lineage.

Painting by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski - people enjoying wine

Broken Earth Winery

Painting by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski - People enjoying wine

The story of Broken Earth begins at Continental Vineyards. A 2500-acre parcel of land quietly harboring stories of hard-working caballeros, cattle barons, and grape growers whose dedication and vision shaped this place.

Originally named Rancho Tierra Rejada “Land of worked earth”, it is the determination of those who preceded us, and our care for this land that makes our wines unique. Our wines are bold representations of the place where they were born. Crafted with minimal intervention to reflect the soil, fruit, and character of this place.

Painting by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski - People enjoying wine

Oak Mountain Winery

Painting by Agata Zaborowski women enjoying wine

Another stop on the DePortola Wine Trail. I wish I had the opportunity to walk around the grounds here and check them out, but time was pressing and we had more wineries to get to. Outside there is a very large patio with a wonderful view. There was a pizza booth to purchase a snack and a live band playing. I hope to stop by again next trip to the area. A really nice, friendly atmosphere to relax. Growing classic warm weather Mediterranean varieties of grapes which include Mourvedre, Viognier, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel and Sangiovese Brunello are keystone wines at this picturesque winery. Also included are some unique wine varietals such as Tempranillo, Primativo and our a Pinotage. I hope to meet the winemaker Stephen Andrews next time I am in Temecula Wine Country. Painting by Agata Zaborowski

Staglin Family Vineyard

wine with chateau in the background - Pixabay

Located in Rutherford, west of Hwy 29 off Bella Oaks Lane. The tour/tasting appointment here will last about 60-90 minutes, depending on the group dynamic. Standard cave tour and sit-down tasting. You pay for what you get - pricer than other wineries, but the wines are excellent, full-bodied and rich. Family owned and run, committed to the environment. Great tasting experience.

Bond Estates

grape cluster - Pixabay

Bond offers four Napa Valley Red wines, Melbury, St. Eden, Vecina, and Pluribus. The wine not utilized for the final blends of Bond, then goes to create a second wine under the Matriarch label. I tasted a bottle of Matriarch recently and was very impressed with its silky nature.

Al Lago Wines

people enjoying wine outdoors - wine artist Agata Zaborowski

Blair Allan and Simone Lagomarsino after many trips to Napa, Sonoma, and Europe, planted a vineyard to bridge their European heritage with the new world of winemaking to create remarkable wines with unique character and flavor.  They planted varietals proven to grow well in the area.  Among these were Sangiovese, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and three different clones of Pinot Noir, and thus, Al Lago Wines was born.  In 2014, they proudly partnered with winemaker Guillaume Fabre who further enhanced the exceptional quality of the vineyard.  Each vine is carefully tended, hand-pruned, and picked to guarantee wines of the highest quality.
 

Oso Libre

looking at the moon through a glass of wine

Good wines, friendly owners, fun animals. A field full of alpacas greets you as you enter Oso Libre. The husband and wife owners were absolute gems, but let's face it, unfriendly people simply don't own alpacas. They shared a lot of interesting info about the winery and animals which made for an entertaining conversation. The wines were tasty and the term “wine farm” setting of Oso Libre is a great experience.

Speckle Rock Vineyard

winery's label

On October 22, 2007, the tragedy of the Witch Creek Fire struck the southeast part of the San Diego Wild Animal Park, located on the other side of the San Pasqual Valley. As the fire fueled itself by over 100 mph winds, it spread up to Bandy Canyon and created a huge firestorm. The fire consumed the majority of Perrin Oak Ranch and almost took the life of our owner, Duane “D.O.” Perrin while he was sleeping. Thankfully, Duane got to safety in time. The fire destroyed structures, farm equipment and, most of all, about 3,000 avocado trees. The only figures left standing after the fire were the valiant speckled boulders of granite. From that tragic memory, Duane decided to rise up from the ashes and start over. Instead of re-planting avocado trees, he decided to plant wine grapes. Through that move, Speckle Rock Vineyards and DG Cellars were born. Currently, the ranch has more than 23 acres of vineyard composed of Grenache, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Carmenere, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Meunier, Clairette Blanche, and Falanghina grapes. Each year we target to plant more acreage to reach our 40-acre goal and ultimately yield 4,000 cases each year and continue to be one of the top vineyards in San Diego, complete with wine tastings, events and much, much more.

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