The young man who hosted our tasting was knowledgeable yet casual and easy to talk to - right up our alley. Really appreciated the time he took to do "compare & contrast" tastings! Definitely stop in here for a tasting - whether you linger or quickly move on to the wineries, you'll get a nice intro to wines in the region.
The vineyards of Lucas & Lewellen are located in the three principal wine grape growing regions of Santa Barbara County: the Santa Maria Valley, the Los Alamos Valley, and the Santa Ynez Valley. These valleys all run west from the coastal mountains to the Pacific Ocean, allowing warm days and cool nights to produce a long, gentle growing season.
Tarrica Wine Cellars is a small, family owned winery started in 2000 in the Paso Robles Wine Country. The focus of Tarrica winery is to produce value priced wines that are a clear expression of viticultural origin and varietal flavor.
Where is the bottle? What’s the most delicious way to enjoy acclaimed wines without a hefty price tag? Lose the bottle. In 2003, Black Box Wines redefined the category by becoming the first U.S. vintner to offer super-premium, appellation-specific, vintage-dated wines in a box. Since then our expanding repertoire has earned 28 gold medals in wine competitions nationwide, yet still costs 40% less than comparable bottled wines.
The winery: Service was great. Wine tasting was nice, definitely do that. Lots to choose from and the chips are really good. The wines were nice as well. We took the tour which was pretty cool. The tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable. He took us on a tour of the winery, told us a little about the surrounding area and the process how the wine is made.
Dominick and Gloria Chirichillo’s choice of name for their winery is a reflection of their commitment to their Italian heritage and the tradition of family winemaking. In 1955 in New York, Dominick who is called Domenico in Italian was introduced to these traditions by his Nonno (grandfather), Domenico Giovinazzo. In the basement of their home was a wine press that Nonno showed Dominick; passing down from one generation to another the love of handcrafting wine. Affordable, delicious Santa Cruz Mountain wines, great tasting room, wonderful owners/winemakers. It has been inspiring in seeing Domenico Wines expand and grow. Kudos, and wishing the team the very best on their latest wines and their new tasting room location in San Carlos. Domenico Wines was included in a brief video presentation of wineries that are part of the 3rd Annual Mid Peninsula Summer Wine Trail. You can get a peek HERE We are looking forward to getting an interview (video) with Dominick Chirichillo in the near future.~
Hours:
Mon-Tue Closed
Wed 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Thu 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Fri 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Sat 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Sun 12:00pm to 6:00pm
At just five years old, Harry Merlo Sr. began his journey in the wine industry, stomping grapes with his feet beneath the railroad tracks in the Italian section of Stirling City, California. His father, Giuseppe Merlo, an Italian immigrant known as the wine steward of the High Sierra lumber town, would place a washtub on the woodshed floor, dump in a 50-pound lug of zinfandel grapes, and young Harry would eagerly stomp away. Harry often jokes that his years in wine qualify him as a true connoisseur—thanks to his permanently purple feet.
The family tradition flourished when Harry acquired his own vineyard near Geyserville, California, in 1965. By the mid-1960s, he delivered his first truckload of grapes to the Italian Swiss Colony Winery, receiving a receipt priced at $50 per ton after weighing his truck.
This passion for winemaking extended to the next generation, with Harry’s son, Harry Jr., pursuing viticulture and enology at California State University, Fresno. After graduation, Harry Jr. took the reins as Manager of Lago di Merlo Vineyards & Winery at the family’s Merlo Ranch in Sonoma County.
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Eric Engleman believes that balance starts in the vineyard at LoMac Winery. For four generations the Engelman family has been growing grapes and making wine in the rich soil of the San Joaquin Valley. Today Eric is cultivating balance in their family vineyard and producing handcrafted boutique wines with vibrant varietal characters that showcase the terroir of California's center of winegrape production. Enjoy LoMac Winery "from vine to wine" with their light Moscato, a smooth Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and maybe a Pinot Noir. ~
Hours:
Sat - 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Sun - 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Williams Seylem is an institution. The original cult pinot negociant in America. For pinotfiles this place is a mecca. Since then it has changed hands (and by that I mean about a decade ago). The juice is still superb, sourced from the best vineyards in the area, and service wonderful. Though you've got to be on the mailing list to visit. Appointment required: yes, and you need to be on the list, or find someone who is.
This winery is pleasant and makes you feel like you are at home. Decor was very casual and warm. Staff was generous with their pouring. We had some reds and sweet wines. The sweet wine with plum and chocolate notes was one of the best. Their sherry was also very good. We even had some homemade lemon marmalade with crackers.
