White Zinfandel

White Zinfandel

Woodbridge By Robert Mondavi

wine and cheese - Pixabay

In the early 1900s, Cesare and Rosa Mondavi, newlyweds from Italy's Sassoferrato region, planted their roots in Minnesota. When the Prohibition Act of 1919 banned alcohol sales, Italian families were puzzled—wine was a daily essential. But a loophole allowed families to make 200 gallons of wine per year for personal use, and Cesare saw an opportunity.

He began shipping California grapes for home winemaking, quickly noticing that many came from a place called Lodi. With a keen business sense, he moved his family to California, including his young son, Robert Mondavi, and launched his own grape-shipping enterprise. Robert’s first job was hands-on, nailing crates for his father’s grapes, a start that would spark a lifelong dedication to wine.

Raised with values of hard work, Robert Mondavi embraced his calling. He studied business and chemistry at Stanford, followed by viticulture and enology at UC Berkeley, preparing him to make waves in California’s burgeoning wine industry. This early groundwork would help shape the legacy of one of California’s most revered wine pioneers.

Schwaesdall Winery

Grape Cluster - ai generated - Pixabay

John Schwaesdall, A San Diego native, started making wine from some of the old vineyards in Ramona that were planted in 1950′s. He since has planted 4 1/2 acres of various red and white wine grapes. The vineyard lies among gigantic granite boulders that are found predominately in the Ramona/Mt. Woodson area of San Diego. These boulders are true natural wonders. One great granite boulder on the property weighs 80 tons and looks just like a cat. Another looks like Moby Dick. John won’t hesitate to show visitors the fantastic natural sculptures on his 6 acres of property.

Canyon Road Winery

grape cluster - Pixabay

Canyon Road Winery owns 140 acres of vineyards. The majority of the grapes for its wines are sourced from coastal appellations and selected Northern California vineyards. The California appellation is part of the key to the brand's success, since it allows winemakers to roam prime California sources for just the juice they want.

Maurice Car'rie Vineyards & Winery

Painting by Agata Zaborowski - women enjoying wine

We ate at the kitchen first which was absolutely delicious. I never ever thought I would eat some tomato bisque. Yummy. Then walked next door to the tasting room and used our 2 for 1 coupons and started tasting. Donna was a very good host and was able to be attentive to everyone. She was Explaining what all wines were that we drank. And also offered some suggestions. Nice. The winery is very nice which have a kitchen next door. 

Ultimate Vineyards, situated in the heart of Temecula Valley wine country, produces wines primarily from its 75-acre estate vineyard. This vineyard benefits from a unique combination of geological and topographical features that result in fruit with exceptional intensity, weight, and richness. Positioned in the bed of the ancient Santa Margarita River, the vineyard has accumulated millennia of sediment deposits. It also rests in a natural geological bowl, where cooler nighttime air drifts in and settles, preserving higher levels of acidity and tannins in the grapes. The ample sunshine, combined with gentle ocean breezes, helps the grapes develop deep color and sugars.

The vineyard’s soil, mostly sandy loam, offers excellent drainage but has low organic matter due to limited rainfall. To foster "Living Soils," Ultimate Vineyards enhances soil health through annual applications of organic compost, inoculation with beneficial microbes, and the planting of nitrogen-fixing cover crops. Their philosophy centers on creating a thriving, healthy ecosystem in the soil to promote better vine growth, more consistent ripening, and higher quality grapes. To achieve this, Ultimate Vineyards avoids the use of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides on their soils.

 

Sutter Home Winery

corks and wine glass - Pixabay

Yes, we all know Sutter Home Wine is a basic table wine, great tasting, easy going, affordable, and all that... Ok here's the deal, my first stop was BV Winery, wine tasting for two, two bottles of wine, out the door $92, yes Nine-two bucks.... (not complaining as I really like BV, just comparing) down the street Sutter home, wine tasting for two unlimited, two bottles of wine, four two packs of wine, 2 wine glasses and a sign up for the wine club $32 out the door and to boot, you get free wine tasting at their premium brand Menage a Trois, so we went down there and we had unlimited tastings there as well and 20% off wine so out the door there $27 for two bottles of wine and wine tasting. Sutter Home has one of the most beautiful properties among all of the wineries with a slew of Victorian style buildings. These buildings have become inns perfect for anyone finding a place to stay in wine country!

Story Winery

Cabernet Franc Grapes

Story Winery

Since its founding in 1973, Story Winery has been dedicated to producing small-lot, vineyard-designate wines that authentically express the land from which they originate. Primarily utilizing estate-grown grapes, the winery strives to create wines that not only represent their terroir but also cellar well while being enjoyable in their youth.

The winery’s tasting room and picnic grounds are open daily, offering visitors a chance to experience great wine, find the perfect picnic spot, or simply enjoy a peaceful moment in nature. Guests are invited to discover the renowned estate vineyards, which include 130-year-old Zinfandel and Mission vines, as well as award-winning Italian and Georgian varietals. The friendly and knowledgeable staff are on hand to guide visitors through various tasting options while sharing stories about the wines, vineyards, and the events that have shaped the winery’s 120-year history.

The Team

Winemaking

Rob Campbell & Thomas Allan

Winemaker Rob Campbell, a fourth-generation San Franciscan, grew up in San Francisco and nearby Daly City. He ventured just 30 miles away to attend San Jose State University, where he studied Jazz. Rob earned a BA in Jazz Studies and a master’s degree in saxophone performance. Realizing that a musician’s income would struggle to sustain him in San Francisco, he leveraged his computer skills while completing his studies. Rob worked at Hewlett-Packard, Apple, and later at Digidesign (now part of Avid Technologies) during the early 1990s. Over a decade, he climbed the ranks to become Hardware Product Manager of digital audio workstations. He then transitioned into a consulting role for Avid’s worldwide training organization as an author, lecturer, and Master Trainer. After extensive global travel, Rob chose to settle back in San Francisco to manage One Union Recording, a premier post-production audio facility. It was during this period that he took over management and operations at Story Winery.

WinemakerThomas Allan, originally from Santa Barbara, has built a diverse career in the restaurant industry, serving as an owner, server, and sommelier. He also worked in high-end retail bottle shops in Santa Barbara before relocating to Amador County in 2000. Thomas was the original Sommelier at Taste Restaurant before moving to Bray Vineyards. In 2016, he established his own label, Fate Wines, which he continues to manage alongside his work at Story Winery, where he joined the winemaking team in 2018.

Image courtesy photographer Randy Caparosos

Franzia Wines

wine grapes

Distributed via Retail Outlets and stores. Franzia wines are fresh, delicious and made with a heartfelt commitment. Franzia is a wine first created by the hard work of the Franzia family during the first half of the 1900s. Today, our wines are enjoyed by people in countries all over the globe.

Wise Villa Winery

Aglianico Grape Clusters Courtesy of Randy Caparoso

The owner spent a lot of time on us explaining his wines and the winery's history. To be fair, there were not very many other customers. Still, he kept us entertained and conversed with us for well over an hour. We felt very welcome.Love how they work with their grapes. You know! if they promise me a bottle of the Sangiovese that I barrel-tasted today, I would probably give them another star.  Image Aglianico Grape Clusters Courtesy of Randy Caparoso

Galleano Winery

woman enjoying wine

The Historic Galleano Winery was founded in 1927 by Domenico Galleano. Remarkably, the winery complex has remained largely unchanged to this day.

Galleano Winery is notable for being the last remaining bonded, Prohibition-era winery still owned and operated by its founding family at its original location in the Cucamonga Valley. The Galleano family takes great pride in the fact that the Cantu-Galleano Ranch complex is listed as a landmark on both the California and National Register of Historic Places.

Located in Mira Loma’s Wineville area, Galleano Winery retains much of its 1927 charm. It sits at the southern fringe of the Cucamonga Valley, a region made famous for winegrowing by Secondo Guasti, who, like Domenico, hailed from northern Italy’s Piedmont region. The name "Cucamonga" translates to "sandy place," aptly describing the alluvial plain that descends from the eastern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains.

During the 1940s, the Cucamonga Valley boasted more than 45,000 acres dedicated to vineyards and approximately 60 wineries, showcasing the area’s rich viticultural history.

Riboli Family Wine Estates

Winery Logo

The Riboli Family WInes Estates/San Antonio Winery in LA offers complimentary tasting and winery tours. The Winery features Riboli Family of Wines and a unique and varied selection from around the wine world. Actually have 3 locations in LA, Ontario east of LA and in Paso Robles.

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