Wine tasting at Preston was a fun experience. The tasting room had a welcoming atmosphere with lots of funny books decorating the bookshelves and samples of their olives and sourdough. There were other groups also present, but we were attended quite quickly. Hidden gem. This is what wine country should feel like...to be continued.
Every winemaker pours a little bit of their self into their handcrafted wines. From the soil, vineyard, grapes and the actual end product, the wine. Six generations our family has cared for and improved the estate and has heavily shaped what the Fernwood Cellars brand has become today.
Matt Oetinger, the only child of Linda Pond and Lew Oetinger, established Fernwood Cellars and built the winery on Redwood Retreat land. He became the fifth generation of his pioneering family to work on and enhance the land through a successful agri-business. After graduating from U.C. Davis with a degree in Biology, Matt served as vineyard manager at Clos LaChance Winery in Morgan Hill, CA. He continued to pursue his passion for winemaking and eventually dedicated all his time and energy to the evolution of Fernwood Cellars.
Forgotten Barrel offers a wide selection of premium hand-crafted wines using fruit sourced from Napa, Sonoma, Central Coast and San Diego County. The reincarnation of the former Ferrara Winery has transformed this once-forgotten homestead into a tranquil rustic hideaway in the city. Our winemaker, John Eppler, hails from Northern California, having worked in Napa for Robert Mondavi, Rosenblum Cellars, and his own brand, John Robert Eppler Wines. Visitors are sure to enjoy a friendly and relaxed wine tasting that will long be savored.
Jessie’s Grove Winery in Lodi specializes in crafting small-batch, artisanal wines that showcase the vibrant flavors of the region’s renowned grape varietals, such as Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignane. Visitors can explore the newly renovated tasting room, the historic barn, or enjoy a glass at the outdoor pouring stations, each offering a unique and personalized wine-tasting experience for every occasion.
With a commitment to sustainable farming, Jessie’s Grove ensures that each grape is carefully nurtured, resulting in wines that capture the true essence of Lodi. Guests can enjoy guided tours of the vineyards, exclusive barrel tastings at the historic estate, or peaceful picnics amidst the tranquil beauty of the Lodi countryside.
You will find in the picturesque rolling foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains near Paso Robles, California, lies a contemporary gem of a winery owned by the Hoffman family. Operated by Dr. Stanley Hoffman and his two sons, David and Michael, this idyllic winery boasts 12-year-old vineyards perched at elevations of 1,400 to 1,800 feet, all dedicated to producing premium estate-bottled wines.
The story of this remarkable winery dates back to 1964 when Dr. Hoffman first planted French varietals like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. He discovered that the unique climate, terrain, and chalky, lime-rich soil of his Central Coast ranch closely resembled the renowned viticulture regions of France.
In 1973, Dr. and Mrs. Hoffman made the bold move from Southern California to Paso Robles, setting out to create a winery focused solely on estate-bottled premium wines. That same year, they welcomed the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff, the “dean of California Winemasters,” as a consultant. With Andre’s expert guidance, the Hoffman brothers began crafting wines that soon garnered prestigious accolades, including a gold medal at an international wine competition in London in 1975.
Tchelistcheff praised the Hoffmans, noting, “Love, devotion, and self-sacrifice are rare in this day but essential for making great wines,” and he believed the Hoffman brothers embodied these qualities. He also referred to HMR Vineyards as “a jewel of ecological elements,” predicting that some of the best white and red Burgundies would emerge from this exceptional region.
For those who adore California wines, the Hoffman family's commitment to quality and their stunning vineyard is a true treasure waiting to be explored!
Pelican Ranch Winery is a small, family owned and operated winery specializing in Rhone and Burgundy style wines from the best vineyards in California. Established in 1997, the winery is located a short distance from Monterey Bay which provides the constant, cool, coastal influence that allows for controlled, slow fermentation. The result is rich, full-flavored, complex wines.
Hatcher Winery was founded in 2002 by owner/winemaker Matthew Hatcher. His skills as a winemaker have put this winery on the map and the tasting room in Murphys is a very popular stop for wine lovers in the Sierra Foothills. Matthew Hatcher is the owner and winemaker, and his wine making talents have put Hatcher on the don't miss list of Foothill wineries.
Black Sheep Winery opened in 1984, featuring small releases of wine handcrafted from high-quality grapes grown in Calaveras, and Amador Counties. Black Sheep Winery produces about 2,500 cases of wine per year, specializing in Zinfandels, but also producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and a second label called True Frogs Lily Pad Wines. This wine pays homage to jumping frog heritage here in Calaveras County!
Image courtesy Randy Caparoso
tercero wines is the brainchild of Larry Schaffer, owner and winemaker. He began the brand shortly after graduating with his Masters Degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis – but this was well after he had completely switched directions in life and charted a new and exciting path.
Larry started his college career at UC Davis as an undergraduate, but had no interest in wine. The idea of getting into wine was something he had considered in the past – but more on the sales and marketing side because of his background. After graduating with his degree, he joined the winemaking team at Fess Parker Winery, where he stayed for nearly a decade before it was time to branch off and concentrate 100% on his own brand – and he could not be happier today.
Larry is adept not only at winemaking but at explaining the process in a very user-friendly manner. Visit his tasting room or follow him on social media to see for yourself.
A cool microclimate in the Oregon House Valley: forty five hundred vines planted on a gentle, well-drained, north-east facing slope. Red loam and clay topsoil on decomposed granite and volcanic ash subsoil, sprinkled with fragments of granite rocks, basalt, and quartz. The virgin soil is pure, uncontaminated, alive with microorganisms and earthworms. The Sierra Nevada Foothills are not the first to spring to mind when thinking about Pinot Noir in California, and yet this site provides an ideal microclimate and soil combination for its demanding nature.
