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Stehleon Vineyards

Stehleon wine label

Stehleon Vineyards wines are San Diego grown and produced. Owned by Al and Lisa Stehly, their grove and vineyard management company cares for the vines that produced these first vintages. Small, custom vineyards have been hand pruned and the fruit hand harvested. Wine-making has become a family affair, and daughter Alysha Stehly produces and bottles the wine in Escondido in northern San Diego County. Having recently planted their vineyard of Rhone varietals, the Stehlys hope to eventually expand their offerings of wine that always pair well with friends

Prospect 772 Wine Company

grape cluster - Pixabay

Welcome to Prospect 772

Francis Johnson and his wife Kristina recently became the proud new owners of a stunning 25-acre estate in the Sierra Foothills, having purchased this slice of paradise on January 5, 2024. Along with the breathtaking property, they inherited an esteemed line of Rhone wines recognized for their exceptional quality.

Founded in 2001 by Ron Pieretti and Wendy Sandra, Prospect 772 has long been dedicated to producing some of the finest Rhone wines available. As the new stewards of this winery, Francis and Kristina are committed to honoring the legacy established by Ron and Wendy, employing their tried-and-true winemaking techniques to ensure the continued excellence of the wines.

They will carry on the tradition by producing all the legacy wines of Prospect 772, including the beloved Black Tie Charlie. In addition to these established favorites, they plan to introduce two new varietals during their first year, starting with Tatum's Grace, a delightful white wine that will be released in April 2024.

Wine lovers and enthusiasts are warmly invited to stop by and enjoy a glass of wine with Francis and Kristina. They look forward to many years of winemaking and building friendships in the vibrant wine community.

Calcareous Vineyards

women enjoying wine together

Pursuing a profound love of world-class wines throughout their personal and professional lives, father and daughter Lloyd Messer and Dana Brown developed a real thirst for cultivating something of their own. Truly distinctive terroir-driven wines can be elusive, but this remote plateau in Paso Robles—this place—certainly had a voice like no other. Planting their family vineyard here, atop 442 acres of solid calcareous rock, it has been a labor of love to cultivate fruit on this challenging land, but the reward is immediately apparent when savoring the award-winning results.

Lloyd passed on in 2006, but Dana continues to advance their vision as Calcareous consistently produces a collection of world-class Rhône and Bordeaux wines that speak with an undeniable sense of place.

Outpost Wines

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Kathy and Rich gave a great tasting and tour. They actually let the wine speak for itself. They were busy telling us about the plots of land and the intricacies of planting grapes in granite, while our small group quietly enjoyed three of their fantastic wines. With wine this good, we didn't need to be told what to look for in the nose, we just enjoyed it. If our glass was empty during the vineyard tour, no problem, Rich kept the bottle in hand and was happy to refill the glass. Oh yeah, and the view. At 1400 feet, the tasting room and patio have an incredible view of the valley. Take the 2:30 tasting so you can watch the sun start to set. Our intended 30 minute run in for a taste turned into more than an hour and a half of winery heaven. I wish we could have spent the evening in their tasting room. Make this appointment first, then plan the rest of your day.

Miner Family Vineyards

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Location: A delightful tasting facility perched on the hillside that feels spacious and has a great view. Service: Knowledgeable and friendly staff, although this is hit and miss. The first gentleman who poured for us was very helpful, but then a brusque lady came along and stole our spit bucket that we were using and gave it to the couple she was attending. Wines: We had a $25 flight of 5 wines that came with the flexibility to pick any combination of the wines they were pouring. Miner does not produce estate wines and their grapes are sourced from third party vineyards. It was fun to compare the difference between the two styles of Chardonnay, one of which (2008 Chardonnay, "Wild Yeast") received more oak aging & malolactic fermentation % than the other (2010 Chardonnay, "Napa Valley").

Reverie Vineyards

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Reverie Winery, located near Calistoga, California, is one of Napa Valley’s smallest estate wineries. The vineyard is nestled on a steep, 40 acre parcel high up in the Diamond Mountain appellation. It was once part of the Bonsell Property that is now divided into three vineyards – Reverie, Diamond Creek, and Von Strasser. Norman Kiken, a New Jersey guy, is the owner and winemaker. He purchased the property in 1993 and specializes in producing ultra-premium Bordeaux style varietal blends that reflect the uniqueness of the terroir. 5 star family winery, old-fashioned style. You feel their passion for the wine. The property is magnificent; you must walk around. The tour is informative, interesting and fun. I've done it a couple of times, and I look forward to a repeat. Their cab franc is sooo good.

David Girard Vineyards

Wine and Cheese - AI Generated, Pixabay

David Girard Vineyards is nestled in the Sierra foothills near where the south fork of the American River gave up its gold in 1849. At an elevation of some 1,200 feet soil, temperature and conditions, an environment ideally suited to growing the premier grape varietals of southern France's Rhône valley. Twenty years ago the folks at David Girard started with little more than good earth, a tolerance for risk and a willingness to learn from their mistakes. The winery has established a solid reputation for excellence and value by producing Rhône style wines in the heart of one of California's most historic regions.

Demetria Estates

Corks and Glass - Pixabay

Demetria Estate produces two separate portfolios of wines including, Burgundian varietals and Rhone-style blends that capture the singularity of the vineyards and the region from which they originated. The Burgundian offerings comprise of varietal honest manifestations of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, farmed sustainably in the Santa Rita Hills appellation of Santa Barbara County. The Rhone blends feature a rich, aromatic array of wines that are well-balanced, and intensely flavorful. The Rhone blends are styled after the famous Chateauneuf du Pape reds and are made from varieties of Syrah, Mourvedre, and Grenache. The white Rhone wines are blends of Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Grenache Blanc.

Image: Corks and Glass

Jeff Runquist Wines

clusters of grapes

About Jeff Runquist Wines

For the adventurous wine drinker eager to explore the diversity of the wine world, Jeff Runquist Wines offers unique varietals sourced from California’s premier appellations, inspired by the curiosity and passion of the growers and winemakers.

Winemaker Jeff Runquist produces balanced wines that can be enjoyed in their youth while also having the potential to age and develop more complexity over time. His wines feature a consistent theme of fresh fruit, reflecting the inherent varietal flavors of the grapes. Jeff sources grapes from various regions across California, with plans to crush over twenty different varieties from nine different appellations for the 2013 vintage. While most wines are produced in small, limited quantities, four principal wines are consistently available throughout the year: Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Barbera, and Petit Verdot.

Jeff selects grapes from vineyards that yield rich, full flavors without excessive astringent tannins. He has a preference for wines that are vibrant and zesty. "Once I release a new vintage, I rarely revisit the previous year's wine. My father appreciates that; it means more older wines for him," Jeff notes.

His journey in the wine industry began in 1977 when he interned with Seagrams at their Paul Masson Sherry Cellars in Madera while studying enology at UC Davis. After graduating in 1980, he worked in the cellar at Montevina in Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley, where he was promoted to winemaker in 1982. Following a three-year tenure at the Napa Valley Cooperative Winery from 1987 to 1990, Jeff became the winemaker for J. Lohr winery in San Jose. It was during his time at J. Lohr that he realized he needed to create wine under his own label.

In 1995, Jeff crushed ten tons of Zinfandel from the Massoni Ranch in Amador’s Shenandoah Valley, and on April 1, 1997, he released 700 cases of that Zinfandel under his own name. In 1996 and 1997, he produced his wines at Sycamore Creek Winery in Morgan Hill, followed by a stint at McManis Family Vineyard Winery in Ripon from 1998 through the 2010 vintage. In 2006, he returned to Amador County after purchasing a small five-acre walnut orchard on Shenandoah Road. In the spring of 2008, Jeff and Margie opened their tasting room, and production facilities followed, allowing Jeff to crush the majority of their production in Amador starting in 2011.

Photo courtesy photographer Randy Caparoso

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