In the heart of California’s scenic Gold Rush Country, Ironstone Vineyards will surprise and delight you with a winery that places as much emphasis on the natural beauty and history of their surroundings, as they do on the quality of their wines.
When we drove up we were greeted by 2 dogs and Jim the owner. The place is quaint and wine is phenomenal. Jim the owner took his time and explained the wine making process to our group, he even had us taste one of the grapes on the hillside. One of my favorite wines was the wine blend called "Sisters" which is made from the traditional Bordeaux varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec, all estate grown
Mi Sueno isn't your typical winery. It's located in an Industrial complex in the South of Napa and your tasting is in the chilled storage area of the warehouse. Despite the unconventional setting, the private tasting that I enjoyed here was extremely well done and informative. Jaime gave us a quick tour of the facility and we settled down at a grand wooden table and the pours began. Jaime is quite the story-teller, weaving together the story of the owner and the winery with the explanation for each of the wines. We tried 11 of their wines that day, with very very generous pours of each. My favorites were their 2009 Cab and the 2011 Valeria, a petit verdot, from their reserve line, Herrera, but I was also fond of the 2009 Chardonnay (not too oaky) and 2009 Pinot Noir. Give them a call or shoot them an email and make sure you stop and visit this place. A "Hidden Gem of Napa Valley"!
This place is really different and relaxing. The wines are very reasonable and great quality. Love the historic aspect and the grounds are beautiful to get your picnic on. Great Pinots and Cabs the atmosphere is so cool and off the beaten track. This winery is a little out of the way, but well worth the trip! The tasting room is lovely and the wines are good. There is a really nice lawn/yard outside of the tasting room that you could have a picnic on and there is a covered area with picnic tables for larger groups. The entire place has a very relaxing atmosphere.
History
The term "Sisquoc" is a native Chumash word meaning quail. The Sisquoc River meanders through Los Padres National Forest, the San Rafael Wilderness area, and Rancho Sisquoc before merging with the Cuyama River, north of Santa Barbara.
James C. Flood arrived in California in 1850 in search of opportunity and sunshine. By 1882, the Flood family was established in California, engaging in farming and ranching. James C. Flood’s grandson, Jim, and his wife, Betty, continued the family tradition when, in 1952, they acquired the historic Rancho Sisquoc, an 1852 Mexican land grant.
During the 1950s, the Floods operated Rancho Sisquoc primarily as a cattle ranch, while also farming beans and grain. Jim and Betty taught their four children—Jimmie, Judy, Johnny, and Elizabeth—how to ride horses and round up cattle. Today, their great-grandchildren (the 6th generation Floods) refine their riding skills with the ranch’s cowboys, as the cattle operation persists.
Inspired by the chaparral watershed and the classic Mediterranean climate, the Floods planted their first vineyards in the late 1960s, among the earliest in Santa Barbara County. With guidance from Napa Valley enologist Andre Tchelistcheff, they matched grape varieties to the climate and soils of Rancho Sisquoc. By 1972, the Floods produced their first wine. Over the years, they have selected additional varieties based on the ranch’s microclimates, resulting in superb vineyards and award-winning estate wines.
In 1992, Peirano Estate Vineyards began bottling and selling wine using their estate grown grapes. Until this point, Lance Randolph, fourth generation Peirano, produced wine simply for his enjoyment and that of his close family and friends. The rest of the grapes were sold to winemakers across the country. It was well-known amongst Lance’s family and friends that he had a knack for making well-balanced, elegant wines but was not interested in selling it to the masses. At their insistence, Lance began bottling and selling his wine to wine enthusiasts throughout the United States.
From the lofty heights of Montebello Mountain the grapes make the journey down to the historic ranch where they are examined, pressed and crushed in the shadow of the original Picchetti homestead house. Under the gaze of the ever watchful and vigilant peacocks, sweet juice is magically turned to wine.
Norman and Gino rented a small farm building in the Carneros region of Sonoma County. They purchased winegrapes, some 50-gallon oak barrels and a redwood vat. Three hundred cases of Pinot Noir and a small amount of White Riesling represented ZD's first commercial vintage in 1969. The grapes were purchased from the Winery Lake Vineyard, which had been planted a few years earlier by René di Rosa. ZD's 1969 Pinot Noir carries the historical significance of being the first wine to have a Carneros designation on the label. It states, "Made in Sonoma from grapes grown in the Carneros region of Napa." The Chardonnay winegrapes from Winery Lake Vineyard were not in production until 1971, which is the first vintage of ZD Chardonnay.
On a trip to Paso Robles years ago, Douglas Ayres was awed by the beauty of the land, the warmth of the people and the promising wine region. While later traveling through some of the most celebrated wine and cultural areas of the world, the memory of Paso Robles inspired him to return with a vision of owning vineyards, making world-class wine and developing a destination driven wine country resort.
Painting by Agata Zaborowski
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.
Built into the side of a picturesque hill atop the famed Dry Creek Valley, the Fritz Winery creates award-winning, small production wines with a respect for the vineyards, and the traditions of artisan, hand-crafted wine making. Jay Fritz's vision for a winery grounded in responsible stewardship is what has allowed the quality of the natural bounty of our 120+ Estate to thrive over the past thirty years.
