Melani, Owner & Winemaker
Melani’s love of wine started when she was a Navy nurse stationed in Naples, Italy, in 2009.  While living in Italy, she traveled throughout Europe and gathered wines along the way, creating an impressive collection. She fell in love with the way wine brought people together. Over the next 10 years, she hosted wine gatherings, taught and took classes, and took an informal but fun approach to learning about wine.

In 2017, Melani began volunteering at the Tackitt Family Vineyards for a Warrior Helping Warriors fundraiser, where she fell further in love with the winemaking process, the people, and Paso Robles.  She offered to assist the Tackitts at their events and started to learn more about the intricacies of winemaking and viticulture under the tutelage of Leon Tackitt- this is where she realized her dream of owning a winery.  Melani knows the importance of the translation of the Bon Niche name- “a good place.”  Through the years, she has come to realize that life is about enjoying the people, the place, and the moment.  Wine has brought many people, places, and special moments to life for Melani, and her dream is to create a very good place with great wine.

Founded in 2014, Markus Wine Co was launched from Lodi’s first boutique winery, Borra Vineyards. Swiss-born winemaker Markus Niggli selects from wisely-planted ancient vines and newly-planted unusual offerings.  The wines produced are ageless and memorable – to drink young or with a decade or more of age, and still be elegant. Markus Wine Co wines are fruit-driven, yet balanced with higher acidity than you find in many wines, and with soft, integrated tannins, to be enjoyed with meals. The Markus team believes that the real winemaking happens out in the vineyard and allow the vineyard and the wine grapes show their full expresion in your glass. 

Currently offering their delightful wines online through their website. Califonria Corks will be notified when on-site tastings become available. 

Barr Estate Winery is a small family-owned and operated vineyard, boutique winery, and tasting room located at 6950 Union Road on the east side of Paso Robles in the Geneseo District where the warm days and cool nights are ideal for grape growing. Aglianico, Albarino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Primitivo, and Tannat are grown on our 57-acre vineyard and crafted into our single vineyard estate wines. Barr Estate Winery tasting room is open Fri-Sun from 11-4. A family member is usually there to greet you and invite you to taste our handcrafted food-friendly production wines and our estate-grown cold pressed 100% extra virgin olive oil.

After working for an international company for thirty years, Tealy and Greg decided to start a second career dedicated to growing grapes and making great wines at affordable prices that enhance the culinary experience. After searching for a vineyard the couple settled on the Central Coast of California in Paso Robles in 2007. It is still a place where the vineyard farmer and the winemaker are the same person and winemaking starts in the vineyard. Greg is the winemaker.