The tasting room is beautiful, especially the natural stone bar in the room furthest from the entrance. The gardens are also worth the visit, with human-high flowers and an eclectic collection of sculptures. Oh yeah, and one of the guys in the tasting room yodels - definitely a forgotten art.
Overlooking the beautiful Highland Valley of Ramona there are about 4 acres of grapes that enjoy the breeze, which blows most of the day. In Italy, Aglianico is considered the Barolo of the south. Our Aglianico grapes were first planted in early 2007. Approximately, 2000 vines were planted both on the east and west sides of the vineyard. Followed, was the Nebbiolo, planted only on the east side. In 2008 and 2011 we added the Aleatico grapes. We produce two kinds of wines from this grape: a dry wine and sweet dessert wine, both with incredible aromas.
In 1995, Jonathan Lachs & Susan Marks found the perfectly situated 20 acre property at 2,500 ft. elevation, located 1/2 mile up a dirt road from Fair Play Road, which would become Cedarville Vineyard. With Cedarville Vineryard 15 acres of vineyard coming into maturity, in 2000 Jonathan & Susan built the winery here on the estate. The panoramic views from the top of our vineyard spread from Mount St. Helena to the west to Pyramid Peak in the Crystal Range of the Sierra Nevada to the east. Jonathan and Susan chose the name, Cedarville, in honor of a nearby ghost town (founded in 1852) that boomed for ten years during the Gold Rush. Now, 150 years later, little remains of the original town, but the winemakers feel connected to the spirit of the pioneers of this historic area.
Exceptional wines capture the depth and true essence of exceptional vineyards. The grapes are grown in the Lodi Appellation reflecting a sense of place from the character and richness of this unique terrior. The wines are hand-crafted by award-winning winemaker, JC van Staden who intertwines both old world and new world techniques. Each varietal and vintage showcases the dedication of artistry in every bottle.
The Wilson family has been farming the rich land in Clarksburg for three generations, beginning with George Harold Wilson who established the family homestead in the early years of the 20th century. George loved the land and firmly believed that farming offered a way to improve people’s lives around the world.As a family, the Wilsons are committed to each other. As growers, they are committed to producing the highest quality fruit for all varietals because they know that premium fruit is essential to great 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
When volcanoes last erupted in Lake County, people had just migrated to this region. That was 11,000 years ago. Still, in geological time, that is recent. The area around Mount Konocti bears evidence of this volcanic activity, including its famous red soil and ubiquitous obsidian rock. Today, those rocks gleam in the sun, their shiny silica surfaces reflecting their origin – and lend their name to the business Peter Molnar helped build alongside partner Michael Terrien, brother Arpad, and their family: Obsidian Ridge Vineyards.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, in a valley known more for cattle ranching than vineyards that the story begins. It was the Winter of 1999 when Frog's Tooth Vineyards began its life as a tadpole with the purchase of 67 acres of land in the Salt Springs Valley of Calaveras County. It slowly grew through infancy until the Spring of 2003 when it began its transition to adolescence with the planting of approximately 10 acres of premium wine grapes.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
Horse & Plow Winery merges the best of old and new world techniques to produce authentic, hand-crafted wines from Northern California. Horse and Plow Winery utilizes organic farming, small lot fermentations and traditional techniques to make balanced, food friendly and site specific wines. The North Coast, including Sonoma, Napa & Mendocino Counties, is where they live and work.
This is a small vineyard making only 3500-4000 cases a year. A varitey for wines to choose from. Alicante Bouschet, Barbera, Barbera Rosato, Black Muscat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Port, Primitivo, Sangiovese, Shiraz / Syrah, Tempranillo, Verdelho, Vinho Tinto, Viognier, Zinfandel
Photo courtesy of photographer Randy Caparoso
