Thomas Fogarty Winery was founded in 1978 by inventor Dr. Thomas Fogarty and winemaker Michael Martella. Dr Fogarty’s penchant for innovative thought and Martella’s viticulture instincts allowed them to lead the development of the cool Skyline Ridge area; true pioneers in one of California’s premiere Pinot Noir and Chardonnay regions.
Friendly service here and good wine. I especially like the Zin and Estate Cabernet. I always appreciate when they pour you something extra in addition to the tasting. Got a little Sangiovese and loved it!
Stroll through the vines of Laujor Estate Winery. Your walk to the tuscan style tasting room where often you will be greeted by the winemaker. Enjoy with your friends and family or make new friends as you relax and sip our award winning wines in our courtyard. The views here are breathtaking!
Hours: Daily | 11 am - 5 pm
Before founding Grey Fox Vineyards in 1996, the Arrigoni and Cecchi families spent much of their free time pursuing their passion for flying small planes. It was on these getaways that conversations turned to dreams of planting a vineyard and building a winery. Bruce's family had a tradition of making wine at home and Gary had a good chemistry background. A seed was planted and it began to take hold.
Resting unobtrusively on a back road in Madera County is the home of Ficklin Tinta Port. As it was from the beginning, Ficklin's Port is widely acclaimed as one of California's finest port wines created in the Portuguese tradition.
Confessions of a Winemaker Chef - I always considered winemaking to be “cooking”. Through my entire time as a chef, I wanted to work with the flavors, textures, and aromas of grapes from the California coast. Finally I took the plunge and moved to Napa Valley.
Their wines were good, and actually moderately priced. The one that really stood out was their Gemini a Zinfandel-Syrah blend? We also picked up a bottle of their Full Moon a Zinfandel, Syrah and Cab Franc blend. Worth a stop if you are in Paso.
Midnight Cellars had its origins in a slightly tipsy, laughter-filled moment on the back patio at Domaine Carneros during the summer of 1993. While enjoying a family getaway to Napa and Sonoma and after several winery visits, Rich made a whimsical statement that would later prove to be life-changing: "Hey old man, when you retire you should buy a place like this and have us run it for you."
Initially laughed off and soon forgotten, the idea resurfaced years later when Robert, ready to retire early from his career as a patent attorney, still brimming with energy and passion, recalled Rich's suggestion. He approached Rich with the proposition, "If you were serious about this winery idea, I'm in."
At the time, Rich was newly married and living in Chicago with his wife Michele, and their first reaction was a firm "no way, Dad." However, after considerable reflection and several glasses of wine, Michele and Rich decided to embrace the unconventional plan. They sold their new house, one of their cars, and made the move to California to start anew. Despite how improbable it sounded, they followed through with the plan. They arrived in California on July 31, 1995, and immediately immersed themselves in country life—one that lacked bars, restaurants, and shopping. The city dwellers from Chicago experienced a significant culture shock.
Each family member took on a specific role and began learning their responsibilities: Robert and Mary Jane focused on the overall operations, Michele managed the tasting room and later took on bookkeeping duties, while Rich learned the intricacies of planting, maintaining, and harvesting the vineyard, as well as winemaking.
After 29 years of steep learning curves, the family remains committed to making wine accessible, affordable, and enjoyable for everyone.
The views, 1800 era house, warm extended family conducting the tastings, the farm animals welcoming visitors, the fabulous zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon.... sitting in a hammock, with a glass of excellent wine, peacefully taking in the view, serenity, and ambiance of Howell Mountain... what more could you ask for?
The wines are great. There are two basic tasting menus, the market list and the reserve list. The market list is wine you can find at your local store. Most of these wines are good, but for the really good stuff you won't see in stores spend a bit more and sample the reserve list.
Jim and Debbie Van Haun founded Cedar View Winery in 1999 with an emphasis on producing rare, eclectic, hard-to-find varietals. The winery's estate “flagship” grape, Alicante Bouschet, is made as a very popular award-winning red wine as well as a very rare Rosé and Port style wine.
