Longtime friends Todd Williams and Rodney Strong created Toad Hollow Vineyards when they released their first vintage of unoaked chardonnay in 1994. As one of the leaders in unoaked Chardonnay, their consistent style featuring bright, crisp fruit flavors, continues to be a favorite.
Founded in 1978 by Gary Andrus, Pine Ridge Vineyards is located in the renowned Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, celebrated for its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Our mission is to craft some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon in the region.
Currently, Pine Ridge Vineyards boasts estate vineyards across five of Napa Valley’s premier appellations: Stags Leap District, Howell Mountain, Oakville, Rutherford, and Carneros. Our dedicated team, from vineyard to cellar, is committed to producing wines that reflect their exceptional origins with distinctive character and depth.
Who would have guessed that a kid from Amherst, Massachusetts, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sciences (Pre-Veterinary) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian from the University of Massachusetts, would end up in Santa Barbara County as an up-and-coming winemaker? Benjamin Silver did just that after catching the wine bug in 1993 at a summer job at Chicama Vineyards on Martha’s Vineyard.
When Fess Parker purchased the 714-acre Foxen Canyon Ranch in 1988, he envisioned a future filled with cattle, a modest vineyard, and perhaps one day, a small winery. His dream was to establish a family business that could be passed down through generations.
Today, Eli Parker and his sister Ashley Parker Snider carry forward their father’s vision, managing the family portfolio with the help of Winery President Tim Snider, Ashley’s husband. Many of Fess’s grandchildren are also actively involved in the family business, ensuring the legacy continues.
Fess Parker, an actor and entrepreneur, captivated audiences with his portrayals of frontiersman Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone in the 1950s and 60s, earning a devoted following across generations. His down-to-earth charm and hardworking spirit endeared him to many, paving the way for his successful transition from Hollywood to the business world in the early 1970s.
While he continued to star in and produce numerous hits for Disney, Paramount, and Warner Bros., Parker laid the groundwork for his second career in real estate development. With his warm Texas demeanor and a keen eye for opportunity, he purchased the Foxen Canyon ranch and dedicated himself to producing high-quality wines from estate-grown grapes and the finest vineyards in the county.
Fess and his wife, Marcella, enjoyed a 50-year marriage and raised two children in Santa Barbara, where they lived for over 30 years. They were blessed with 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Fess passed away in March 2010, leaving behind a legacy of wisdom, warmth, and friendship.
Visitors to the Fess Parker Winery can still feel his presence, as his spirit lives on through his family and the remarkable wines they produce. For wine lovers exploring California's wineries, Fess Parker Winery offers not just exceptional wines, but a heartfelt connection to a beloved figure and his enduring legacy.
If you are going Temecula wine tasting from winery to winery in Temecula here is one well worth the short trip out to Vindemia Vineyards and Winery. The setting is lovely, and is a welcome break from the crowded and hurried tasting rooms along the main strip. We were there in the afternoon on a pleasant long weekend, when the whole area was teeming with wine tourists. Even so, Vindemia was laid-back and pleasant. The wine was good, and the server was pleasant and helpful.
How many tasting rooms do you know of where the owner / vintner is there pouring? It's an added bonus that lets you know he's not only interested in his passion, but interested in your enjoyment of his wines as well. Winemaker John Smith is not only very happy to pour for you, but is just as willing to tell his wine's story to a seasoned oenophile or neophyte alike.
During the Gold Rush, the wine region of Yuba became famous throughout the United States. Fortune Magazine recognized this fact in its 1933 issue describing the wine regions of the U.S. A group of French settlers, who founded nearby Frenchtown, were making Cognac-style brandy during this period. Marysville, thirty miles from Renaissance, boasted the largest winery in the state. A man named L.B. Clark had planted 50,000 vines on his 600-acre Rancho Virginia at Collins Lake, only 5 miles from Renaissance.
Special thanks Painting by Agata Zaborowski
Enjoyed free tasting. Grandson of Sebastiani vinyards. Check out their reds!
When B Cellars’ founder Jim Borsack first encountered his partner Duffy Keys at a fourth of July barbeque in 2002, both executives were exploring new life paths in the wine business. Over a drop of the good stuff, of course, their journeys became intertwined when they discovered that they not only shared the same tastes in wine but were also on parallel missions to acquire vineyard property. Artwork by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – Agata Art Gallery Gallery | Agata Art Gallery
Skylark Wine Company is a collaboration between Boulevard Restaurant Wine Directors John Lancaster and Robert Perkins. Both have years of experience in the Wine Industry. I wanted to taste this wine strictly because it was an interesting blend of 47% Carignane - 47% Syrah and 6% Grenache. Carignane has a long history in the state of California and add a texture layer to this wine. The wine has heavy heavy earth and spice notes. I couldn't quite put my finger on them all. The confusing part is a good thing because it made me keep coming back for a new sip to figure out the components. This wine would definitely benefit with food
