Over the years, Papagni has become a very diversified company bent on producing the finest grapes possible for the winemaker, and the consumer. While they guarantee that excellent wine can be produced from their grapes, and fresh grape juice, because for eighty years, their customers, and our own family have been doing just that: making exceptionally complex, quality wines using our grapes.Some of the oldest continuous wineries in the state of California. The Papagni family tradition of growing grapes for winemaking reaches back to Bari, Italy. Family members have passed down the art of grape growing from generation to generation. The Papagni family have extended the grape growing traditions that started in Italy, to central California in 1912 and now to Madera, California. The Papagni family dreamed of fine wines made from the San Joaquin Valley so they planted premium grape varieties, combining carefully monitored vineyards with the most modern technical advances in cultivation and irrigation with the ancient traditions that yield the finest of premium wines. Red, white, port and dessert wines.

Winemaker Micole Moore embarked on an epic quest to unveil the wonders of Ramona Ranch Winery, where eco-friendly farming harmonizes with picturesque vineyards, surrounded by breathtaking scenery and the embrace of Mother Nature. Visitors can immerse themselves in the handcrafted wines, lovingly made to satisfy both wine connoisseurs and nature enthusiasts alike at San Diego’s only Certified Sustainable Vineyard & Winery.

The wines are produced from estate and local Ramona vineyards, each personally selected for their high-quality grapes, reflecting the meticulous hands-on attention of the growers. Each glass of their award-winning wines—frequent Gold Medal winners including Estate Tannat, Estate Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and others—captures the care and commitment to the land. These wines have been recognized in prestigious competitions such as the Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition, Toast of the Coast, San Francisco Chronicle, and the Sonoma Grand Harvest Wine Competition.

The winery invites visitors to follow their journey in this emerging wine region, believing that guests will come to know and love the little valley of Ramona, which they proudly call home, along with the friends they consider family.

Ramona Ranch Winery is open Thursdays and Mondays from 1 to 5 PM, and from 11 AM to 6 PM Friday through Sunday for outdoor wine tasting, available by the bottle and by the glass. For those in a hurry, a quick stop for a bottle to go or an online order is also an option.

Christopher the wine maker was very welcoming. We made our appointment last minute but he accommodated our schedule. He was super laid back and very knowledgeable, and he made us feel comfortable. I recommend this tour to anyone looking for a nice secluded vineyard with a lot of history and a casual setting.

Blue Oak Merlot, which is named for the regal blue oak tree in the backyard, is perhaps California's best merlot — Chicago Tribune. We look forward to visting with the folks at Blue Oak, then we can share a little more with our readers.