We stopped here to meet friends while visiting SLO for the first time. We brought sandwiches from an outside sandwich shop and bought a bottle of white wine to share on the benches overlooking the Bocce ball area and vineyards. It really doesn't get any more spectacular in terms of view. Combined with wine and a picnic...it's a recipe for a perfect afternoon.
The original riding area now houses prized wines, instead of prize-winning horses. However, Black Stallion Estate Winery carries its heritage forward. The estate’s legacy honors the world-class terroir of Napa Valley, the pioneering spirit of the Silverado Trail, and the Indelicato family’s warm hospitality and generations of wine expertise.
From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, The Silverado Trail was home to cattle and horse ranching. In the 1950s, Richard Tam and Ben Hardister built the Silverado Horseman’s Center covering 32 acres along the southern end of Silverado Trail. The original facility featured an equestrian center with an indoor riding track, 36 horse stalls, and a grandstand for indoor riding events. The property also included an outdoor arena with a grandstand that sat 3,000 people, a half-mile race track, recreation buildings, a private paddock, riding trails, and a stallion breeding center. The center thrived until the 1990s.
Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard & Winery is a boutique winery known for its handcrafted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. Established in 1988 by the Beko family, the winery is situated in Santa Maria Valley, on the northern edge of the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail within Santa Barbara County's wine country. Visitors are welcome to explore the 78-acre estate and sample the distinctively different, age-worthy wines produced there.
The key to crafting these unique, age-worthy wines lies in both the vineyard and the wine caves. The fruit is hand-harvested when it reaches slight tropical flavors, typically around 24 brix. The naturally high acidity of the fruit allows lees to remain in contact with the wine until bottling, enhancing flavor extraction while maintaining a balanced interplay between fruit, oak, and acidity.
The combination of the fruit's inherent high acidity and the controlled conditions of the wine caves results in wines with exceptional longevity. These wines evolve gradually over many years and achieve near perfection when aged between 8 to 12 years.
Let's begin with what everyone goes to Healdsburg/Sebastopol for: the pinots. Dutton-Goldfield had four or five pinots when we tasted there, and they were all unique and delicious. They varied from the lighter, fruit-forward classic pinots to the richer, almost-cab pinots. All of them were good, but I particularly liked the Devil's Gulch, which was on the richer side of the spectrum.
A small, family-owned-and-operated vineyard and winery, located at the top of Howell Mountain, producing estate-bottled Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Black Sears offers an authentic Napa Valley winery experience that stands out. Visitors can expect to meet knowledgeable farmers, encounter adorable vineyard dogs, and enjoy exciting wildlife sightings all while taking in panoramic views of two majestic valleys from Howell Mountain's highest estate.
Please note that white pants and heels are not recommended.
Guests are welcome at the winery Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm, by appointment only.
John Schwaesdall, A San Diego native, started making wine from some of the old vineyards in Ramona that were planted in 1950′s. He since has planted 4 1/2 acres of various red and white wine grapes. The vineyard lies among gigantic granite boulders that are found predominately in the Ramona/Mt. Woodson area of San Diego. These boulders are true natural wonders. One great granite boulder on the property weighs 80 tons and looks just like a cat. Another looks like Moby Dick. John won’t hesitate to show visitors the fantastic natural sculptures on his 6 acres of property.
Selby Winery Tasting Room is another great tasting room in downtown Healdsburg. The tasting room itself is small and well organized with enough space at the bar for 2-3 small groups. What struck me was the friendliness of the staff and of Susie Selby (the winemaker) herself, who was in the tasting room taking care of some business. The conversation was very comfortable and free flowing and Susie was wonderful. After such a positive initial experience, it was on to the wines, and they did no disappoint.
Inspired by Sylvia and William “Bill” Lytton, Avensole Winery was born into a family deeply rooted in tradition. The Lyttons had a profound love for music, wine, and family. Over the years, Sylvia and Bill, along with their children Sheldon and Maribeth, often traveled to Sylvia’s hometown of Vienna, Austria, to visit extended family. Austria, with its enchanting vineyards and centuries-old winemaking traditions, captivated them. Vienna, a European hub of music, wine, and food, played a special role in their lives. The fragrant aromas, picturesque landscapes, and time-honored winemaking customs left an indelible mark on the family, influencing their future.
Sylvia and Bill's shared passion for music is what brought them together. Sylvia, a talented pianist, performed throughout Europe in the 1920s and 1930s, often with a partner as part of a duo called "The Melody Twins." Bill, a skilled musician, played both the saxophone and clarinet. During his college years, he formed a band called "The Purple Syncopaters," which performed across the U.S. and Asia. When Sylvia moved to America, she and Bill were introduced, and their mutual love of music created an immediate bond. Their love endured throughout 54 years of marriage and continues through their children and grandchildren.
Inspired by their parents, Sheldon and Maribeth worked diligently to honor Sylvia and Bill’s legacy. Like his father, Sheldon became a lawyer, while Maribeth followed in her mother’s footsteps, becoming an accomplished concert pianist. Despite their careers, the siblings never forgot their family vacations and sought to capture the essence of their memories spent among Austria's elegant vineyards. In the Temecula Valley of California, they found a landscape and climate that reminded them of Austria, and they chose to establish their winery there, paying homage to their childhood memories.
Sylvia’s favorite wine was Gewurztraminer, a varietal she loved for its fragrant aromas and fruity notes. When Sheldon and Maribeth discovered that Gewurztraminer was already planted in the vineyard destined to become Avensole, they were surprised and saw it as a “sign” that they were “home.” Avensole became a part of the Lytton family heritage.
Today, Avensole Winery stands as a tribute to Sylvia, Bill, and Sheldon, who passed away in 2019. With every bottle produced, the winery honors the Lytton family’s vision. Their wines embody a harmonious blend of tradition, artistry, and the rich heritage of the vines.
Visitors are invited to experience the fruits of the Lytton family’s labor and be transported to a time of elegance, adventure, and the timeless magic of music and wine.
I'm hesitant to tell anyone about this gem so I can keep this secret to myself but the zins are so outstanding that I suppose I should share. This is a small production winery that definitely focuses on quality over quantity but their price point is still so reasonable! If I were coming to the Napa Valley and only had time for one winery, I would come here, well worth the extra drive (it's sort of in the middle of nowhere). Appointment only and be prepared for the steep one way driveway.
“What the heck are people doing growing grapes and making wine from way out on a ridge top above the cold Pacific Ocean? I mean, it is remote. And mountainous. And, frankly, the weather can be a little inhospitable at times.” The quick answer goes something like – this is where our research and luck led us. The longer answer follows.....
