White Meritage

White Meritage

Matson Vineyards

label for winery's Petite Sirah

Matson Vineyards is a family-owned winery located just east of Redding, California. The original vineyard was planted in 1981, and the winery was officially established in 1984. Roger Matson believes in providing high-quality, handcrafted wines at an affordable price. Oscar Matson, the patriarch of Shasta County’s oldest bonded winery, was not always a winemaker. That happened by chance. Before winemaking, he spent several years teaching modern languages—French, German, Spanish, and English and, with his wife Stella, raising a family of four boys. It was a pleasure meet Oscar on my first visit to this little family winery. Today Oscar's son Roger Matson (winemaker/owner) and his winery team make it a treat to visit. Lynette Shaw is the Manager at Matson Vineryards and Mike and Jessica Bettes can be found in the tasting room pouring some of Roger's wonderful creations. Be sure to try Tango a bold and full bodied wine and there is a list of others to please your palate.*

Hours:

Mon-Thurs Closed
Fri -  1:00PM-6:00PM
Sat - 1:00PM-6:00PM
Sun -1:00PM-6:00PM

Orin Swift Vineyards

glass of red wine - Pixabay

Ten years ago, Orin Swift first opened its doors, welcoming both old and new friends to share in a drink. Now, a decade later, they are excited to unveil an expanded and reimagined tasting experience. This new venture builds on everything learned over the past ten years.

Housed in a historic bank building in downtown St. Helena, the newly designed space invites guests into the Orin Swift world. The thoughtful use of raw materials and careful attention to detail create the perfect setting for four unique tasting experiences: Rock, Paper, Scissors, and The Vault. Ranging from casual to curated, the new tasting room offers an ideal introduction to Orin Swift Cellars (OSC) and serves as the exclusive location for devoted fans to enjoy personalized deep dives into their wines.

Claiborne & Churchill Vintners

pouring wine into glass - Pixabay

Claiborne & Churchill is a small, premium family-owned winery located in the Edna Valley of San Luis Obispo. Founded in 1983 by Claiborne (Clay) Thompson and Fredericka Churchill Thompson, former University of Michigan teachers, the couple transitioned from academia to the vineyards of California in 1981 to pursue a new life in the wine industry.

With its first crush, Claiborne & Churchill announced its special focus by producing 565 cases of Dry Riesling and Dry Gewürztraminer, inspired by the fruity but dry dinner wines of the French province of Alsace. Today, Claiborne & Churchill produces about 8,000 cases of wine each year, sourcing grapes from vineyards in the cool maritime valleys of California’s Central Coast and its own small estate vineyards.

Clos Solène Winery

Painting by Agata Zaborowski

The Love Story Behind Clos Solène

At the age of five, Guillaume was captivated by winegrowing, following his father around their property in the Languedoc-Roussillon. As he grew older, his interest expanded to the winemaking process itself. After completing his studies in Oenology and Viticulture in Carcassonne, his parents sold the family property and relocated to Bourg, a village near Bordeaux. Disheartened by their move, Guillaume remained in Languedoc, visiting his parents on weekends but hesitant to join them—until he met her.

It was a “coup de foudre”—a bolt of lightning. Nothing could deter them from seeing each other, though it would be several months before they reunited.

Their lives were filled with challenges; she had to travel to Spain, and he headed to California. Despite the distance, their love endured as they faced obstacles together. When Guillaume asked her to move with him to Paso Robles, choosing to develop his own brand rather than take over the family property, she recognized his passion for wine and decided to trust him. This trust laid the foundation for the creation of Clos Solène in 2007. Although the journey has not always been smooth, Guillaume remains driven by the same passion that fuels his work, attributing much of it to the faith and trust his partner has in him.

Guillaume Fabre

Owner & Winemaker

Born and raised in Narbonne, in the Southeast of France, Guillaume hails from a family of grape growers and winemakers. After spending 24 years in Narbonne, he relocated to Bordeaux. While both regions are renowned for their wines, they are distinctly different, presenting unique challenges in grape growing and winemaking, such as variations in climate, soil types, and vine diseases.

Initially unsure about pursuing winemaking in Bordeaux, Guillaume accepted a harvest internship at L’Aventure in Paso Robles. There, he experienced the same spark of inspiration he felt for Solène—he fell in love with the soil and terroir of Paso Robles. What began as a three-month internship evolved into six months, during which he was offered the position of Assistant Winemaker. Throughout his time at L’Aventure, Guillaume dedicated himself to his own project, ultimately leading to the launch of Clos Solène in 2007.

Painting by Agata Zaborowski

Jacob Toft

woman drinking wine at beach, small dog

Red Rhone Blend and White Rhone Blend. If you want to visit Jacob Toft, it is open at the following times: Private tastings available by appointment.

Eberle Winery

bottle and glasses of wine with chateau in background - Pixabay

Eberle Winery is a family-owned producer and marketer of premium wines, including offerings from the Eberle Estate, single varieties, and designated vineyards. Since 1979, Eberle wines have highlighted the history and diverse flavors of the Paso Robles Appellation.

Gary Eberle, who grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, attended Penn State University on a football scholarship. After earning a Bachelor of Science in biology, he continued his studies at Louisiana State University (LSU), focusing on cellular genetics. During his time at LSU, Gary developed an appreciation for wine, which led him to shift his academic focus towards winemaking.

Gary began his winemaking career and became known as a “Pioneer” of the Paso Robles Wine Region by helping establish his family's Estrella River Winery & Vineyards. In the late 1970s, he decided to embark on his own venture and acquired nearly 64 acres of land near Estrella River Winery. Soon after, Gary released his first Eberle wine, a 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon, which featured the iconic boar logo. This logo symbolizes the German origin of the name Eberle, meaning “small boar.”

The staff were super friendly and I think the owner was hanging out outside drinking wine with his show dogs running around. Modern vineyard that has literally everything! From Bocce Ball, Cave Tours, Private Tasting, and to holiday themed events, they have it all. The cave tour and flight of wine was complimentary and exquisite. Their Cotes du Robles Blanc white honeysuckle and candied ginger, tingled delightfully as an opening for the palate. Their Red Barbera gold medal with tones of raspberry. Their Reserve estate Cabernet Sauvignon Cassis (black currant), was clean and smooth.

Mt. Vernon Winery

clusters of grapes

Mt. Vernon Vineyard and Winery is a small, family-owned and operated winery nestled in the grassy foothills of Auburn, California. The Taylor family transforms Sierra Foothills grapes into outstanding, lush aromatic wines, featuring riveting fruit flavors that are fit for a president.

The winery provides a majestic view and a relaxing atmosphere. Regarded as the largest winery in Placer County since Prohibition, Mt. Vernon offers an exceptional selection of wines and unique blends that are sure to captivate the taste buds.

Established in 1996, Mt. Vernon is pioneering the production of various foothill grapes, including Old Vine Zinfandel, Syrah Port, Barbera, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gold Country Nectar, and a Sur-lie aged barrel-fermented Chardonnay that is joining the Mt. Vernon collection.

Photo courtesy of photographer Randy Caparoso 

Cosentino Winery

glasses of white wine - Pixabay

Our tasting room is temporarily closed, though our online store and wine club membership remain open. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions and please check our website for updates on reopening.

B Cellars

people sharing wine

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

Blue Rock Vineyard

cluster of grapes - pixabay

Just like wine, some of the best things in life do not just change, they evolve: developing gradually into a better, more complex state with time. The same is said of Blue Rock’s commitment to producing vintages true to their European roots. Wines on the estate are crafted with the type of knowledge and modern finesse that only come with experience.

Blue Rock’s technique enhances the uniqueness of each wine`s character while aIso maintaining the soul of its history and the integrity of the land.

The result: vintages that feel like an accessible luxury because they exceed expectation, but for a reasonable price. It’s like getting upgraded to first class when you least expect it.

Blue Rock will produce only small quantities of luxurious red wines that express their sense of place. Blue Rock, therefore, will always make wine from grapes grown exclusively on the 100 acre Estate in Sonoma, Alexander Valley.

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