Find this "Best Kept Secret" winery at the end the road on Niderer Road. The winery is Just 3 miles off Hwy 46 in the Willow Creek Area of Paso Robles. Why not visit and enjoy this 40 acre estate and some wonderful wines that have been produced at Dunning Vineyards.
Reserving a tasting time was simple, I called in the morning and was able to reserve a tasting time for the afternoon for myself and my guests. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by a very gracious host who was very knowledgable in wines and we were served with delicious wines.
Mike and Lorene Kuimelis have been growing reserve designate grapes for noted wineries in the Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys of Sonoma County since the late 1970’s with roughly eighty acres under vine. They passed their enthusiasm and knowledge of wine and vineyards on to their son Mike Jr. who started the next chapter of this story by producing the first wines under the Mantra label. Mantra is dedicated to producing wines that reflect the unique characteristics of our high elevation vineyard sites in the Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys of Sonoma County. Mantra Wines specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Syrah.
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.
The Ehlers family history, within the wine business, began during the early days of prohibition. Some of the first, family ancestors arrived in California in 1835 where they settled in the town of Lockeford and in the town of Courtland, along the Sacramento river. The more recent family migrated to California after a brief stay in Minnesota after arriving from Germany.
Image - swirling glass of wine - Saman Teher - Pixabay
Belle Marie Winery and Chateau Dragoo are located on the Escondido Wine and Culinary Campus in North Escondido along Interstate 15. Belle Marie Winery's facility encompasses a 20,000 gallon winery, three tasting rooms, multiple corporate and reception venues, educational facilities, a gourmet garden and a demonstration vineyard with varietals from around the world.
Since 1927, when John Pedroncelli, Sr. purchased vineyard and a small winery in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley, two elements remain unchanged: the exceptional place the Pedroncelli family farms vineyards, and the family's dedication to making fine wines.
Located in Green Valley of Russian River Valley, a sub-appellation of Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, River Road Family Vineyards and Winery is a family owned and operated winery committed to producing exceptional wines.
This was also a fabulous winery to taste at. They let us picnic in their beautiful courtyard, complete with bocce court, and supplied us with complementary glasses of wine to enjoy while we ate. The employees were chatty, knowledgeable, and not at all pushy.
Wild Hog Vineyard is at the headwaters of Wild Hog Creek (from which the winery derives its name) 45 minutes west of the small town of Cazadero. At 1400 feet elevation and 5 miles from the Ocean east of Fort Ross, the vineyard avoids most of the summer fog. The climate of the coastal range, in conjunction with our farming practices, helps to produce intense flavorful grapes.far off the beaten path, which, in my opinion, makes the place all the more special. There is no way anyone could find this place on his/her own. (You have to meander for miles on a narrow dirt road.) If you are one of the few people fortunate enough to do an actual tasting at this small, informal winery, you likely will meet the proprietor, Daniel Schoenfeld, a warm, kind-hearted gentleman, who obviously is passionate about wine-making. (He, quite appropriately, self-describes his line of work as a "labor of love.")
