What began as a retirement project back in 1999 has blossomed into a full-time labor of love for Dick and Dolores Kelsey, long-time residents of See Canyon. The winery property plays host to the Estate Chardonnay, as well as the Estate Pinot Noir. Dick and Dolores also make space for the 200+ wild peacocks on the property, with more chicks hatching each year.
he Smeding family has a four generation history of working in agriculture in the Napa Valley. It all started in the 1920’s when Lettie’s Scandinavian grandparents Ivar and Saima Asplund came to the Napa Valley, purchased land, and began farming. The Smeding family has long had a love of horses. They all ride Quarter Horses and Arabians on trail and when working their cattle. Current vintages can be tasted and purchased at Napa Wine Company. The Tasting Room At Napa Wine Company Hours: 10:00am to 4:30pm, 7 days a week No appointment necessary; Ideally located in the center of Napa Valley, just across the street from the infamous Oakville Grocery, The Tasting Room at Napa Wine Company invites you to stop in for a unique wine tasting experience.
Their wines were good, and actually moderately priced. The one that really stood out was their Gemini a Zinfandel-Syrah blend? We also picked up a bottle of their Full Moon a Zinfandel, Syrah and Cab Franc blend. Worth a stop if you are in Paso.
Midnight Cellars had its origins in a slightly tipsy, laughter-filled moment on the back patio at Domaine Carneros during the summer of 1993. While enjoying a family getaway to Napa and Sonoma and after several winery visits, Rich made a whimsical statement that would later prove to be life-changing: "Hey old man, when you retire you should buy a place like this and have us run it for you."
Initially laughed off and soon forgotten, the idea resurfaced years later when Robert, ready to retire early from his career as a patent attorney, still brimming with energy and passion, recalled Rich's suggestion. He approached Rich with the proposition, "If you were serious about this winery idea, I'm in."
At the time, Rich was newly married and living in Chicago with his wife Michele, and their first reaction was a firm "no way, Dad." However, after considerable reflection and several glasses of wine, Michele and Rich decided to embrace the unconventional plan. They sold their new house, one of their cars, and made the move to California to start anew. Despite how improbable it sounded, they followed through with the plan. They arrived in California on July 31, 1995, and immediately immersed themselves in country life—one that lacked bars, restaurants, and shopping. The city dwellers from Chicago experienced a significant culture shock.
Each family member took on a specific role and began learning their responsibilities: Robert and Mary Jane focused on the overall operations, Michele managed the tasting room and later took on bookkeeping duties, while Rich learned the intricacies of planting, maintaining, and harvesting the vineyard, as well as winemaking.
After 29 years of steep learning curves, the family remains committed to making wine accessible, affordable, and enjoyable for everyone.
The staff was extremely helpful, and even though we went on a rainy day, the view was gorgeous. If it's nice outside, take some time to enjoy the sculpture park. The moscato is excellent as is the Pinot Noir.
These tasty little wines were introduced nationally in 2008 from California’s Central Coast and represented a finely crafted, fruit-forward, indulgent and eminently approachable style of wine. The inaugural release included Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, Adam has used his experience and relationships around the world to add seven international wines to the lineup. http://underdogwinemerchants.com/
Established in 2000, Housleys Century Oak Winery has quickly made a name for itself with our family approach to award-winning wines at affordable prices. We have been fortunate enough to garner scores as high as 96, 95 & 94 points from respected competitions and many Gold Medals from judges and tastings across the country. Open the first Saturday of every month from 12-4 and by special appointment.
Myrtle Creek Vineyards is new winery that is just breaking into the San Diego wine industry. We hope to be open for on-line sales in early 2015 and have begun the process of establishing a tasting room at our Fallbrook location. We are a family run winery that specializes in small batches of hand crafted wines. At this time all our wines come from our Fallbrook vineyard or the other vineyards that we lease in the Fallbrook and Bonsall area. Varieties include Syrah, Grenache, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. We had our first small harvest in 2013 and hope to release some of those wines very soon!
The tasting was a blast, the guy behind the counter was knowledgeable and funny. Why can't all tasting rooms have this kind of service? He listened to what we said and altered our tasting to fit our palate. Excellent service.
Nice tasting room with a wide selection of wines is what you will find at Terre Rouge & Easton Wines. There was a wine festival that weekend and all the tasting rooms were bustling. Whats nice about Terre Rouge is that they actually had the space to accommodate everyone. So many wines, so little time.
Hours:
Tues-Weds Closed
Thur 11:00am to 4:00pm
Fri 11:00am to 4:00pm
Sat 11:00am to 4:00pm
Sun 11:00am to 4:00pm
Mon 11:00am to 4:00pm
Benessere Vineyards is a small, family-owned boutique winery specializing in Italian varietals, nestled in the heart of Napa Valley. The region's soil is exceptionally well-suited for cultivating these types of grapes. The name "Benessere," an Italian word meaning "well-being" or "living the good life," reflects the vineyard's dedication to producing Italian varietals and its commitment to providing warm, welcoming hospitality.
The property was acquired in 1994 by John and Ellen Benish, who immediately began the restoration of the winery and residence, as well as replanting the vineyards. By 1995, they had produced their first vintage of Sangiovese, realizing their dream. Since that inaugural vintage, Benessere Vineyards has expanded its portfolio to include other sought-after Italian varietals such as Pinot Grigio, Moscato di Canelli, Sagrantino, and Aglianico.
In addition to these varietals, Benessere Vineyards also produces a "Super Tuscan" style blend called Phenomenon, as well as two distinctive Zinfandels. One Zinfandel is sourced from the ‘Black Glass Vineyard,’ while the other comes from the ‘Collins Holystone Vineyard’ adjacent to the estate.
