Zinfandel

Zinfandel

Fratelli Perata

Grape Cluster - Pixabay

Fratelli Perata is an appropriate name for this small winery and vineyard run by the brothers Gino and Joe Perata and their families. In Italian, Fratelli Perata means Perata Brothers. Maternal Grandparents. Brothers, Gino and Joe Perata rekindled the winemaking history of their father, grandfather, and great-uncle when they established their winery using grapes grown on their 31-acre vineyard. Sons of Italian immigrants, Gino and Joe learned winemaking at the knees of their father and great-uncle who produced hundreds of gallons of wine for family and friends while living in Camarillo located in Ventura County, California. Gino and Joe were taught from the very beginning about the need for hands-on work to produce top quality  wines. 
 

Toogood Estate Winery

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes

About Toogood Estate Winery

In December 2019, Toogood Estate Winery was purchased by the Ron and Darin Mittelstaedt family from El Dorado Hills. Their sons, Bradley and Timothy, along with Tim’s fiancé Kayla, are involved in the daily operations, each contributing their unique skill sets to the winery. The family is supported by a dedicated staff that has previously provided excellent wine knowledge and expertise. Their daughter, Haley, plans to join the team after completing her studies in Texas. Ron and Darin can be found on-site most weekends, assisting with various operations.

With years of experience in diverse business sectors, Ron and Darin are excited to help Toogood Estate Wines grow and flourish. Plans for new developments are underway, building on the foundation established by Paul Toogood, who started the winery in 2001.

The talented and beloved winemaker, Marco Cappelli, will remain with the winery, continuing to craft the wines that many have come to cherish. The family looks forward to being an active part of the Fairplay wine community.

Toogood Estate Winery was established on a picturesque 40-acre parcel of rolling foothills purchased in May 2001. This quarter-mile square property features microclimates ideal for the carefully selected grape varieties. Excavation for the wine cave began on September 11, 2001, and was completed nine months later, resulting in 5,000 square feet of underground winery production and aging space, all maintained in a delicately controlled atmosphere.

The winery's first crush was the 2002 vintage, with the initial bottling occurring in January 2003. Since then, sales and acceptance of the wines have been remarkable.

Currently, the vineyards boast 12 acres planted with a variety of grapes, including Zinfandel, Primitivo, Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah. Visitors are always welcome to come by and say hello.

Photo courstesy of photographer Randy Caparoso

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.

Dono Dal Cielo Vineyards

artist version of a grape cluster

The greatest pleasure of these wines is visiting the winery in person. Karen, Bill and Hunter, the family behind this delicious brand, are nothing less than welcoming and feel like family as you exit. While they have continued to produce the dominant Zin for the region they have expanded with branded Sav Blancs, Chards and even a Rosé. While many boutique wineries focus odd blends, high tannins and a focus on eclectic palates, Dono dal Cielo hones in on very "drinkable" wines.

Dante Robere Vineyards

picture or winery's label

In 2012, two families decided to officially start a winery. Wanting to own a vineyard and build a winery facility from the ground up, they purchased a 6-acre Syrah vineyard and adjoining lot on Wetmore Road in South Livermore. Their winery, Dante Robere Vineyards is named after Dan and Bob. They currently make and pour their wine on Tesla Road in east Livermore while they await completion of construction of their new facility on Wetmore Road scheduled to open in 2015. Their goal is to make wine from Livermore Valley grapes when possible but also to procure quality grapes from other wine growing regions that are well suited to certain unique varietals. Their estate-grown Syrah, blended wines featuring the estate Syrah, and other Rhone varietals such as Grenache and Mourvedre are their signature wines. But they also produce the stalwart varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Chardonnay, as well as more unique wines such as Tempranillo, Touriga and Barbera.

Brutocao Cellars & Vineyard

Swirling wine in the glass - Pixabay - Saman Teher

Family Vineyard Heritage is a tale of two families who combined their passion and expertise to establish one of Mendocino County’s most notable wineries. In 1910, the Brutocao family brought with them a love for wine when they emigrated from Treviso, Italy (a small town near Venice). Len Brutocao met Martha Bliss while attending the University of California, Berkeley. Martha’s father, Irv, had been farming in Mendocino since 1943. After Len and Martha married, the families joined forces and continued to sell their grapes to well-known Sonoma and Napa wineries for many years before starting to make their own wine in 1980. They selected the Lion of St. Mark as their symbol of family tradition and quality. The heart of that quality is in their land: over 400 acres of vineyards in Hopland and 12.5 acres of Pinot Noir in  Anderson Valley.

Tasting: 10am – 5pm
Open: Wednesday-Sunday
Reservations appreciated but not necessary.

Avensole Vineyard & Winery

Artwork by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – two people with their cats and glasses of wine

Avensole Winery is especially rich in the history of Southern California wine making. The property was first planted with wine grapes in 1969 by wine making pioneer Vince Cilurzo, who introduced Petite Syrah and Chenin Blanc. Development of the Avensole vineyard was completed in 1986 by Bud Van Roekel, who planted Muscat Canelli, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. It was Bud’s goal to spare no expense to produce the finest grapes in California. We think he succeeded, and that the grapes produced by our vineyard are the finest in Temecula, and some of the very best in all of California. Great fruit – as grapes are called in the wine industry – is what allows Avensole Vineyard & Winery to produce great wines. Enjoy their wines your next visit to Temecula Wine Country.

T-Vine Cellars

grape cluster - Pixabay

T-Vine was founded in 1992 with a passion for making small lots of big juicy wines – specializing in old vines: Grenache, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah.  Highly recommend calling in your reservation, but walk-ins are welcome.

Sapphire Hill

glass of wine - Pixabay

Sapphire Hill is a family-run boutique winery that has been a fixture in Sonoma County since 1989. Initially, the operation began as a 38-acre vineyard just outside Sebastopol. The vineyard's location often reveals a blue hue in the night sky as the sun sets behind California's coastal range, inspiring the name Sapphire Hill.

In 2001, Sapphire Hill transitioned to a winery and tasting room in Healdsburg, strategically positioned at the convergence of three renowned grape-growing regions: Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and the Russian River Valley. The winery quickly earned a reputation for its award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel, all crafted from the exceptional grapes of these valleys.

Today, Sapphire Hill remains a family-operated winery dedicated to producing exquisite wines for its devoted wine club members while offering exceptional hospitality experiences for both new visitors and returning guests at their Healdsburg tasting room.

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