SummerWood Winery & Inn has joined together a dedicated team of industry professionals who share a passion for wine, food and hospitality along with their enthusiasm for living on the Central Coast and being a part of the exciting Paso Robles wine region.
The views, 1800 era house, warm extended family conducting the tastings, the farm animals welcoming visitors, the fabulous zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon.... sitting in a hammock, with a glass of excellent wine, peacefully taking in the view, serenity, and ambiance of Howell Mountain... what more could you ask for?
Doug and Katsuko Sparks started their winemaking journey as home winemakers in their garage in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset District. In 1997, having completed winemaking courses at UC Davis, Doug and Katsuko took their winemaking hobby commercial and made their first vintage of Sunset Cellars at a shared facility inside Rosenblum Winery in Alameda.
Over the years they built long-lasting relationships with some top growers such as the Teldeschi family in Dry Creek Valley and Wirth Ranch in Solano County Green Valley. Many of these are old vine Zinfandel vineyards, with many vines over 90 years old. Working with such precious fruit, Doug and Katsuko’s goal has been to create supple red wines that emphasize the grapes’ natural fruit flavors. They like to call their red wine approach “Zen Zin,” a minimalist winemaking style that allows the wines to express the flavors and characteristics created in the vineyards.
The tasting room is reminiscent of some of the small wineries in the Provencal French countryside, featuring a kitchen complete with a wood-burning oven and two stone barrel-aging caves built into the hillside. The gorgeous courtyards and picnic grounds provide the perfect place to experience the wines. The Villa at Sunstone now serves as an extension of the Sunstone Winery lifestyle by providing a culinary center to entertain guests for weddings, winemaker dinners and private culinary retreats.
The diverse geology of Sonoma County and its topography have made it the ideal location to make world class wine for years but the grapes that are most often associated with the region have been Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel to name a few. Super Sonoman Wine brings you another choice.
Surh Cellars, a producer of premium hand-crafted wines, has been rooted in Napa Valley since 1999. The winery specializes in crafting small batches of age-worthy wines sourced from distinguished vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, and beyond. Their wines are made with minimal intervention and without compromise.
Surh Cellars aims to create balanced yet concentrated wines that capture the fruit and character of each vintage and region. From the full-bodied, intense Cabernet Sauvignon to the softer Bordeaux blend Mosaique and versatile Pinot Noirs, their wines are designed to complement food and be enjoyed frequently with loved ones. With production limited to only a few hundred cases per batch, Surh Cellars' wines are truly handcrafted, reflecting the passion behind each bottle.
The wines of Surh Cellars are the result of an ongoing evolution. Since 1992, they have witnessed the industry's transformation, shaped by factors like Mother Nature, consumer preferences, critics, and technological advancements. This journey has been one of constant learning. As climate change has altered the suitability of various regions for fruit growing, Surh Cellars has adapted, focusing on coastal areas as inland regions have become less hospitable. Over the years, they have produced a wide range of varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Chardonnay.
Yes, we all know Sutter Home Wine is a basic table wine, great tasting, easy going, affordable, and all that... Ok here's the deal, my first stop was BV Winery, wine tasting for two, two bottles of wine, out the door $92, yes Nine-two bucks.... (not complaining as I really like BV, just comparing) down the street Sutter home, wine tasting for two unlimited, two bottles of wine, four two packs of wine, 2 wine glasses and a sign up for the wine club $32 out the door and to boot, you get free wine tasting at their premium brand Menage a Trois, so we went down there and we had unlimited tastings there as well and 20% off wine so out the door there $27 for two bottles of wine and wine tasting. Sutter Home has one of the most beautiful properties among all of the wineries with a slew of Victorian style buildings. These buildings have become inns perfect for anyone finding a place to stay in wine country!
Such a fun winery! The Swanson's were there when we paid a visit and took the time to come over and speak with us on a more personal level asking where we're from, and what we did to make small talk. A very lovely couple that made you feel at home. They also had a very nice gentleman playing music on a very special instrument (I can't remember the name) in the front garden/patio area.
In 1914, Eliza and Mads Peterson purchased a 100-acre property situated on the floor of Napa Valley at the mouth of Dutch Henry Canyon. Both Eliza and Mads had immigrated to the United States in the late 1800s—Eliza from Ireland and Mads from Denmark—and, like many others of that era, ventured westward in search of a place to call home.
The property, nestled just off the Silverado Trail between St. Helena and Calistoga, was home to a small Zinfandel vineyard. However, with the onset of Prohibition in 1920, prunes quickly became the dominant cash crop in Napa Valley. In response, the Petersons planted a plum orchard to help support their large family. Caring for the orchard, along with a large vegetable garden and numerous farm animals, became a full-time job for the entire family, including their six sons and three daughters.
When the time came to pass the property on, it was the daughters—not the sons—who took on the responsibility. Vera, Carrie, and Mae worked diligently to preserve the family legacy, maintaining the buildings, plum orchard, vegetable garden, and livestock. Vera tended to the land, Carrie managed the books, and Mae returned each summer to assist with the harvest.
Silvestri Vineyards began in the Piedmont region of Italy as an immigrant's dream of a better life. The year was 1908 when a young girl from Castell'Alfero, and a young boy from Novara prepared to leave home and travel to America. Joseph (Joe) Silvestri and Eugenia (Jenny) Martinetto would later meet and marry in New York's 'Little Italy' where they worked in the restaurant business. With the arrival of their children, they moved across the Hudson River to Teaneck, New Jersey, with the hope of building a life and a business of their own.
In 1950 a grandson would be added to their legacy and it was in this grandson that the Silvestri family would once again feel the wanderlust that had brought them to this land of dreams and opportunity. Finding his voice in music, Alan Silvestri traveled to Los Angeles in search of his dream through the pursuit of his art. Music was his vehicle for expression but food and wine, the staples of life at home, were never far from his heart. After meeting his wife Sandra in 1978, they would often travel back east where family events and occasions were always marked by wonderful food served with Jenny and Joe's homemade wine.