The Groovy Far Out Wineries of Paso Robles

By The Wine Chix

Relaxation - wine country style at Vino + Therapy Studion. (Allan Kissam)So what do you get when you take a handful of diverse people like chefs, photographers, investment bankers,  hippies, actors,  financiers, studio drummers, brew masters, wine importers, engineers, developers, and an attorney – place them on land in the gnarly limestone hills west of Paso Robles – and let each one craft their own unique vision of the perfect wine experience?  Well, in short, you get the Far Out Wineries group, and it is my recommendation you start planning your trip now.

Seventeen wineries make up this consortium of premium, small-lot, family-owned wineries.  Over my two-day stay, I was lucky enough to do a luxury farm stay, visit three wineries, and relax with a couples vineyard foot soak.  Fellow Wine Chix, Ginger Giordano was on another assignment, so I enlisted my husband to fill in for her.

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The Wine Chixs – April / May 2011

Milagro Farms Vineyards & Winery

By Linda Kissam and Ginger Giordano

The beautiful Milagro Farm Vineyards and Winery grounds. (Linda Kissam)The Wine Chixs love to visit emerging and under reported wine regions. So we were delighted to get an invitation from Jim Hart, Executive Winemaker for Milagro Farms Vineyards & Winery in San Diego County.  Milagro is located approximately 35 miles north-east of San Diego in the Ramona Valley American Viticultural Area. 

As background, the Ramona AVA was approved in January 2006 based on its unique microclimate, terroir, and history for grape production. The 89,000 acre area covers 139 square miles of primarily rural countryside. The area is home to more than 50 commercial vineyards covering more than 60 acres, and 20 bonded wineries.  The Wine Chixs feel this is a place to watch, as new vineyards and wineries are being developed within the Ramona Valley each year. It’s neither the model of Napa, San Luis Obispo, or Temecula.  It’s a special jewel all its own, with a story as unique as the winemakers and growers who hold its burgeoning future in their hands.  As Jim explained to us, “We have a whole new vision of the type of wine that can be crated from here.  We can do and be anything we want. Our slate is clean. We can develop an image that best suits this appellation’s strengths.”

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The Wine Chix - February/March 2011

Keyways Winery Launches New Tradition

By The Wine Chixs, Linda Kissam and Ginger Giordano

The stars of the evening (L to R): . Chef John Paul, Winemaker David Raffaele, owner Terri Delhamer, event manager Annette Nielsen, and wine server Glo. (Ginger Giordano)The Wine Chixs love good news. So it was a great pleasure to be invited to the launch party of Keyways Winery’s (Temecula, CA) newest wine, “Traditions.”  It’s always great to be invited to do some wine tasting, which The Wine Chixs often are, but it’s really, really, really great to go to a wine launch that includes some old favorites, a new star, and some remarkable food pairings. It becomes an exceptional opportunity when the launch is held at the owner’s home, the winemaker attends, and Chef Volker Lutz’s food is waiting for you. This was definitely a triple-yum event.

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The Wine Chix for December 2010/January 2011

Hop On Board The Wine Trolley!

By The Wine Chixs

The Wine Chix board The Wine Trolley at Pechanga Resort & Casino.The Wine Chixs love a good deal, premium wines, and a chance to visit a wine district in style.  We’ve been on shuttles, in limos, and certainly navigated our own car, but a trolley car…not so much.  The idea sort of flew into our heads when we were driving to an event.  The Brewen’s Empire Trolley pulled up next to us at a stop light filled with guests on their way to Temecula Wine Country (about 60 minutes from San Diego).  They seemed to be having an awful lot of fun, toasting one another and listening intently to their guide, so we decided to book a tour to experience for ourselves what the buzz was all about.

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The Wine Chixs

The Wines of Ojai

By The Wine Chixs: Linda Kissam and Ginger Giordano

We love visiting emerging wine regions with small lot, family-owned wineries that just don’t seem to get the press they deserve.  So it came to be that we left fast paced So Cal and headed north two hours to Ojai. What’s that? You didn’t think Ojai had a wine region of its own? Yes it does, thank you very much. Read on as we introduce you to an incredibly unique 2-day wine tasting trip – Wine Chixs Style.

The Wine Chixs in the Noble Oaks vineyard.First stop was the by-reservation only Noble Oaks Vineyard & Winery. Located in a private home off a private lane near downtown Ojai, this 250 case 8-year old winery is run by father-daughter team John Cuthbert and Anne Cuthbert Brink. Noble Oaks Winery is committed to single-vineyard wines “patriotically aged in new American oak barrels” for 2 years followed by 6 months in glass before release. We quickly learned from Anne, “We do wines that we like. We pick, crush, age and barrel our wines ourselves…well sometimes with a little help from our friends.” According to John, “Each year our wines get better and better. I think our 2009 wines will turn out to be our best ever. “ We visited the vineyards and tasted several wines, including a couple of barrel samples – all a treat. Standouts include the 2006 Noble Oaks Malbec (vinted by John), a dark purple color showcasing a distinct earthiness with soft undertones of vanilla, licorice and prunes; and the 2006 fruit forward Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyards Petite Sirah (vinted by Anne) with notes of black pepper & bittersweet chocolate. It is rich, round and velvety. Call for a private taste and tour, we know you’ll be wowed by the experience. (805) 640-9990.

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