Archive for June, 2009

One of the big dreams when opening our family-owned tasting room was to host and support the local artists of San Diego.  Each month, we feature the artwork from an artist, specializing in various mediums - pottery, photography, painting, tapestries, sculptures, quilts, and leather work.  As a result, the wine tasting area and garden room are transformed into a new artist gallery each month.  William works to display in the artwork in unique ways, often changing the look of the room to support the featured work.  If the artist is interested, we also host a “meet the artist” reception for them to invite their family, friends and clients.  These are very casual activites and a lot of fun…and a first time event for many of the artists.

We recently have taken it up a notch - collaborating with the San Diego Fine Arts Society for a Sunset Sundays series throughout the summer. Featuring women artists every Sunday evening from 5:00-7:00 pm, the artist can take over the tasting room with their art display.  They provide an artist talk, and guests enjoy a wine tasting experience which includes a souvenir wine glass and bottle of wine with a specially designed label by the featured artist, all for $25.  A portion of proceeds go towards the SD Fine Arts Society to support their mission for local artists.

Having a Wine Tasting Room can be fun, and a lot of hard work.  But it is also greats an opportunity to provide an avenue for local artists, and support their efforts as well.  We hope our visitors enjoy the “views” when they visit our Tasting Room…we certainly do!

When visitors enter our Wine Tasting Room in Old Town, San Diego…they often ask “Where is your winery…in Temecula?”   For a San Diego winery, these are tough words, since there are over sixty family wineries…right here in San Diego County!!  (Temecula is in Riverside County, by the way!).  So, one way that we try to get the word out, is that we offer a “guest” spot on our Wine Tasting list for another family winery to showcase one of their best wines and introduce them to the public.  This is a way to open the discussion on San Diego wineries and how quickly the grape growing and wine making industry is growing in this County!

We have also collaborated with three other wineries with Tasting Rooms - Belle Marie, Orfila, Bernardo along with our own Hacienda de las Rosas - on the creation of a Passport to visit all four wine tasting rooms for only $20.  That works out to $1 per taste…a very good value.  Its a great way to stay in San Diego County for wine tasting, and you have all summer to visit all four wineries…expires on September 7th.  So, if you are looking for a great college graduation gift or Father’s Day gift…come get a passport to San Diego Wineries!