By Sharon Penny

County Contends Amendments Will Clarify Existing Ordinance; Wineries See Restrictions with Major Impacts

January 23, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--The County of San Diego held a Tiered Winery Ordinance Workshop on January 17 in an effort to discuss and solicit feedback from the public on its draft zoning ordinance amendments that will affect local wineries.

More than 100 people were in attendance, many representing a variety of boutique wineries in San Diego County.

There was a unanimous sentiment from local vintners that the proposed amendments would place burdensome restrictions on local wineries, leading to the destruction of the county’s burgeoning small business operations.

September 12, 2013 (Barrett Junction) The Highway 94 Club will showcase local wines at a special tasting event Thursday September 19 at the Barrett Junction Café, 1020 Barrett Lake Road in Dulzura. Everyone (at least 21 years old) is invited. Come and meet the vintners, learn a little about grape growing and wine making and taste some excellent wines. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and will be held on the back patio of the café. Dinner is $9 per person and the wine tasting is complimentary with each purchased dinner.

Winemaking is taking hold in East County. Local wine grape growers and wine makers are starting small, boutique wineries on their properties. These vineyards are beginning to produce some very high quality wines. Over the past few years, several of these wines have won Gold, Silver and Bronze awards at the San Diego County Fair’s yearly Amateur Wine Competition.

By Miriam Raftery

June 26, 2013 (La Mesa) – “Isn’t this amazing?” Linda McWilliams, winemaker at San Pasqual Winery, exclaimed, standing inside the company’s new winery in a former industrial building in La Mesa. Hundreds of guests packed into the 4,500 square foot space for the winery’s grand opening celebration last weekend, savoring the fruits of McWilliams’ labors.

Those labors are yielding some impressive results.  At this year’s  San Diego County Fair, San Pasqual Winery picked up six awards, including a gold medal for the winery’s most popular offering, Habañera passionfruit wine.

By Miriam Raftery

June 16, 2013 (La Mesa) – The public is invited to sample award-winning wines, savor food and live music at the grand opening of the San Pasqual Winery at 8140 Center Street in La Mesa.   The festivities will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23 from 12-5 p.m.   Cost is $20 in advance or $25 at the door.

The decision to move its wine-making business from Pacific Beach to La Mesa was motivated by a need for more space and a desire to be close to San Pasqual Winery’s existing tasting room in downtown La Mesa.   The new facility will be triple the size of their existing winery, supplementing the existing tasting room with a second La Mesa location.

Celebrate our launch party! Thousands of dollars in prizes!

Early bird rates extended to Friday! RSVP to reserve space

You're invited! Celebrate launch of our East County Magazine prime-time radio show on KNSJ!  Join us Sunday, May 19 from 12-3 p.m. at the beautiful Maness Vineyards estate, 3044 Colina Verde Lane in Jamul.  Winetasting, great food, music, amazing prizes and more!  

DIRECTIONS:  (click read more below to open and view directions)

March 21, 2013 (Julian/Wynola) – A three-course wine pairing dinner will be served up Friday, March 29 at Jeremy’s on the Hill, featuring exquisite bottles from J. Jenkins Winery. Jeremy’s is located at 4354 Highway 78, Wynola; five minutes west from downtown Julian. Dinner begins at 7:00 p.m.

“We have several great wineries here in the back country and pairing these great wines with seasonal food is one of my favorite things to do,” said Chef Jeremy.  Jeremy’s on the Hill specializes in farm-to-table cuisine and features many local breweries and wineries at the restaurant. Chef Jeremy Manley, 26, and a Cordon Bleu graduate, has been working with food and cooking since the age of ten.

March 1, 2013 (Santa Ysabel) – You can savor local vintages and meet winemakers from our region at Santa Ysabel Casino’s “Meet the Winemakers” event on March 16 from 3-6 p.m. Participating vintners include J.Jenkins, Woof ‘N Rose, and Witch Creek wineries.

The event costs $30 and includes gourmet appetizers, wine tasting from local vintners, $5 in slot machine play, and $5 toward tasting on a new state-of-the-art wine system.

December 21, 2012 (Warner Springs) --Hawk Watch Winery, which has won international honors for its vintages, is hosting a free party open to all on Saturday, December 22 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.  Enjoy solo saxophonist Jason Weber while sampling homemade holiday desserts among the twinkling Christmas lights in the barrel room, where you can also sign up to savor some locally made wines.

Winemaker moves operations from San Marcos, opens tasting room in East County
 

By Miriam Raftery
 

March 24, 2011 (Julian) – Marc Hashagen isn’t your typical winemaker. A firm believer in giving things a go even when the odds seem long, he began making wines with a friend back in 2006 because “we love wine,” he recalled.

Born in Norway and raised in a small English farming town by his parents, both American teachers, he returned to the U.S. after they retired and headed west.  “We Googled winemaking in San Diego,” said Hashagen, who teamed up with a friend, Charlie Chabalko, now co-owner.