San Diego wine

WINERY OWNERS SAY SHUTDOWN OF BARS UNFAIR TO RURAL WINERIES, THREATENS TO CRUSH BURGEONING WINE INDUSTRY

Story and photos by Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Outdoor patio at Vineyard Grant James in Ramona provides ample social distancing for wine-tasting guests

June 29, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – East County’s once-thriving wine industry is struggling under COVID-19 restrictions – and some local wineries may die on the vine now that the county has once again shut down all bars effect July 1, including wineries and breweries.

Now, some winery owners are criticizing the shutdown as overly broad and unfair,  since many rural wineries have outdoor patios or spacious tasting rooms and have been providing ample social distancing – unlike urban bars and crowded venues such as the Gaslamp District.


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VINTAGE PLEASURES AT FIRST JAMUL WINE FESTIVAL

By Miriam Raftery

May 14, 2017 (Jamul) – Wineries from along the emerging Highway 94 wine corridor  served up fruits of their labors at the Jamul Wine Festival April 29th at St. St. Pius X Catholic Church in Jamul,  all to benefit building classrooms for local children.  Guests also savored an abundant array of delicious foods,  bid on unique silent auction items,  enjoyed live music, a presentation with wine tasting tips, and more.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to showcase the Vineyards and Wineries in Jamul and to make our Festival the first of many to come,” said Gary Gorton with the Knights Council 9659 at the church.


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CHEERS! CRAFT BEER AND WINE SUMMER FESTIVAL JUNE 6 IN LA MESA

 

East County News Service

May 29, 2015 (La Mesa) –A Craft Beer and Wine Summer Festival to benefit the La Mesa Historical Society will be held on Saturday, June 6 from 1 to 6 p.m. at 4888 Date Avenue at the La Mesa Farmer’s Market parking lot.  The festivities include unlimited tastes from 20 breweries plus a VIP lounge, live music, food trucks, and over 30 vendors.


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VINEYARD GRANT JAMES ANNOUNCE EVENT SERIES IN RAMONA

 

East County News

April 19, 2015 (Ramona) –Vineyard Grant James in Ramona announces a series of events. Whether your tastes run to a winemakers’ dinner to a mother’s day weekend with flowers and chocolates for Mom, you’ll find plenty to savor. The winery also offers a yoga and writing regreat, gourmet foodie potluck, a fundraiser for Ramona high school and a summer of sangria kick-off at the winery, as well as several events off-site.  In addition, Grant James has live music every Sunday afternoon.

For a full list of events and details, click read more and scroll down.


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PARTY WITH THE PRESS HIGHLIGHTS - THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

 

Photos by Nadin and Tom Abbott

November 6, 2014 (San Diego's East County) -- If you missed our "Party with the Press" benefit event, it was a great event!  We filled the Next Door Wine & Craft Beer Bar with our supporters.  A good time was had by all -- and it was all for a great cause: supporting our community journalism and wildfire alerts.

We savored a wonderful feast, thanks to Tiramisu Trattoria restaurantand our own East County Eater, who judged the winning culinary entries provided by our readers.  Next Door Wine & Craft Beer Bar served up tastes of some wonderful wines and beers.  We gave away a pile of prizes, played our East County Trivia Quiz, sipped and savored our way through a delightful evening.  We also thank SDG&E for its sponsorship of this event and for providing safety and energy saving tips for our guests.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

SMALL, LOCAL WINERIES CONCERNED ABOUT PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT

 

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.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

HUNDREDS CHEER OPENING OF WINERY IN LA MESA AS WINEMAKER REAPS REWARDS

 

 

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.


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

CHEERS! MOUNT HELIX WINE GROWERS ASSOCIATION TAKES ROOT

 

By Miriam Raftery

May 27, 2012 (Mount Helix) – Sipping wine and noshing on chocolate dipped strawberries, a vineyard planting team at Stephanie Young’s Mount Helix home savored a sunset and the camaraderie of friends.   


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

VINE PLANTINGS: THE NEW BARN RAISINGS

Fruitful wine industry restores farmers’ dreams in rural East County
 

Story by Miriam Raftery

Photos by Mark and Miriam Raftery

July 22, 2011 (Spring Valley) – Friends and neighbors turned out to help plant 600 grapevine rootstocks from Napa Valley last weekend at the Vineyard Mansion in Spring Valley. Afterwards, guests savored a poolside tri-tip barbecue and sampled estate-bottled vintages in a stone-lined wine cellar. 

 

Their efforts are all part of a vision by East County vintners to establish a wine-making region along Highway 94—revitalizing the local economy with a new agricultural market to reward the fruits of their labors.


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CHEERS: COUNTY APPROVES BOUTIQUE WINERY ORDINANCE


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