Every time I pull out my passport to travel, I feel a great sense of excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead. You never know who you are going to meet, what great foods you are going to try and what great wine you may encounter.
That’s the idea behind the San Benito County Wine Growers Association’s Fourth Annual Passport Weekend, taking place May 20 and 21. The event is an opportunity to introduce to the general public the wine and winemaking region of San Benito County.
The history of growing wine grapes in San Benito County dates back to 1854, when French immigrant Theophile Vache established his own vineyard on Cienega Valley and began hauling his wine to market in San Juan Bautista.
William Palmtag, a German immigrant, acquired the property from Vache in 1880 and produced wine of such quality that it won medals at the 1900 World Exposition in Paris.
According to the association’s Web site, the property was managed by a handful of people for the next 50 years until it was purchased by Almaden Vineyards in 1953.
For years, anything involving grape growing and winemaking in San Benito County could be traced to Almaden Vineyards. Almaden, in its peak production periods, had acreage that exceeded 4,500. With competition and the changing tastes of consumers, Almaden sold most of its holding by the late 1980s, and the new owners moved their operations to Madera, Calif. This had a dramatic effect on the region, with acreage dropping to only 1,000 in the mid-1990s.
Interest has been renewed since that time, as other wineries have been born out of the departure of Almaden. There are many ranges of soil, cool coastal breezes and warm summers that are conducive to many different varieties of grapes.
San Benito County is home to four American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). These include Cienega Valley, home to DeRose Vineyards and Pietra Santa Winery; Paicines, which supplies a wide variety of grapes to many of California’s largest and most prolific wineries; Lime Kiln Valley; and Mount Harlan.
Josh Jensen, owner of Calera Winery, first sought out the Mount Harlan area for its limestone deposits. This soil would lend itself to growing great pinot noir and chardonnay grapes. Calera’s are the only vineyards in the Mount Harlan AVA, and at 2,200 feet above sea level, one of the highest and coldest vineyard properties in California.
Once you purchase your ticket to the Passport Weekend, you will be given a souvenir passport program. This provides you access to wine tasting at 10 local wineries and a commemorative wine glass. As you travel from one location to the next, your passport is stamped.
Local businesses such as Night Out Limousine, Running Rooster, The Inn at Tres Pinos and Ridgemark Golf & Country Club also join in the fun by offering food and transportation services. Many wineries will be showcasing local art and live music, too.
Cheers to the warm, sunny weather ahead of us and many more great events coming up!
Take a Trip through
San Benito County
San Benito County Winegrowers Association’s Fourth Annual Passport Weekend, including exclusive wine tasting, gourmet food, music and limited edition wine art by local artist Shannon Grissom. No one younger than 21 will be admitted.
When: 10am-5pm May 20 and 21
Who: Anyone who wants to learn more about the wine and winemaking region of San Benito County
Cost: Tickets are $25 per day and are available at the following participating wineries: Blossom Hill Winery, Calera Winery, DeRose Vineyards, Donati Family Vineyards, Enz Winery, Flint Wine Cellars, Leal Vineyards, Pessagno Winery, Pietra Santa Winery and Summerayne Vineyard
Info: www.sbcwinegrowers.org
Other
upcoming events
Guglielmo Winery’s Cork Equity Day #12
When: 10am-3pm May 6
Info: Steve Wilson at (408) 779-2145 or www.guglielmowinery.com
Solis Winery’s Chianti California Style
When: 11am-4:30pm May 20 and 21
Cost: $7.50 per person
Info: (408) 847-6306
