Open: Year-round
In the eighties, after consuming a fair amount of White Zinfandel (Twin Hills, Mastantuano, etc), Angela and Darren Mitchell were converted by a bottle of 1987 Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon and the passionate quest for fine red wine began. In 1993, Darren frustrated by the high cost of their new hobby decided to take a winemaking class at Cuesta Community College; the class taught by local Zinfandel legend Charles Poalillo was the first of many. What started as attempt to save money became a quest for increasing knowledge, classes at UC Davis, Allan Hancock, Aspen School of Wine, Copia, and Cal Poly; investments in equipment and supplies, and finally the shift back to Darren's farming roots, a vineyard.
Four years later, wanting more control over the quality of grapes, the couple planted 10 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 10 acres of Syrah on the hilltop overlooking the old adobe farmhouse where Darren grew up. They also decided if they were going to give the grapes the attention they deserved they would have to move onto the property. What was suppose to be a temporary two year stint in a single wide mobile home for the family of three, turned into a nearly nine year adventure that is finally coming to an end, when they family moves into the house next to the tasting room. The last ten years have been spent updating, cultivating and nurturing the vineyard and to produce small lots of fine truly-handcrafted wines.
