Weddings Barrel Tasting
Some wineries are the result of meticulous planning and preparation . Others just sort of happen . Satori
Cellars is the latter ! In 1993 Tom and Sandy Riley purchased “ a little bit of country ” land to get some piece and quiet . The land had some diseased prune trees that needed to be removed and something planted in their place . With a little luck , help from new friends , persistent workers , and a lot of sweat , Tom and Sandy had a vineyard .
Electrical engineer , Tom , learned the winemaking craft and in 2008 launched their first tasting .
Today , Satori Cellars is a fun place to be on the weekends . Most Sundays there is a pick up band in the orchard , good wine , great company and plenty of laughs . While Tom makes some seriously good wine the mood at Satori is fun . The website explains the origin of the name :
Satori Cellars gets its name from two sources ; Sandy , Tom & Riley and from the Zen Buddhist term meaning “ a taste of enlightenment ” or “ sudden unbidden moments of absolute stillness and peace in which time stops and the perfection and beauty of creation shine forth .” ( satoricellars . com )
On the Satori website , guests are invited to post thoughts on the winery . One guest submitted this poem :
My life would be a little different because I tasted there
Welcomed in hospitality and baccanalian delight
I have four bottles and memory that I can live Satori
and share the welcome of this oasis on this sometimes troubled journey
Solis Winery as we know it today was founded by the Vanni family in 1989 . It is named after the 1830 ’ s Rancho de Solis Mexican land grant . The winery started with John Massi , from Switzerland , around 1910 . From 1917 to 1980 it was the Berteros Winery ; Summer Hill winery from 1980 to 1985 . David and Valerie Vanni started the winery in 1989 . By 2007 they turned over the operation to their sons , Michael and Vic .
The winery is family owned and operated . Vic says , “ they do it all ... from estate grapes to the bottle .” With many award winning wines the winery has an active wine club and hosts many outstanding events . For example : Barrel Tasking for Members and Guests on March 8 , Bottle Your Own on April 12-13 , and Syrah & Sausage Grill on May 24-26 .
Recently , the tasting bar was turned around to face the gorgeous views of the southern foothills and the vineyards . ( soliswinery . com )
The newest winery , Sunlit Oaks , is open to the public . It is located on the east side of Gilroy , off Crews Road . They are starting the process of getting permits from the county to construct a tasting room . For now , on the first and third weekends , the tasting room is a tent open to spectacular views from San Juan Bautista to Gilroy and points north . Tables and umbrellas offer a great location for a picnic and some interesting wines .
Sunlit offers a variety of wines , mostly from other areas , while their own vines mature . The Moscato is only slightly sweet . The new Chardonnay , and Sangiovese , as well as several reds , are worth the journey to this beautiful vista .
The wine club offers a unique feature , a waiver . If for some reason the wine club member does not want the current shipment , they can decline without penalty ! ( sunlitoaks . com )
Tom Kruse , owner of Thomas Kruse
Winery , might be the “ senior ” winemaker in this area . Turning 75 this coming September , he guesses that he has presided over 44 annual crushes . Tom started out with a smaller winery on Hecker Pass in 1971 . In 1997 , Tom and wife Karen purchased 20 acres on the east side of Gilroy . Twelve acres are planted with vines . Tom has a wealth of knowledge about the winemaking process . This knowledge is packaged into an all day workshop at the Winery , “ Plant Your Own Vineyard .” The workshop covers all the relevant topics and includes a spreadsheet with detailed information on the exact costs for planting a vineyard .
Tom also hosts harvest volunteer lunches with a class on the subtleties of wine tasting .
On a recent dreary winter day , Tom eagerly shared his thoughts on making wine , the connection between the land and the wine , quality and cost . He also shared some great tastes and a marvelous barreled port . Tom estimates it should be ready to bottle this summer . It just might be well worth a visit to this fascinating winery in and of itself .
As a footnote : Tom says it is time for him to slow down . The 20-acre winery , tasting room , and 100-year-old house are for sale ! ( thomaskrusewinery . com )
Be
sure to visit our website , gilroytoday . com , for a complete list of 2014 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition award winners .
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