Morgan Hill Today 2014 03 Spring | Page 29

Weddings Barrel Tasting south when the Pedrizzetti property came on the market . The two homes fit their needs and the winery was a bonus !

The Pedrizzetti Winery was founded in 1913 and once had 80 acres of vines . At the time of the sale to the Sempagnaro ’ s in 2006 , there were no vineyards on the property . In 2013 , the 100-year anniversary , the Sempagnaro ’ s planted two acres as a tribute to the longevity of the winery . If things work out they might plant more .
In 1996 , the winery experienced a devastating fire . As a result of the fire and the rebirth of the winery , the phoenix has become a trademark of the winery . Some of the Pedrizzetti labels incorporated a phoenix . Today a phoenix statue stands guard over the entrance to the La Fenice ( The Phoenix ) Tasting Room and Gift Gallery . The new facility is nicely laid out and offers guests not only a sampling of various wines but also a great selection of wine-related gifts .
The philosophy here is simple . “ Comfort and ambiance ” says Maryclaire . “ We want people to be comfortable , taste what they like and come back again .” This was clear during the spring Passport Weekend when some wine club members camped out with snacks and thoroughly enjoyed the music of Four of Hearts . Morgan Hill Cellars does a few weddings each year but the focus is on good wine , the gift shop and having fun . On July 25 , 2014 , Morgan Hill Cellars will host the Fifth Annual Bingo for Breast Cancer . This sold out event attracts 200 participants . ( morganhillcellars . com )
Paradise Valley Vineyards is a hidden jewel in several ways . It is the home of Claude and Evelyn Solanas . It is a beautiful and tranquil setting , exactly what they wanted . Finding it takes personalized instructions . GPS instructions might get you lost !
The second aspect of the jewel is the outstanding quality of the wine . Claude and Evelyn do it all themselves , another facet of the jewel . Claude is a retired nuclear engineer . His analytical mind works well in this environment and it is obvious by the ordered environment . They only have two acres of cab and merlot . The small tasting room and wine storage share space with Claude ’ s other passion , racecars !
Claude only bottles his own Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot . He carefully nurtures every step of the process and produces some exceptional wines . Claude is a quiet , maybe shy , man but he comes alive when he talks about his bottled gems .
Paradise Valley Vineyard is only available for private tastings . His wines are available locally at Ladera Grill , The Good Fork and Maurizio ’ s . ( paradisevalleyvineyard . com )
Jerry and Judy Ross of Ross Vineyards & Winery have a great approach to life and winemaking . “ Having fun ” sums it up nicely . Getting to the tasting room is an adventure . A quick turn off Oak Glen takes visitors up the hill past several old structures to a clearing and the tasting room , an 1860s barn . The winery sits on the historic Coffe Ranch across from Chesbro Reservoir . Joseph Coffe owned the ranch , planted 40 acres of vines and made wine . He sold the wine at the “ Wine Depot ” in San Jose from 1875 to 1925 .
The current estate vineyards are further up the hill from the “ tasting barn .” The Ross ’ s moved to Morgan Hill in 1972 and planted vines in 1999 . The first wines were produced in 2005 . Over the years they purchased parts of Coffe ’ s original
ranch . The property is dotted with reminders of three generations of Coffe farming . Some structures on the property were moved up when Chesbro was filled . The third generation Alphonse Coffe became a family friend before he passed away in 1999 . Grandson , Jim Ross , helps with the vineyards and manages the “ tasting barn .” Jerry does the winemaking .
There is nothing pretentious here . It is just a comfortable rustic setting . Typically visitors bring a picnic and spend the afternoon . Deer , and turkeys are regulars along with the human visitors . The “ tasting barn ” is open the first and third weekend of the month . A great network of white Ross signs guides visitors to the location . With only about 300 cases per year , all the wine is sold at the “ tasting barn .” Ross produces eleven different red wines .
If you need a rustic getaway , pack a lunch and head up to Ross . “ Having fun ” is what it is all about . ( rossvineyards @ aol . com )
Sycamore Creek Vineyards has a history that goes back in time and passes thorough several families . It is appropriately located in the Uvas Valley . Uvas is Spanish for grape . The Machete family founded the winery at the turn of the twentieth century . Since then the Park and then the Morita families have owned it . In 2005 Bill and Carolyn Holt from Morgan Hill purchased the winery . The Holt family owned the Uvas Creek Winery just down the road .
Today the winery has a major facelift and a focus on premium estate wines . The result is a number of outstanding wines and plenty of awards . Assistant General Manager and Certified Sommelier , Alicia Cuadra , talks of the quality and uniqueness of many of the Sycamore Creek wines , especially the
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