Guglielmo
Paradise Valley
Sycamore Creek Ross
produces labels and art in the tasting room. She and mom, Roni Jo, sing. Nate produces great wine and with a dramatic flair. He says,“ We blend the wine that blends people.” Roni Jo keeps an eye on all the happenings. For Jesse, the winery gives him a chance to demonstrate his construction and landscaping skills.
Castillo’ s Hillside Shire Winery is open on weekends and has a wine club.( castilloshillsideshirewinery. com)
Clos LaChance is a relative newcomer to local wineries but it has turned into a powerhouse. It started in 2001 as the agricultural arm of the upscale CordeValle Golf Course and Vineyard Estates. Bill and Brenda Murphy had a small but growing wine business and needed a bigger home for their CV wine business. The partnership with CordeValle was perfect.
Clos LaChance is the Murphy family business. LaChance is the maiden name of Brenda Murphy and thus the winery name. Daughters Cheryl and Kristen also work at the winery.
They produce around 60,000 cases a year using over twenty varietals. The Lion’ s Gate Valley in San Martin is a wonderful area for vineyards. The map of CLC vineyards is a colorful introduction to the extensive vineyards at CLC.
Clos LaChance has been able to combine a beautiful location with an elegant hospitality center and some outstanding wines. CLC hast become a much sought- after wedding location. It
has also become something of a“ foodie” destination. There are on-site wine and cheese as well as chocolate and wine tastings. There is Brenda’ s Kitchen. There are fabulous wine dinners and soon Bistro Clos with menued dinners paired with CLC wines.
For locals, Clos La Chance has become the go-to place for great music and wine. There are numerous events, including the popular Thursday evening Time for Wine Music Series. They have an active wine club with two levels, Gold and Platinum. Watch for the new outdoor tasting room in the Mulberry Grove.
Clos LaChance is committed to environmentally sound, economically viable and enhanced social equity sustainability. In 2009, CLC was“ sustainably certified” by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.( clos. com)
Teri & Gregory Peterson turned an interest in wine making into a real life adventure. Creekview Vineyards is nestled up against the east foothills in San Martin. It has a backyard vineyard and tasting room. Appropriately, the property has a creek in back and is on Creekview Drive. But don’ t think this is just a small time operation. Creekview has expanded to a tasting room and retail sales at Sherman Cellars in downtown San Jose. The 1.5-acre estate vineyard is behind the backyard tasting area and is planted with Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and some Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec for blending. The Petersons also purchase fruit from local premium growers.
The Petersons make some great wines and have the awards to prove it. The website notes over 75 awards. The backyard tasting area is like visiting a friend’ s backyard. Visitors enter by a path along the side of the house and walk into a comfortable, welcoming backyard. There are a variety of seating areas, plenty of trees, a wood-burning pizza oven and a good feel to the whole setting. The wine club is active. The winery is an involved partner in both Morgan Hill and Gilroy. There is an endless list of events.
The winery is open the third weekend of the month and the San Jose location is open Wednesday to Sunday. Creekview is well worth a visit!( creekviewvineyards. com / home. php)
Tucked behind El Toro is a small winery with a big reputation. Steve and Laura Petersen named the winery after daughters Emma and Lily. By day, Steve is a marketing consultant but free time, nights and weekends are consumed with making the very best Cabernets.
EmmaLily Vineyards’ cabs are a blend of cabs that have aged differently with various yeasts and barrel toasts. For example 2009 Laura’ s Love has cabs with four different yeasts and three toats. The taste is a“ round mouth” full and complex. Most of his wines spend 30 months in the barrel. Steve is building his cellar one year at a time and will soon cap his production at 500 cases.
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