Taking a San Diego winery tour in the area's scenic North County, home to one of the country's very finest grape growing regions with its bountiful vineyards, is one of many memorable activities to take part in while visiting sunny California.
First time visitors are rather pleasantly surprised to learn that there are colorful vineyards and rolling hills less than an hour's drive from downtown San Diego, but the area is chock full of wineries of all sizes.
Although California is well known for its wines coming from Napa and Sonoma, San Diego boasts some of the state's finest wineries and most are located just off of Interstate 15, making it simple to visit several each day.
Fifty minutes north of the city lies the Temecula Valley, a region rich with history and full of exceptional wines. Here, a winery tour might include a sunset dinner complete with live music and of course, a selection of fine wines made from locally grown grapes.
And in Rancho Bernardo is the renowned Bernardo Winery, which has been creating homemade pastas and olive oil in addition to a collection of fine wines since the year 1889.
Take a winery tour in San Diego and you will seemingly be transported to another world and what's often been called one of California's best kept secrets.
Whether you favor a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Merlot, or perhaps one of the various proprietary wines, the expansive San Diego wineries you will find are sure to meet the approval of the most discerning connoisseur.
The San Diego winery experience offers something for everyone ranging from the smaller, guided tours complete with charming gift shops to peruse to the larger wineries with extensive collections to sample.
Visitors will be able to explore vineyards, marvel at the vats, tanks and various pieces of machinery needed to turn the finest varietal grapes into some of the world's best wines.
Visiting a winery might also entail watching in amazement as local vintners in family owned wineries create savory selections of handcrafted wines with unique, savory bouquets and memorable flavors.
The careful process begins with the hand-harvesting of grapes and ends with bottles full of wines that are sure to please anyone's palate with their wide range of tastes.
Visiting smaller vintners can be so fascinating and enjoyable as there are no long production lines, no loud manufacturing plants, and no impersonal atmospheres.
But, in this versatile part of the country you can even experience an exciting San Diego winery adventure downtown without traveling very far from the city at all.
There are places to discover both new and old favorites, such as the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center located near the Gaslamp Quarter and the Convention Center.
A San Diego winery makes for the perfect place to see beautiful scenery along with enjoying one of nature's most delicious gifts whether you are completely new to the wonderful world of wines or are perhaps an aficionado looking for an enjoyable yet affordable escape in California.