San Diego

[lizardbrains]

Oops, sorry I wasn't here to respond in time for your trip! I keep taking these wine-sebaticals due to having babies!!!

I will have to try Hart & Mt. Palomar. I have heard good things about Hart. I haven't had a chance to try all the wineries here... though that would be a fun goal!

I recently tasted at Van Roekel and Falkner. VR wasn't as great as I had remembered it from my trip with IK and his lovely wife. I did like their Gewurztraminer and Pinot Grigio. I thought their reds were too dry.

I liked Falkner, and actually ended up joining their wine club - I liked every one of their whites (varied from good to great), and most of their reds, so I figure I ought to be pleased with my wine shipments from them.

I'm boycotting South Coast because John, the winemaker, was quite rude to me! I think their wines are okay.

I've heard good things about Stuart Cellars - I ought to go there sometime.

Though everyone I meet around here seems to love Ponte, I really don't understand it. I don't like their wines at all. There are a couple that are okay, but overall they don't impress me. And they recently offended me as well (with their military discount only being for the active duty ID, not for dependants), but whatever. And they charge TEN DOLLARS for a tasting! Yikes!

Maurice Carrie is known to be the crap-wine of this area. At least they give a free tasting (seems to be the only one that does now!).

I've never heard of Oak Mountain.

I just cancelled my membership at Leonesse, as I've realized I don't like ANY of their wines. A friend of mine says Leonesse (as well as Foote Print) are the two best wineries in the valley right now... I disagree (though I haven't been to Foote Print).

I used to like Keyways, but now it's been sold and the owner has opened his own called Frangipani Estate. I'm hoping Frangipani Estate ends up being good, b/c I liked it when Don Frangipani had Keyways a year and a half ago.

-Elizabeth