Reverend WineauxAria here: Wineries and wines from Paso Robles have had great reviews in recent years. Daou, Calcareous, Austin Hope, and Opolo are some of my favorites.
Tin City is a great place to find Olive Oil, Pasta, Mushrooms, Cider and Craft Beers.
More to come…All this in my backyard. I am so fortunate!
Early last year [2025], I was in San Diego again and met up with Steve and his girlfriend Melissa. On Thursday, we went wine tasting at La Mesa Wine Works along with Steve’s sister, Cecile, and her neighbors, Rob & Jeff, along with Sandy and Sara. We played Trivia; they do that on Thursday nights. It’s a blast!
What a great time! Our team, The Usual Suspects, came close to winning, but Blue’s Clues won. Cecile said they usually won. Two of their members live near Melissa. One team answered every question wrong on purpose; they had hilarious–but wrong–answers.
Click on the photo of their building to go to their website…
Being that this blog is about wine, I should tell you more about their wines and vineyards. Here is what they say…
Long-time La Mesa residents Mike and Linda McWilliams bought San Pasqual Winery in 2009 when it was San Diego’s first urban winery, then located in Pacific Beach. After working with City Hall to update La Mesa’s zoning regulations to permit the production of wine and beer, they established a larger production facility on Center Street. This led the way for what we refer to as La Mesa’s Industrial Revolution, resulting in two breweries and now Wine Works, all located within easy walking distance in La Mesa’s industrial area. Mike and Linda are active in the San Diego County Vintners Association, with Linda currently serving as President.
My favorite was one of their white wines… 2025 Golden Hour (Blush Blend) – San Diego County, dry blend of 60% Albariño, 40% Rosè of Cabernet Franc & 3% Tempranillo.
My favorite reds were the 2014 Syrah and the 2012 Zinfandel, both labeled as San Diego County wines. Both were great examples of their grapes.
I was in San Diego recently and visited a few really amazing wineries. Mia Marie, Domanie Artifact, and Hungry Hawk. The region produces a lot of Italian varietals, due to the county’s desert-like environment.
Hungry Hawk: Their winemaker, Mike Embly, just won 2026 Winemaker of the Year, and the 2026 Winery of the year. Clink on Mike’s photo to go to the winery…
The competition included both domestic and imported wines and was judged by winemakers from throughout the United States. Results were based on blind-tasting. Hungry Hawk Vineyards is thrilled to receive these awards along with 3 Gold Medals, 3 Platinum Medals, and “Best of Varietal” awards. These wines are deemed to be of top quality on the world stage.
I loved their 2002 Estate Reserve Sangiovese. I can see why they received these honors. Great job Mike!