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Ask a Wine-Know: Ventura wineries
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Anonymous user Tue Jul 10, 2007 10:53:35 PDT
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0 responses 0 comments “Thanks, Ann,” a reader phoned from the tasting room of Arroyo Robles Winery in downtown Paso Robles.
She and her group were touring some of the spots I recommended in the last issue, “Wineries off the beaten path.” They were especially pleased with their visit to Still Waters and were telling me how beautiful it was to lunch under the olive trees.
You’re welcome, folks and thanks for calling.
It’s easy to make suggestions to Bakersfield wine lovers about interesting diversions when they are escaping the heat and traveling west to the beach towns of San Luis Obispo County. We all love to go to Paso, Cambria, Morro Bay, Pismo and Arroyo Grande. There are wineries everywhere — and new ones all the time!
We can even find fun wine stops aplenty if our travels take us through Taft and the Cuyama Valley to the coast at Santa Maria. Those towns, and others of northern Santa Barbara County such as Santa Ynez, Solvang, Los Olivos, and Buellton, are also home to many wineries. Have you taken the “Sideways” tour again?
“But what about  Ventura? A lot of us here like to go down Highway 99 and then over to the coast. It’s just a two-hour trip, too. What’s an oenophile to do over there? There are no wineries.”
Great question. I love to go to Ventura, also, and rest assured I’m never too far from wine fun with friends and family. My hobby needs nurturing, too! So stand up and cheer — there are wineries in Ventura County.
There are also many very good restaurants (even some great ones) with fine wine lists, good wine shops featuring wines we don’t see much of here, and some real fun wine bars.  All of these have an array of wine events for you to attend throughout the summer. You will not run out of new sights to see, new wines to taste, new friends to share your finds, and great conversation with knowledgeable wine guys. Just the stuff for us fugitives from the latest hot spell!
The first Ventura County winery I ever heard of was the Ojai Vineyard. It was founded in the early 80s by winemaker Adam Tolmach who has made some wonderful Pinot Noirs. He is not open for tours and tastings. Sigh. Maybe someday, but in the meantime be on the lookout for his wine while you’re roaming the Ventura area.
Just recently I was introduced to Marc Dufau, a member of the family (of Basque origins!) that owns and operates Ojai Ridge winery. I was chatting with him at one of my favorite wine stops, the Westside Cellar on Main Street in the old downtown area of the city of Ventura. This was a new winery to me, and indeed, their first release was a 2002 Cabernet from their estate vineyard high on a ridge overlooking the Ojai Valley just adjacent to Ventura itself. They also made a 2003 Syrah and Marc had me taste their 2004 Syrah, which I thought was very good. There was a lot of talk among the wine folks there about the development of a new appellation for wines, Ventura County.
On the southern edge of the city in the industrial area of Oxnard (just off Highway 101) is a winery you don’t want to miss – Herzog Wine Cellars. This huge (77,000 square foot) and very impressive edifice at 3201 Camino Del Sol is an architectural wonder. The Baron Herzog family, with deep European roots in the wine making world of Europe producing both Kosher and non-Kosher wines, moved to California in 1985 and built this beautiful state-of-the-art winery. You will very much enjoy visiting it and its gift shop. The tasting room offers two flights of wine for your palate to experience, one for $3 and one for $6 depending on your choice of the regular or reserve wines. Have a glass of wine on the terrace. Try the Napa Cabernet.
And, if this visit weren’t enough of a pleasure in itself, there is an outstanding restaurant on the premises, the acclaimed Tierra Sur, which serves fine Mediterranean cuisine. The winery offers a number of wine events throughout the summer in addition to regular Wednesday Night Wine Downs and Tuesday Night Girls’ Night Outs. Check out the jazz concerts too.
I have several favorite Ventura restaurants, not only for great food but also for creative wine lists and knowledgeable sommeliers, or waiters, of course. The aforementioned Westside Cellar, 222 Main St., is owned and operated by two guys named Jim, who are always willing to talk wine with me, which has resulted in my getting a parking ticket for exceeding the two-hour time limit by quite a bit – that’s how much fun I had learning new wine stuff and sampling new releases last week. Jimmy Mesa is the wine buyer-owner and he has a great little wine shop there. I think it’s really an extension of his own cellar. Look through it. There are some bargains and wine you won’t see in shops here. Jim Rice is the restaurateur-owner and he really knows good food! You’ll very much enjoy eating there amid the art collection too. There are also regular wine tastings and other events. Ask for a calendar of the month’s activities. And keep your eye on the time!
Formal dining and a superb wine list calls for the Ranch Inn at Ojai on South Lomita  Avenue. The atmosphere is wonderful (beautiful garden settings) and there’s a lot of fine wine talk and patrons from the wine world.
Informally I’m partial to Café Zach in a little house at 1095 E. Thompson. Very creative dishes and the wine to go with them. Right down the street is a busy wine bar that is a happening place most evenings, judging by the crowds. There are a lot of wine bars around. You’ll have to check them out and find your personal favorite.
Speaking of checking out the wine scene, a good place to search for wines you’ve been wanting to try is the wine shop called Ventura Wine Co., 4587 Telephone Road. I always stop by to see what’s on the shelves. Good prices and good tips from Nick.
OK, when you’ve had your fill of fish from Andria’s at Harbor Village (especially the halibut and chips), you wine lovers now know you can’t despair of things to do in Ventura. Enjoy the weather, the place, and the wine! There is life outside of Pismo and Giuseppe’s. Cheers!
E-mail:  acierley@etcrier.net

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