Mr LA: March 2016

Time flies when you're out and about and experiencing Los Angeles, as MrLA does. I conducted a tour of the Los Angeles Wine Country, largely unknown to Angelenos themselves, on March 19. I know that my last posts have all been about and make me seem to be a paid spokesperson for Los Angeles-area wineries but I keep discovering far more wineries, with their respective vineyards, like Napa Valley, within a 45-minute drive from DTLA. From the venerable San Antonio Winery, often the only winery many Angelenos know, to the Joseph Filippi Winery in Rancho Cucamonga (one of the oldest wineries in Southern California with a few of it's original vineyards growing grapes that produce their delicious wines) to the Reyes Winery in Santa Clarita, not only one of the new breed of wineries creating this Los Angeles Wine Country but growing grapes in landscapes that resemble Napa or Sonoma wineries, five local ladies enjoyed visiting and tasting wines from our local lands, along with MrLA and Giovanni, whose van drove us comfortably and safely to these locations.

When we arrived at the Reyes Winery, MrLA discovered that not only were there 40 different wineries, vineyards, and tasting rooms in the recently-created Sierra Pelona American Viticulture Area, those entities will be gathering on April 23 to promote their wines and foods while raising funds for the programs of the Santa Clarita Valley Center. More about that in an upcoming post.

I had the marvelous opportunity to speak with Robert Reyes, the owner of Reyes Winery, and Beth Bode, marketing director for the winery. They informed me how a burgeoning number of wineries and vineyards had sprung up so abundantly throughout the area from Santa Clarita to Acton, among the Sierra Pelona Mountains, north of CA Highway 14, that local winemakers petitioned the U. S. Treasury Department in 2009 to create a new AVA (American Viticulture Area), recognizing these establishments as wine producers. On August 23, 2010, the Sierra Pelona American Viticulture Area became the first such area in the Los Angeles region since the 1880's! Yet, most of these and other local wineries remain virtually unknown, "under the radar", to most Southern Californians. As I've mentioned in my other wine-related posts, there is no reason for Angelenos to put $50.00 of gas to travel hours to other wineries when $50.00 will get you tastings at two Los Angeles-area wineries, plus gas, an inexpensive meal, and vistas that rival Napa and Sonoma for beauty!

At nearby Agua Dulce Winery, one can sip wines and stay in sumptuous accomodations in a home resembling the White House than an inn. In the heart of the Sierra Pelona AVA is Le Chene, a new and increasingly popular French restaurant which, naturally features wines from local wineries. The connection with local wineries is so close that Reyes wines can be bought at the Reyes Winery, taken to Le Chene, opened without a corkage fee, AND accompany a meal that will be discounted by 15% simply for having bought and opened a Reyes wine. While this might not be St. Helena and the French Laundry, Southern California's version is fantastic and worthy of being mentioned in the same breath with other such winery-restaurant pairings in other wine countries.

Join me and other explorers of Los Angeles: Under the Radar as we explore the Sierra Pelona AVA and its wineries as we attend an upcoming festival featuring the wines of the area and excellent foods to pair them with. Stay tuned for more information on this wine festival on Wednesday!

Reyes Winery
10262 Sierra Highway
Agua Dulce, CA 91390
(661) 268-1865
www.Reyeswinery.com

Agua Dulce Winery
9640 Sierra Highway
Agua Dulce, CA 91390
(661) 772-0145
www.aguadulcewinery.com

Le Chene
12625 Sierra Highway
Agua Dulce, CA 91390
(6610 251-4315
www.lechene.com