San Diego wine is starting to gain recognition

WRITTEN BY KERRY CARDOZA POSTED: 09/14/2015, 04:30PM

There are as many wineries in San Diego county as there are craft breweries, a fact that’s probably surprising as San Diego’s wine industry remains largely unknown.

The San Diego wine industry is gaining ground, however. Maurice DiMarino, wine and beverage manager for the Cohn Restaurant Group, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the area is good for wine-making due to higher elevations, granite soil, microclimates and wind passages from the ocean.

The Union-Tribune also spoke with Linda McWilliams, president of the San Diego County Vintners Association about the industry changes:

In some areas, the growth has been dramatic. In 2010, for example, there was one boutique tasting room in Ramona; today there are about 25.

McWilliams said that sizable jump was the result of a county ordinance pushed by Supervisor Dianne Jacob that allowed rural wineries to, among other things, offer on-site sales and public tasting rooms.

In other areas, the increase has been steady. Between 2012 and 2014, the number of vineyard acres harvested rose 23 percent, from 752 to 923, according to preliminary figures from the San Diego County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures.

This year’s heat and lack of rain is leading to lower yields, which also means better quality wine. “The downside is that there aren’t enough grapes to meet the demand from all of the new and long-standing wineries,” according to the Union-Tribune.

Interested in checking out a local winery? San Diego Magazine recommends Hungry Hawk Vineyards & Winery, a “5.5-acre family-run winery with a peaceful and pretty setting to enjoy 15 varietals.”

 http://sandiego.suntimes.com/sd-ente...o-wine-country