Tag: estate

At the end of a quiet country road, just south of the Mokelumne River in northwest Lodi, Oak Farm Vineyards offers visitors to the region an unrivaled wine tasting destination. The historic 70-acre estate, replete with lush grapevines, majestic century-old oaks, and a plantation-style mansion and barn dating back to 1865, dedicates 10 acres to its guests’ enjoyment.

Tucked away in the hills of Santa Ynez Valley, Pence Ranch is a small artisanal winery dedicated to producing world-class wines that highlight the unique complexity of Santa Barbara terroir.

Proprietor Blair Pence founded the winery out of his longtime passion for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, particularly those produced in Burgundy, France. He traveled there often to learn how the region’s renowned wines are created, and then began searching for a suitable site to cultivate cool climate grapes of his own. In 2004, he finally found the perfect property: a 200-acre ranch on the western edge of Santa Barbara County.

When Rob Folin graduated from Oregon State University in 2000, he first went to work for a major department store chain. He quickly realized that what he really wanted was to work outdoors and create something. The wine business seemed like a good fit, and Rob’s parents, Scott and Loraine Folin, who reside on a ranch in Gold Hill in Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley, had some hillside acreage that was not being used.