Tag: Harney Lane Winery

There are amazing wineries around the world producing fantastic wines, from France and Italy to Chile and Spain. Along the West Coast of America is no different. Wine enthusiasts can travel up the Pacific from California to Washington tasting exquisite wines. Here are seven wineries to visit and taste.

Elizabeth Chambers Cellar

On every Elizabeth Chambers Cellar wine label, one finds a blue butterfly—a tribute to Elizabeth’s mother, who inspired her daughter’s role as a pioneer in Oregon wine. Today, Elizabeth Chambers Cellar is dedicated to the small-lot production of high-quality handcrafted Pinot Noir.

For more than one hundred years, the George Mettler family has farmed Harney Lane, a 100-acre parcel of land just east of Lodi, California. But it wasn’t until 2006 that they decided to venture into winemaking.

Everyone rolled up their sleeves. Jorja Lerner, a member of the family’s fifth generation, left her career as a physical therapist. Her husband Kyle—who jokes that farming is legalized gambling with more variables—took on added responsibilities to manage the winery; while Jorja’s mother, Kathleen, applied her strong hospitality skills to organizing the tasting room. Even Jorja and Kyle’s two children, who represent Harney Lane’s sixth generation, played a part. The family now has complete control of their wines from the vineyard, to the bottle, to the consumer. All the grapes are hand picked, hand sorted, then fermented in small lots and barrel aged.

For more than 100 years, the George Mettler family has farmed Harney Lane, a 100-acre parcel just east of Lodi, California.

But it wasn’t until 2006 that George, his wife Kathleen, daughter Jorja, and son-in-law Kyle Lerner, decided to venture into winemaking. Jorja left her career as a physical therapist to help with the winery; Kyle—who jokes that farming is legalized gambling with more variables—took on added responsibilities to manage the winery; and Kathleen applied her strong hospitality skills to organizing the tasting room. Even George’s two grandchildren, Kirsten and Ian, who represent Harney Lane’s sixth generation, played a part. The family now has complete control of their wines from vineyard, to the bottle, to the consumer. All the Lodi vineyard grapes are handpicked, hand sorted, then fermented in small lots and barrel aged.