Local Wineries We Love
Cordiano Winery
High up in the hills of San Pasqual Valley in Escondido sits a mom-and-pop winery/pizzeria. Amazing views and fabulous pizza pairs with its hand-crafted wines, making this destination a must. The owners are straight from Calabria. cordianowinery.com
Fallbrook Winery
Among the avocado orchards and stands of cypress trees, you will find a very successful family-run winery that makes award-winning vino. Its estate wines, such as the BDX and Sangiovese, are worth the trip alone. fallbrookwinery.com.
South Coast Winery resort & spa
California’s Winery of the Year sits along Rancho California Road. Equal parts resort, spa, restaurant, and winery, this stop offers visitors a Napa-esque experience. Grapes from the Wild Horse Peak mountain vineyard are grown at 2,200 feet above sea level, bringing balance to the bold reds. wineresort.com
A Garden in Petco Park
Local Wineries We Love
There’s nothing quite like an afternoon at a baseball game; hot dogs, beer, and Caribbean Scotch Bonnet peppers? Don’t laugh, because that scrumptious condiment you taste at Petco Park might have actually taken root at the ballpark in the most unlikely of places—the bullpen. That’s where Padres head groundskeeper Luke Yoder’s garden flourishes, complete with cilantro, tomatoes, strawberries, artichokes, and various peppers. “We’re in San Diego, it’s a garden city… why not have a garden at the ballpark?” Yoder says. He started a garden last season and it was a hit with players and Petco Park executive chef, Will Todd, who has used some of Yoder’s peppers for condiments and sauces. The garden was displaced over the winter during fence modifications, but Yoder’s expecting a bountiful batch of goodies this summer. Everything is organic. “It’s a lot of fun,” Yoder says. “It’s my hobby. It’s nice for me to step away during batting practice and putter away in the garden.” —Corey Brock
