Victor Edwards
Edwards Vineyard & Cellars
Edwards produces notable syrah and petite sirah from his three-acre backyard vineyard set at 2,500 feet in Ramona.
“I consider Victor Edwards to be the best in San Diego County, both as a grower and a winemaker. His syrah/petit-sirah rosé is also something to look forward to next spring—it’s deeply colored and full-bodied yet delicious with a chill on it. I have Edwards in my personal cellar.” – Dave Clark, wine manager, The Wine Connection
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Emily & Jody Brix Towe
J.Brix
The Towes take a minimalist approach, using neutral vessels and native-yeast fermentation. They produce small quantities of unusual, unfiltered wines, like orange and pink vinos, “CouCou” (his version of glou glou), and a Carignan with local grapes from Vesper Vineyards.
“J.Brix, a label you’ll find trending in shops and restaurants in L.A., San Francisco, and NYC, makes a wine called “CouCou” from San Diego County counoise. It almost looks like a rosé and is bottled in clear glass. It’s a Sunday afternoon no-brainer!” – Chelsea Coleman, Co-proprietor, The Rose Wine Bar and Bottle Shop
Photographer:CeCe Canton
Mark Robinson
Domaine Artefact Winery
This savvy winemaker spent time in Paso Robles perfecting his craft and now focuses on making his Rhône-style wines in Escondido.
Mike Embly
Hungry Hawk
This family-owned vineyard in Escondido grows 15 varietals and makes a mean tempranillo.
“Mike Embly is a young, ambitious winemaker working with varietals that do well in San Diego, like sangiovese, tempranillo, and petit sirah.” – Maurice DiMarino, Cohn Restaurant Group beverage director
Chris Broomell & Alysha Stehly
Stehleon Vineyards & Vesper Vineyards
The Escondido-based husband and wife team have garnered national attention for their single-vineyard wines made with local grapes. Their Rancho Guejito Vineyard Rosé and McCormick Ranch Carignan are loved by local sommeliers.