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When you think of the great wine-making regions of California, Napa is probably the first area that comes to mind, followed by the vineyards in Sonoma County and the Central Valley. But if you want to sample some local vintages, you don’t have to travel all the way north. Not when we have a long history of wine making here in Orange County, according to Orange Coast Magazine.

History
In 1857, some German transplants known as the Los Angeles Vineyard Company, purchased land in Anaheim for the purpose of growing grapes. The enterprise proved so successful that Anaheim became the greatest wine-producing district in California, according to the Orange County Historical Society. Unfortunately, in 1885, Pierce’s Disease struck and wiped out all the vines. Orange County turned its attention to producing oranges and walnuts. But the dream of those early vintners lives on in nine local wineries. Here are just three.

Laguna Canyon Winery
Laguna Canyon Winery is typical of a local winemaker. Although its founders, Marlowe and Darren Huber, gained their experience outside of the county, specifically, Vancouver, Canada, they built their winery here in 2003. They then ship grapes from Napa and Sonoma for crushing, pressing, fermenting, barrel aging, blending, and bottling on-site. They produce two brands that you can try in their tasting room. The premium “Laguna Canyon” is their main offering while “Purple Paws” is a good cause label that contributes part of its profits to the care of homeless pets. Aside from visiting the tasting room, which is open every day except Monday, you can check out the vintages at their 1st Friday of the Month Wine Tasting Party.

Pozzuoli Vineyard and Winery
Pozzuoli Vineyard and Winery have their own acreage but it’s all the way in Paso Robles about 950 feet above sea level. Though most of the grapes consist of Cabernet Sauvignon, they also grow Merlot, Sangiovese, Grenache, and Syrah. Their small winery in Tustin includes a barrel room, bottling room, a wine bar, and tasting room. It actually forms part of Centro, which adds a micro brewery for beer lovers, and an eatery that specializes in Italian dishes like pizza, bruschetta, and panini. They’re open every day and no reservation is necessary to taste wine within a 1926 historic building in the middle of Old Town.

Newport Beach Vineyards and Winery
Unique among the local vintners, Newport Beach Vineyards and Winery have been growing and harvesting their own grapes since 2001 on 3.5 acres around Upper Newport Bay. They open their property only to special events and unfortunately are not available for touring. They specialize in Meritage wine that blend up to five traditional Bordeaux red wine grapes: Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. The 2010 OC ESTATE, Unobtainium Meritage Red, is their first Estate wine that is 100-percent created from their grapes.

OC Wine Tours
The only problem with visiting the tasting rooms of these wineries on your own is that the designated driver cannot enjoy any of the vintages while ferrying your party around. You can ensure that everyone with you has a good time by going on an OC Wine Tour, which visits Laguna Canyon Winery, Newport Beach Winery, or Giracci Vineyards. Packages are available that visit one, two, or three estates. Aside from the tastings, the tours include private limousine transportation that comes with champagne. Your party can consist of up to 10 people.

If you want to know more about the delights available around OC real estate, or want to tour one of our developments in person, please contact us.