Tehachapi wine flows at Antelope Valley gala
Tehachapi wine flows at Antelope Valley gala
By: Edna McCallion
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Posted by editor Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments The “High Mountain Zinfandel” of Tehachapi’s premier vintners, Bob and Patty Souza, was the featured wine at the Antelope Valley Winegrowers Association’s “Gala Under The Stars” event held on June 23.
The AV Winegrowers Association and the Sertoma Service Club, under the guiding hand of Chantel Kilmer, put on the smashing event to benefit the Leona Valley Heritage Park. The Heritage Park will eventually showcase the wine history of their valley that goes back to the 1800s. One of the very first wineries in southern California was founded in Leona Valley over one hundred years ago and some of those vines are still producing fruit at this 3,200-foot elevation.
The pre-gala event started at the Antelope Valley Winery in Lancaster with wine tasting and tours of the winery and vineyard, led by winemaker Cecil McLester. With more than twenty-five years of fine winemaking experience McLester guided us through a wine adventure. This winery was established in 1990 by the Donato family in the hopes of reviving the wine industry in Antelope Valley. German immigrants started farming grapes and making wine in the 1800s until the prohibition era.
For the next leg of our journey a limousine whisked us off on a tour of West Antelope and Leona Valley Vineyards, as well as some “home vineyards”. It is amazing how many Sangiovese grapes will grow in nine rows in a front yard! Our next stop was for an alfresco tasting of wines at the Leona Valley Winery. It was their very first tour and they poured right in the vineyard with views of grapevines, stately mountains and horses out to pasture.
Our final stop was at the “Gala Under The Stars” at Leona Valley Heritage Park on Elizabeth Lake Road. It was the third annual gala providing wine tasting from several of the thirty local wineries, as well as food music and raffle prizes. It was here that Cummings Valley vintners, Patty and Bob Souza, had their High Mountain Zinfandel featured. Quite an honor for relative newcomers, only three years on the scene.
Quite a wine too! The Primitivo Zinfandel grape has been fine crafted and is sold under two different labels. The local label — The Tehachapi Wine and Cattle Company — is made especially for Tehachapi residents and visitors. It is sold only in Tehachapi at Applegate Garden Florist and The Apple Shed and last year’s vintage is nearly sold out.
A second label with the same delectable wine is called “Quattro Stagione.”
The “High Mountain Zinfandel” wine savored and appreciated at the gala was poured from these handsome bottles and it too, is going fast. The good news is that the Souza Family Vineyard is expanding and there will be more of this fine wine next year.
“In the works is the building of a wine-tasting room, gift shop and bed-and-breakfast on our property,” said Souza. Tehachapi's pioneer vintners represented our community with country friendliness and a sophisticated flair.
Assisting the Souzas at their serving table was Chuck McCullough, an upcoming vintner in Cummings Valley. Located at Highway 202 and Cummings Valley Road, the newest local vineyard is named “Triassic Legacy” because the local soil is derived from that period — two hundred and twenty million years ago.
You may have seen a portion of the fourteen acres being prepared for the fall planting. McCullough will plant 3.1 acres in Primitivo, 2.8 acres in Voignier and 1.1 acres in Syrah. He will decide how to plant the final five acres after evaluating the successes of the first harvest.
“My daughter and family are going to build a home on the property and three generations will enjoy the vineyard for years to come,” McCullough said. What a delightful legacy!
It was evident by their welcome that The Antelope Valley Wine Association is delighted to have the Souza Family Vineyard and the Triassic Legacy Vineyard as members of the organization. Everyone is anxious for the day when a winery tour limousine rolls up to the Souza Vineyard tasting room. Let us toast to that happy day and look for it to come very soon.
For more local vineyard information
Contact Souza Family Vineyard at 822-9233; Or online at www.souzafamilyvineyard.com.
Contact the Antelope Valley Winegrowers Association at 338-0854 or online at www.avwinegrowers.org.
For local winery tour information email Chantel@thewinelady.biz.
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