Hawk Watch Winery

As I mentioned in my last blog, after leaving Shadow Mountain we drove north along 79 to a second winery, Hawk Watch Winery.  It is located on a side street that we missed and had to drive some distance before we found a place to turn around.  Located at the end of a dirt driveway (which they are not allowed to pave for some strange reason), we arrived at the winery.  Worth the trip!
This Warner Springs winery has a small tasting area in their barrel room with just a couple of high chairs, but there is seating outside with a great view of the surrounding area (see pictures below).  Like most of the county’s boutique wineries, this is a mom-and-pop operation.

The tasting room is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  They follow a typical wine tasting concept -- $12 per person – and the array of wines is quite nice (see menu below).  We liked the 2014 Syrah better than the Reserve Syrah, something I’ve noticed before at other wineries.  Overall good wine with one exception – their Tinderbox.  It is not a good wine, it is a very good wine.  Made from 100% Zinfandel grapes grown in Temecula, it is smooth and has a high pepper aroma and taste that I really, really like.  We left with a couple of bottles.  Did I mention I really like this wine?

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An interesting aspect of this Zinfandel is that the same grapes are sold to a Temecula winery but their wine is not very peppery.  This is a good example of what makes wines so interesting.  Two different wine makers, same grapes, two different wines…
One of the great things about boutique wineries in San Diego County is that they are always willing to try new things.  For example, few wineries outside the Piedmont area of Italy mess with Nebbiolo, but we’ve got Nebbiolo at Shadow Mountain and Principe di Tricasse.  Hawk Watch falls into the makers of rare varietal wines camp as well – or at least will fall into the camp – as they have grafted Tanat to some of their vines.  This is a grape with a very high tannin level and produces a dark red wine that really needs to be aged.  Might be awhile then before they have it available – I believe they only just got their first fruit – but they may be the only place you can find this rare wine.
They have a very generous wine club arrangement.  It is three bottles every quarter (selected by the winemaker) at a 25% discount (30% for a case) and three free tastings every visit to the winery.  Live music and appetizers at free quarterly wine club parties (weather permitting, i.e., no party in February).  Oh, and 15% off of items that they sell at the winery.  So now I have two reasons to take the long trip to Warner Springs…