Proprietor Alexander McGeary is 10 years into his 25-year project to hammer out a wine industry high on the eastern side of Mount Palomar, and things are progressing. Though frost -- a threat at 3500 feet -- reduced the harvest of his star white varietal, Viognier, two years in a row, he is rebounding by releasing a two-vintage bottling. Some of the wine has been in-barrel for 18 months, some for 10. The extra time in wood should prove an interesting addition to what was already a rich and aromatic Viognier, which should sell at around $18. Available now, a dry Muscat ($9), a Grenache Rosé ($8), and a Barbera ($15). McGeary's $10 Carrignane is a fine wine bargain. The tasting room, open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., has been relocated to the winery, and a picnic area has been arranged near the original Old Gus vineyard, planted in 1948. In its rehabilitation and expansion, you might glimpse the history and future of San Diego wine.
Proprietor Alexander McGeary is 10 years into his 25-year project to hammer out a wine industry high on the eastern side of Mount Palomar, and things are progressing. Though frost -- a threat at 3500 feet -- reduced the harvest of his star white varietal, Viognier, two years in a row, he is rebounding by releasing a two-vintage bottling. Some of the wine has been in-barrel for 18 months, some for 10. The extra time in wood should prove an interesting addition to what was already a rich and aromatic Viognier, which should sell at around $18. Available now, a dry Muscat ($9), a Grenache Rosé ($8), and a Barbera ($15). McGeary's $10 Carrignane is a fine wine bargain. The tasting room, open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., has been relocated to the winery, and a picnic area has been arranged near the original Old Gus vineyard, planted in 1948. In its rehabilitation and expansion, you might glimpse the history and future of San Diego wine.