san diego wineries

Halloween is almost here, and another special day is just around the corner: Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. In Mexico (and in other countries around the world!) it's a time that families remember their loved ones who have gone with altars and music. But it's not a sad holiday, at all – it's festive and happy, although it's perhaps just a little spooky. Anthropologists have traced the origin of the holiday to a festival for the Aztec goddess Mictecacihuatl, the Lady of the Dead. It included marigolds and whatever things, including food and drink, the deceased person loved the best. If you see flower altars this October 31st and November 1st and 2nd, you'll see photographs, flowers, and sugar skulls and bread to help feed those loved ones in the afterlife. Luckily, like us, the Aztecs also believed…

We generally don’t delve into politics, but we have to take this time to tip our hats to our great state, because it has done something wonderful and once again declared September California Wine Month. You know how we feel about that – that every month should be California Wine Month – but we’re delighted to have more of an opportunity to showcase our wines and the people who love them. We sincerely feel that developing a taste and an understanding of wines leads to a greater appreciation for subtleties in other areas of your life. We are especially happy about the opportunity to talk about the great Wine Country in San Diego. Restaurants throughout the county are getting in on the action too, heading wine tastings and pairing dinners; you can also explore wineries or take a guided tour….

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a day to honor the efforts of American workers. It is a classic American holiday, and a federally-observed day. Labor Day was signed into effect by President Grover Cleveland after brutal violence marred the Pullman Strike in 1894. But although this history is interesting, the real story here is how Labor Day and the labor movements are entwined with the history of wine in the United States. After the Great Depression hit, the wine industry made a comeback during World War II. As more workers returned from war and streamed into agricultural jobs, wages went lower and standards for farmworkers dropped. In 1965, California grape workers, led by United Farm Workers, organized a nonviolent strike, boycotting in vineyards within Kern County and beyond to demand fair treatment. Americans – more than 14…

Grab your big hats and your pin money, because it's horse racing season again! We can hardly believe it, but it's that time of year already — the track is open for business today! The Del Mar Horse Races are among San Diego's best known events; the racetrack is a place where people go to see and be seen, to place wagers, to showcase their summer pinstripes and their elaborate hats, and most of all to enjoy themselves! It's a decades-old tradition, and it gets better every year, featuring live music, special events, and fine dining with great beer and wine at the Turf Club. We love horses, big hats, cool outfits, and above all, great food, wine, and beer, so the Del Mar Races are, obviously, right up our alley. We think they'll be your thing, too. Join us…

Graduation is what's on everybody's mind this time of year, whether it's from middle school or a Ph.D. program. These rites of passages are among the most important to a student, for obvious reasons. It's when their new life begins! If you are a new graduate or love a new graduate, we know ways to help ease the transition from student at university to student of life – sampling the most delicious wine and beer that San Diego has to offer. We help you celebrate on our train tour, roam La Jolla on a beer or wine walking tour, or visit breweries and wineries all over the county in our chauffeured van.   And, by the way. We absolutely love to teach people about the different, wonderful beers and wines San Diego has to offer and introduce them to new…

  Oh, Tax Day.  Is there any date more dreaded or breathlessly awaited in this country than April 15th?   Doing taxes is a chore, even when you know you're going to get a big return at the end. It's even worse when you know you're going to have to pay, and the bugbear of being audited lurks around the corner of every impenetrable phrase.  Luckily, you have us. We can't do your taxes for you (although I'm sure we can suggest some of our favorite accountants) but we can take the edge off by offering you a good deal on a beer or a wine tour to reward yourself after you've done your yearly duty with the IRS!  Call us and mention: "Taxes 1040" and get  $10.40 off each ticket for any San Diego Wine Country or Winery Train Tour.*…

  Earth Day is one of our favorite days of the year, but not for the reason you might think. While we love that there's a day dedicated to the planet we all share, we think that every day should be Earth Day. That's why we do the tours we do – it's the only fully “green” winery and beer tour you can find in San Diego.   Our chauffeured tours are no different.  While we're driving you so you can fully enjoy San Diego's great beer and wine, rest assured knowing that our low-emission vehicles help you participate in our environmentally friendly practices. We're also reducing our carbon footprints in another, more subtle way. By showing San Diego the delights of its own vibrant wine, craft beer, and local food scenes, we are helping them buy locally – which…

  Sure, the flowers are popping up and birds are singing and it's warming up, but the true sign of spring is nearly here: the San Diego Padres' home opener against the Dodgers at San Diego's Petco Park. While we love baseball in all its permutations, and will support the Padres in the face of any evidence to the contrary, we feel as though the true story about Petco Park is being ignored – the existence of “Craft Beers of the Padres.” Yes, you can stop by Petco Park and choose from an amazing array of beers from local microbreweries while you take in a game. No more watered-down stadium beers with inferior ingredients –San Diego local craft beer are the winning team for us.  We’d say that alone is worth a stint at Petco Park, whether or not you're…

Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. -Robert Frost The weather's warming up, the sun's out, birds are chirping, and the sunburned tourists are arriving. It's springtime, one of our favorite times of year around here! Everything is new again, the cold and damp of winter has passed, and we can't get enough of the daffodils, johnny-jump-ups, and nasturtiums that are making our gardens burst with color. Spring is also a very important time in the wine world. It's when the vines start to wake up and start popping out buds, so we need to either store or drink last year's vintage to clear away room for the new, whether it's a cool flowery riesling, a delicate rosé, or a thick, sweet icewine. It's a very nice ritual, and dare we say, it's far preferable to spring cleaning….

The holiday season is almost over, and 2012 is about to go out with a bang! At San Diego Beer and Wine Tours, we don’t really believe in the standard New Year’s resolutions.  What’s the point of a year filled with thirst and deprivation?  Plus, nobody ever sticks with them.  That’s why we have decided…