Good things come to those who wait! And boy, have we been waiting for the move of Cafe Merlot, our truly awesome restaurant here at the Bernardo Winery, to their new location in the courtyard. All I can say is permits permits permits. But now, the wait is over, the i’s are dotted, t’s are crossed and the new, larger kitchen is ready to deliver the fabulous meals Cafe Merlot is known for! It’s kind of a de-ja-vue for us though, as our original restaurant on the property, many moons ago, was in the location that the Cafe is moving to, center courtyard, heart of the winery, surrounded by the beautiful landscape. I love when things come full circle, its great karma.  Check out Cafe Merlot’s site to learn more. Bon Appétit!  http://bit.ly/bn9H0h

So, are you tying the knot in 2010? You’re excited, nervous, overwhelmed, wondering where to begin. Planning can be easy! Start by checking out this link, to the Perfect Wedding Guide, a great online source for planning your day. http://bit.ly/9HFxc5  The Perfect Wedding guide has a nice Blog, offering great tips for planning your special day AND they’ve included the Bernardo Winery in their latest blog entry.  Check it out!

Also, come and enjoy the Spring Bridal Fair at the Winery on April 11th, from 11-3 pm. Meet some great local bridal vendors, DJ’s, caterers, florists and many other wedding vendors. Sip champagne and enjoy a fashion show of the latest in bridal fashions.

It’s a perfect time to get married. Make it the day you’ve always dreamed of.

OK, so not one but two Bernardo Winery businesses/friends have recently ordered and purchased a 2010 Ford Transit Connect for their small businesses. Fred Yarrick, from Top to Bottom auto detailing,  sets up shop in our parking lot every Friday. I do a double take one day, as Fred’s got this strange looking vehicle. wrapped in his logo, compact, European looking, angular. I’m fascinated. I look inside, wow. You could camp in it, Sell flowers out of it, park a gocart in it. Huge room in a compact vehicle and you can hose the darn thing out. So, now, Arlene from Sweet Pea Coffee Cottage has one too. Its so darn usable and cute and efficient. Named 2010 North American Truck of the Year, I can see why. And the small business owners, here at the Winery, and elsewhere, would agree with me. Check it out for yourself. http://www.fordvehicles.com/transitconnect/

Well, this last weekend was Holiday Nights at the Winery, twinkly lights, Santa and Mrs. Claus making a visit every night, and lets not forget the elf doing balloons and face painting for the kids. Yes, kids, all around the winery. Drinking hot apple cider and cocoa, enjoying the time as much as their parents. While mom and dad get in a little last minute shopping in our unique shops, unhurried, sipping hot mulled wine,  enjoying the live cheery music wafting through the courtyard. The jingle bells on the horse and carriage, taking visitors around the vineyards. That, my friends is what the holidays are all about. Together time, not rushing around in crowded malls. Take some time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. The winery is magical right now, a peaceful oasis to bring your out of town visitors to while they’re visiting San Diego for the holidays.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Bernardo Winery.

Tonight, take advantage of a great opportunity to hear some awesome big band sounds for a great price at the winery. Both Palomar College big bands will be performing as well as our own Ross Rizzo from the Winery. Is he playing Sax or Guitar tonight? maybe both!!

Never heard a Big Band performance? Comprised of 12-24 musicians, you won’t be able to stay in your seat! This music is high energy, toe tapping, great for dancing and making new friends kinda music!  It will take you back to a time, the 30’s and 40’s, when Big Band music ruled the day and played a major role in lifting morale, at home and abroad, during World War II.

Here’s a little history for you … Many big band members served in the military and toured with USO troupes at the front. Glenn Miller, huge big band leader of the era, persuaded the United States Army to accept him (though to old to enlist)  so he could, in his own words, "be placed in charge of a modernized Army band”. He basically did just that (much to the dismay of the old school military leadership of the day) and according to General Jimmy Doolittle, “next to a letter from home, that organization (Miller) was the greatest morale builder in the European Theater of Operations.”  Coincidentally, Miller lost his life mysteriously while traveling between troop shows. According to the US government, his plane crashed into the ocean, all souls lost. Hmm.. seems fishy.

So, need a little musical inspiration? or just looking for something to do later? Come and check out the music tonight!

Mark your calendar!

If you missed our April Bridal Show you will not want to miss this one.

Join us at the Bernardo Winery on Sunday, November 8 for our fall Bridal Show.  Show time is Noon to 4 PM in Rosario’s Pavilion. Our preferred caterers will be on hand to offer tastings and sampling of their amazing menus.

At the bridal show, you will have the opportunity to meet with local wedding professionals who are eager to help you make your special day perfect.

Meet with our preferred caterers and taste amazing menu items.  Bakeries will be sampling cake bites to assist you with your needs of your wedding cake.

Among other vendors you may visit will be photographers and videographers, bridal accessories, hotel arrangements, limo service, florists, party rentals, hair and make up design.

DJs will be on hand for your convenience as well.  At our fashion show you can preview the latest in fashions for your bridal party.

Bernardo Winery is one of San Diego’s top reception and ceremony locations.  Come early and stay late. We will offer drawings for prizes and a goody bag to each perspective bride. Special packages will be available from the winery events department.

Please contact our Event Manager, Annie Sanchez at annie@bernardowinery.com for more information, or for tickets to attend. Tickets are $7.00 purchased in advance with one complimentary for each purchased.

The pressing process, though not done in the old wooden style, is still an amazing process and a sight to behold. To press every last drop out of the grape and see it drop like heavy rain and collect in a pool of glistening red is really something to see. Some very fortunate winery visitors got a rare glimpse into this process on this fine day of pressing this luxurious Zin in early October. It’s closed to the public usually, not because it’s super secret stuff but because it’s messy and mechanical and serious work. lots of labor involved, despite the modern mechanical press. Some things are still done the old fashioned way. Stirring the Must before it gets piped into the press, shoveling the skins and seeds out of the press to be taken back out to the vines and turned back into the soil. Nothing wasted, nothing left behind. And the thick pool of red gently glides down through the hoses to it’s new home in a nice oak barrel.

I'm always amazed by the beauty of the winery grounds, around every corner, still, after all these years, there is something to delight the senses. Whether it’s a new flower emerging, or a bit of old iron I never noticed before, it is something to behold. Especially when i see it in wedding photography taken on the grounds. There’s no beauty more raw and perfect than new love coupled with the old wisdom and peace of the winery. check out these latest wedding pics…http://aaroneye.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/wedding-at-bernardo-winery/

Stomp around in some ripe, red grapes for a while, while enjoying a glass of red wine and you’ll feel rejuvenated!  We did, last week at the annual BW Grapestomp!

The benefits of the grape are too numerous to mention! The skin, the juice, even the seeds!!

Seriously… the skin on grapes contains 50 to 100 micrograms of Resveratrol, fancy word for a cancer-fighting agent that can selectively target and destroy cancerous cells. Resveratrol is also said to fight heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and minimize the brain damage associated with a stroke. Who knew!
Additionally, grapes are linked with
anti-aging properties. Wow! Lets stomp… no scratch that…roll around in it all day ! Aside from the calories burned (anyone want to come up with some numbers on that?)

Red and dark purple concord grapes contain heart-healthy f lavonoids and Tannins and are often considered the “healthiest” varieties. But studies say white grapes are just as good for you, offering up plenty of potassium and antioxidants.

What you may not know is that grape seed extract contains a vast array of health-giving ingredients, such as protein, lipids, carbohydrates and Polyphenols aka flavonoids.  It’s even beneficial for anti bacterial and anti-fungal properties!! (makes me feel better about all those feet in the grapes, phew!)

Procyanidins, another fancy word I cannot pronounce, is a Phenol that helps protect the body from sun damage, improve your vision, the flexibility of your joints, the health of your arteries and body tissues (such as the heart) and also strengthen capillaries and veins to improve your circulatory system.

Ok, so we stomp it, we drink a glass a day of it, and wha-la! we turn back the clock? You be the judge. I say I’m feeling younger every day. Cheers to that!