Bed, Breakfast, and Wine

Filed in archive Wine Tours on April 13, 2006

What a trip! I mean that in the non-psychedelic sense. The quaint ambiance of a bread and breakfast is often a first choice if you are traveling, especially to remote, out-of-the-way locations. But, what about combining the hominess of a bed and breakfast with the relaxation of a culinary trip to a local vineyard? Of course, someone has already thought of this.

From In the Vineyard: This is an uncommon wine-country offering in the Edna Valley, which parallels the Central Coast just southeast of San Luis Obispo. MacGregor's 23-acre vineyard stretches out next to the Suite Edna Bed & Breakfast, an inn of infinite charm that occupies a 1908 farmhouse. Innkeeper Pattea Torrence and MacGregor have teamed up to offer a hands-on vineyard opportunity to overnight guests and other visitors to the region. There are tasks to be done throughout the year, and the two-hour Edna Valley Vineyard Experience, offered on periodic Saturdays, enables inquisitive travelers to delve into the grape-growing and wine-making processes.

In the upcoming summer experiences, the activity might involve tying up vines, thinning the clusters of grapes and removing the insidious suckers at the base of vines. Each outing, priced at $75 per person, involves a tractor-wagon ride into the vineyard, a lecture and question-answer time with MacGregor, some light participation, and an opportunity to taste four estate wines from the vineyard while nibbling on appetizers. The next events are set for June 3, July 8, Aug. 26, Sept. 2 and Sept. 23.