Ramona Art & Wine Festival guests were treated to wine samples at nine wineries

Patrons of the ninth annual Ramona Art and Wine Festival took advantage of a three-day weekend to visit nine wineries, where they tasted fine wines paired with appetizers or desserts.

The event culminated with a wine barrel auction on Sunday, November 7, in which six hand-painted wine barrels were purchased in a live auction. The proceeds from the auction benefit the Ramona HEART Mural Project, which oversees the installation of murals on Ramona’s buildings.

Mural Project president Elaine Lyttleton put in the highest bid of $ 2,550 for a barrel painted with scenes of Ramona that serves as a beverage service center.

Lyttleton said it was difficult to get high bids for wine barrels since the Art & Wine Festival turned into an event with multiple locations instead of being held in one location, like Begent Ranch. . The transition was made during COVID, and Lyttleton said smaller wineries attracted fewer bidders.

Participating wineries included Ramona Ranch Vineyard & Winery, which served up a 2018 ‘Bling’ sparkling rose, a non-vintage blend of Reserve Super Tuscan, and a 2013 Petite Sirah topped off with a wild mushroom and pecorino pie.

Guests at the Ramona Ranch included Ramona resident Sally Kloman, who brought Tom Petrakis, visiting from Seattle, and Carol Pfister. Edmond’s visit, Okla.

“Seattle had 6 inches of rain in October,” said Petrakis, a retired veteran. “We don’t sit outside at wineries. We sit inside. Here, I bask in the sun.

Pfister said she enjoyed the scenery and the relaxing atmosphere while sipping fine wine.

“I thought I would take them to the wineries in Ramona for some fun and a break after running around to see the sights of San Diego,” said Kloman, also a retired veteran.

Vendors selling artisanal items at the Ramona Ranch winery included Brittany Balcom Sudak, which offered fancy oil and acrylic paints, some of which incorporated reused items such as vinyl records. Beside her, Denise Maize was selling handmade jewelry.

On the Highway 78 route, Hatfield Creek Vineyards & Winery paired two varieties of 2019 Zinfandel and a 2019 Petite Sirah with chocolate truffles.

Ramona residents Randi Skrzypiec and Ileen Lund stopped in Hatfield Creek after visiting Schwaesdall Winery, Old Julian Vineyards & Winery and Three Hills Winery on the tour.

“We love wine and we love art and we wanted to check out all the wineries that we haven’t had a chance to visit yet,” Skrzypiec said. “We like to go out, enjoy the day and discover different artists. “

Among the artists selling their wares at the Hatfield Creek stalls were Claudia Verciani, who showed her impressionist oil paintings of landscapes and still lifes, and Lynette Bredow. who had watercolors of different subjects.

Old Julian Vineyards & Winery’s wine samples off the East Old Julian Highway were a 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, a 2018 Tre Sorelle red wine and a 2019 Angels’ Cheer rose accompanied by a cream cheese appetizer and rice crackers.

Julian’s old patron, Barbara Patenaude, said she has been to art and wine festivals before and always enjoyed the event and the hospitable atmosphere.

“I really enjoyed meeting all the people who are happy to be here,” said Patenaude. “Everyone is generous. There are no foreigners here and I drank some very good wine.

Other wineries participating in this year’s Art & Wine festival were Correcaminos Vineyard, La Finquita Winery & Vineyard, Principe di Tricase Winery and Vineyard Grant James.