By Scott Harrison

Sunday June 23, 1996

What do you get when you cross a Volvo nut with a wine connoisseur? A Volvino! (Term, courtesy of Steve McCutcheon's 1800ES license plate). Well the Volvinos turned out in numbers for the fun and relaxing tour of three of San Diego's many fine wineries. What a great day it turned out to be too! The owner's of a sparkling collection of 444's, coupes and ES's wound their way through the hills of San Diego's north county communities of Rancho Bernardo, Escondido and San Pasqual Valley to sample the fruit of the vineyards.

  An early morning gathering brought everyone together at the Bernardo Winery to start our adventure. An empty parking lot enabled us to line up all the cars for a beautiful photo op with the owners.  Puffing up of chests and tummy tucking was in order. A pretty tree lined walk past flower gardens led us to a quaint restaurant where we met the intriguing Russian owner. An entertaining conversation about menus, great food, Russian life and of course wine ensued. Since it was too early for lunch and we wanted a fresh palate, we had to decline his invitation to sample his mouth watering description of European family recipes. But we promised ourselves to return someday.

  Another casual stroll through gift shops and artsy/craftsy studios led us to the historic 100+ year old tasting room. The dark rough sawn wood structure decorated with wine bottles, arts and crafts and antiques created a warm atmosphere to start our, tasting marathon ( 3 wineries!)

  The first order of business was to establish "designated drivers". We decided they would be limited to only thirty tastings each (just kidding). Almost everyone was joined by their significant other so each couple was able to sort this out (I hope). Considering the variety of wines to sample, it was a difficult decision to make.

  It was great to have such a nice turnout for this event because we had lots of opportunities to meet new faces. We also got to know each other beyond our common interest in Volvos. Volvinos are a rare and fascinating breed.

  I've spent many a Sunday afternoon wine tasting in Napa Valley and the Sacramento wine country and I must say that our experience at the Bernardo Winery was equally as pleasant. Nice atmosphere, very friendly people and a tasty yet unique selection of wines and ports to choose from. (Rating: I purchased 3 bottles)

  We then rounded everyone up for our next stop as more cars joined us in our caravan up to the Ferrara Winery. This winery was tucked away in the outskirts of Escondido, CA and seemed to be much smaller but with quite a long history of it's own. I don't know if the pressure of price competition or maybe technology has had an influence on their bottling methods, but the screw off caps was the first indication the taste of this wine may be different. The staff was very friendly and helpful with their small selection of wines. This winery is where we broke out the ice chests and lunches and shared in some more great conversation under a large vine covered breezy veranda. (Rating: I purchased 0 bottles)

  After a nice lazy lunch, sharing some wine inspired stories and a little tire kicking we fired up the parade and buzzed off to our last stop, Orfila Winery, on the edge of San Pasqual Valley and a beautiful gulf course. This became the perfect end to a beautiful day.

  It started with an informative tour into the vineyards, then through the wine making facilities and into the warehouse where the tremendous steel and wood vats hold the fermenting wine. It was all very educational. We ended the tour by being able to taste some of the finest wines I've ever sampled, Reds and Whites, presented by some very entertaining and knowledgeable hosts. (Rating: I purchased 4 bottles).

  We were quite impressed with this facility because they were so organized and capable of accommodating large functions such as a wedding (or car meet maybe) under their huge open air tented patio. The grounds were maintained with great care and the scenery and views were picturesque and framed by surrounding gardens and lawns. It made for a very peaceful afternoon. By this time the fruit of the vine was starting to work its' magic as the Volvinos sought out quiet places on the grass, under shady umbrellas overlooking the beautiful valley. Life is good. Where were you?