Menghini Winery
1150 Julian Orchards Dr., Julian, CA 92036
Phone: (760) 765-2072 Fax: (916) 266-3363

From San Diego, I8 East to 67 North. Continue on 78 East in
Ramona and continue into Julian. Left on Farmer's Road and
straight across Wynola road to Julian Orchards Road to winery.

Menghini is a Julian wine jewel.

Apples aren't Julian's only claim to fame. Try this winery's Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio.

The Scoop
Menghini is one of Julian's fine wineries. And like the local apple pie cartel which buys its apples from the northwest, Menghini hauls in its grapes from Ramona. Still, the Menghinis, Mike and Toni, have done wonders with the place since buying up an old apple packing shed in 1982.

The Experience
For one, serious wine makers that they are, the Menghinis have injected a genuine sense of whimsy into the sometimes too-serious worlds of wine production and Julian-ism.

Examples: Try sampling their apple wine -- in the seasonal spirit of Julian pies and cider. Also, and not to be missed, the annual Menghini Wine Stomp --- happens the weekend after Labor Day Weekend.

A gift shop sells assorted cheeses (winter only) and wine-related items.

The Goods
In the Menghini cellars you'll fine a dry-light '98 Chardonnay; a soft-dry '98 Sauvignon Blanc; a '98 Trinity; a light, red blend of Carignane, Grenache and Mourvedre; and a heavy-bodied '97 Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Details
Tasting room is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Spring/Summer) and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Fall/Winter). Special events are held in September and October to coincide with the Julian apple harvest festivities.