On Sunday I decided to photograph some of the newly planted vineyards along Highway 46 West. I had noticed one going in at Summerwood, so I parked and walked over for a closer look. This photo shows the way the bed and breakfast inn looks from the road. On Sunday, though, I discovered a few things you can't see by just driving by.
Since the young vineyard was on the other side of the inn, beyond the lawn, I decided to walk across the lawn to get there. I didn't want the fence by the road blocking my view. As I began to walk across the lawn I had some misgivings when I saw this. The entire lawn looked like this. A closer look showed me these were not doggy presents, but instead soil plugs from a newly aerated lawn. You can click the photo (or any other on this page) to see it full size in more detail.
When I got to the other side of the lawn, I was surprised to see a vegetable garden. It would appear that it supplies some of the produce used by the chef. I know there were heirloom tomatoes still growing. These are yellow pear tomatoes. I also saw some red tomatoes that I assume were heirlooms.
Then I saw some large squashes and / or pumpkins. I'm not sure which these large ones are. I suspect they are pumpkins that are not yet completely ripe or a variety that does not turn orange.
After I passed the garden I finally made it to the young vineyard. Don't forget to click so you can see the photo full size.
Whenever I think of Summerwood Winery and Inn, the words beauty and grace come to mind. I think of gardens and trees, and, of course, grapes.
Summerwood is another of my neighbors east of me on Highway 46 West. I have visited many times, and each time I see some different aspect of it, depending upon the season. Most people driving 46 West from the 101 Freeway as far as Arbor Road will notice this Summerwood sign on the corner.
When I was in the tasting room some time ago, I did take some pictures, but I can't find them tonight. So to see the interior, check out the Summerwood website. I will concentrate on the views most people just passing by don't see. For example, this shot of the vineyard was taken on March 23, 2012 from Live Oak Drive, looking south toward the tasting room and Highway 46 West.
All those vines produce the grapes that make the wines. I took this photo in the Summerwood vineyard, though I'm not sure which variety this is. This, and the photos below were taken in June, 2014, as the grapes were beginning to plump out, but while they were still green.
Grapes don't, of course, become wine without human help. Humans harvest the grapes. Winemakers also get some help with their equipment. The photo shows some of that equipment which is stored behind the winery until it's needed after the harvest.I call this the business end of the winery.
You can see how some of this equipment is used in my video of the wine-making process at Croad Vineyards.
These next two photos show some of the outdoor places one can enjoy tasting the wines. Summerwood has some lovely garden spots and unlike most of the local wineries it has a lot of tree varieties -- not just the oaks you see in most vineyards. That makes it a colorful place in autumn, but this photo on the left was taken in June behind the tasting room.
I took this last picture in front of the tasting room, also in June. Most of the flowers are in bloom. The large oak provides shade when the temperatures rise. Highway 46 West is on the other side of the barely visible fence behind the oak tree.
It's unfortunate that I don't drink wine myself, since alcoholism runs in my family and I don't want to chance getting to like wine too much. That's why I don't talk about the tasting experience. You can read the reviews of the wines and the Summerwood Inn on Yelp. From all I've read, you will enjoy a wine-tasting stop at Summerwood.
I took the scenic route from Paso Robles to Templeton today so I could photograph the spring vineyards in their green outfits. The route I took from Paso Robles was from South Vine north on Kiler Canyon and then a left on Arbor Road where they intersect. This route leads through a rural residential area, past vineyards and wooded areas, and finally ends on Highway 46 West beside Summerwood. This spot is just north of the Summerwood tasting room. For that reason, I believe these vineyards are part of Summerwood. I don't see any other tasting room on this side of Live Oak Road, but I suppose someone else might own some of these acres.
I see there is some new construction going on near the large tree. Unfortunately, I've no idea yet what they are building there. Part of me hates to see buildings going up in the middle of acres of grape vines, but I can see why someone might want to live there or build an outbuilding related to the vineyard business.
If you click to enlarge the photo to full size, you will better see the tree that interests me most -- the little one on the horizon. I've been watching it for years. What used to be half of it is missing. I call it the survivor tree. I made this key chain long ago, as it looked when I first noticed it, to honor its will to keep growing, even though part of it is gone. If you look closely at the key chain and compare it to the photo, you can see this little tree is making some progress as new leaves cover the what's left of the lost branch. The key chain is a bit more dramatic because I took the photo it's made from on a stormy day just after a rain, at dusk.
I am a cloud fanatic, as you have probably already figured out. My two favorite subjects for photography are the sky and trees, especially oak trees. That's one reason I can often be found in the vineyards of Paso Robles and Templeton, California. One vineyard where I spend a lot of time is Doce Robles. It has magnificent vineyards and some splendid oak trees. This is my favorite. You can click this photo or any other to enlarge it. The blooming trees in the background show better that way.
When I first got to the vineyard I was met by the dogs. They are the official greeters. But they relaxed a bit and hardly noticed when I walked past them here.
One reason I love this vineyard for photography is that there is always a clear view of the sky all the way around. The trees make wonderful frames for the sky shots, and the only obstacles are a few wires to work around. I can normally manage to avoid those.
Today the clouds were dramatic. I had taken a few photos of them downtown, but I knew at Doce Robles there would not be any buildings in my way to obscure my view. Very often I'll be driving home near sundown and see a gorgeous sunset ahead of me on 46 West and I know the sun will be gone before I get home, so I turn onto Twelve Oaks Drive and park at Doce Robles to shoot my photos before dark. That's what I did on November 10, 2013 when I saw a lovely pastel sunset ahead of me. Since it was autumn, the vines were red under the pink and lavender sky.
Today I could not stay until sunset, so I concentrated on the clouds. I was looking southwest. The road you see below is Highway 46 West. The building in the background is SummerWood's Guest Inn.
Have you ever visited the Paso Robles 46 West Wine country or Doce Robles?
Since we've taken a lot of pictures at Doce Robles, we have a lot of Doce Robles gift items in our Zazzle store. This mouse pad below features the tasting room at Doce Robles.
Paso Robles has many vineyards and small farms, often in close proximity. Arbor Road is one of those roads that has both. The same day I was following Kiler Canyon Road in quest of blooming almond trees, I also continued on to Arbor Road to get to Templeton.
The North end of Kiler Canyon is entered from Vine Street near the Marriott Hotel. After passing the almond trees and some small farms and vineyards, it veers off to the right and continues all the way to Peachy Canyon Road over a long dirt road though an old old forest with some amazing trees to be seen. You can see the photos I took on that part of the road in this article: Kiler Canyon Road, A Scenic Drive in Paso Robles.
If you turn left at the intersection of Kiler Canyon and Arbor road, you will also find yourself on a dirt road for a while, but it's a smooth dirt road. It was on this road I found the farm that's in this photo. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can read the lettering on the old wagon to see how this farmer uses it now to make a statement, or, perhaps, his prayer: "God Bless America."
Continue on this road a couple of more minutes and you will come to the paved portion that ends at West Highway 46, the door to the 46 Wine Country beside Summerwood Winery. To go from Vine Street to 46 West will take about twenty minutes -- if you don't stop to take pictures. It's a beautiful drive on a sunny day. If you are ever here, don't miss it.
