I just read a great article about Fallbrook Winery: http://wineormous.com/fallbrook-winery-the-best-of-both-worlds/ (came across it on Twitter, glad I did, as Wineormous.com is a great source for area wineries). Earlier read about the La Jolla Art and Wine Festival this weekend which features a number of area wineries -- they include San Diego, Ramona, Jamul, Alpine, and several from Mexico. Made me think about lucky we are to have so many wineries withing driving distance of San Diego, including Temecula just an hour away.

I know Ira, owner of Fallbrook Winery, and really like his Chardonny, Sleepy Hollow. It is carried at Third Corner, Zocola and other area restaurants and wine bars.

What is your favorite "local" or nearby winery?

Fallbrook Winery is one of the better if not the best in SD. Can't say much if anything from Temecula has ever impressed me much. Never tried Ramona, Jamul or Alpine wines though, would be interesting to see. Are these wineries actually growing grapes in San Diego Country or just buying fruit from elsewhere and making the stuff here?

I think they grow some and buy some. I believe Ira was saying he buys grapes from all over, including Mexico's Guadalupe Valley.

A few years ago I went to a wine event at Wilson Creek in Temecula. The fun part was a walk thru some of their vineyards with the winemaker talking about the wine making process. Granted back then I was less experienced with wine, but I thought most of their wines were pretty good. I haven't been there in a log time.

Witch Creek Winery near Carlsbad had a wine I liked too, a red, though now I can't remember what it was, a think it was Zinfandel. And South Coast Winery always does well at our wine competitions, as does Orfila (though their winemaker died, so don't know how they are doing now.

I found a map that appeared in the Union Tribune newspaper that lists 22 wineries in San Diego County.