Whenever I stay in a new town, the first thing I do is research local activities to embark on. We were invited to "Funner" California to attend a Tuffnuff Cage Fighting event and discovered a local vineyard named Hilltop Winery. So before heading out the next day, we stopped in for a tasting and tour of the estate. We drove through the double iron gates on a winding gravel pathway enjoying views with 17.5 acres of grape vines leading us up to a cozy and beautiful tasting room. The beautiful outside dinning area overlooks more of their vineyards as far as the eye can see. We decided on a couple of tastings and lunch. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff will guide you through tasting options while sharing stories of the wines, vineyards and recent awards in 2013-2015. Their tasting room and picnic grounds are open daily. We received a private tour and learned about the french oak barrels which provide the best flavor for their wine. I also got to meet their beautiful retired race horse named Dance who loved my pets. We purchased our favorite ones - Pinot Gris 2016 and the award winning 2014 Cabrinet Sauvignon. We were amazed at how close this place is to San Diego. I certainly hope this opens up more vineyards in that area. Whether you’re looking for great wine, the perfect picnic location, or just a quiet spot to commune with nature, you’ll find it here at Hilltop Winery.