Spring Has Sprung in Wine Country

Trees Are Getting Green Again

Taken at Veris Vineyard, March 20, 2014

I couldn’t resist taking a detour up Bethel Road yesterday on the way home from a doctor appointment to take photos of the vineyards which are now carpeted in green after our recent rain. The first day of spring was also an appropriate day to document that the trees are changing into their green clothes to greet the season.

I first parked on the street to get some photos of a vineyard whose name has always intrigued me — the Rest and Be Thankful vineyard. This vineyard borders one of the Castoro Cellars vineyards. I took the following photos of the Rest and Be Thankful Vineyard.

Rest and Be Thankful Sign and Home

Rest and Be Thankful Sign and Home

Below is an overview of the property of Rest and Be Thankful visible from Bethel Road, looking southwest. You can see the house and winery in the background.

Overview of Rest and Be Thankful Vineyard, Street View

Overview of Rest and Be Thankful Vineyard, Street View

In the next photo you can see the road that divides the Rest and Be Thankful property from the Castoro Cellars vineyards where the windmill is.

Vineyards on Bethel Road, Templeton, CA

A road divides Rest and Be Thankful from Castoro Cellars vineyards.

I knew I’d have to get closer to Highway 46 West to get the shots I’d really come for. They would be found at Veris, Peachy Canyon, and Zenaida.

Veris was easy, since I didn’t need to actually get out and walk much to get my shots. You can get a great view of the vineyard and the trees from the path leading to the golf practice mats. From the area of the mats you can see all the way to the Peachy Canyon Tasting Room. I wanted to get the green grass stripes we only see after the rainy season. By summer, the rows turn brown and the green stripes are the vines themselves. This happens in all the vineyards, but it is very obvious at Veris.

New Grass Makes Green Stripes at Veris Vineyard

Rows between vines have turned green as have trees in the background.

If one looks more closely at the rows, one notices a couple of things. First, new green shoots are sprouting from the dead-looking vines. Second, the ground squirrels are getting ready to do damage.

Ground Squirrels in Rows at Veris

As new growth appears on vines at Veris Vineyard, it appears squirrels are already plotting to get their share.

After I left Veris, I parked at the Peachy Canyon Tasting Room, which is on the corner of Highway 46 and Bethel Road. Every time I drive past those lovely green grounds on the way to town I’ve wanted to stop, but there was never time. Even though I wasn’t in the right kind of shoes, I got out to walk anyway. This is a small part of what I found.

The Green Grounds around Peachy Canyon's Tasting Room

The Green Grounds around Peachy Canyon’s Tasting Room. I love the trees.

Of course, one can never leave Peachy Canyon without getting a shot of the picnic grounds with the gazebo. I have needed one taken during spring, and here it is.

Peachy Canyon Gazebo on the First Day of Spring, 2014

Peachy Canyon Gazebo on the First Day of Spring, 2014

Although I hadn’t planned on it, I couldn’t resist stopping across the street to walk around Zenaida before continuing home. I took many shots, but will only share these here. The first was taken from the west in the vineyard, looking toward the tasting room and winery. It shows the green stripes that are the rows, and a couple of the magnificent Zenaida oak trees.

Zenaida Tasting Room from Vineyard

Zenaida Tasting Room from Vineyard

Of course, to the grower, it’s the vines, not the grassy stripes and stately oaks that matter most. As you can see below, new life is shooting out from the no-longer dormant vines, ready to produce the grapes that make delicious wine.

No Longer Dormant Vines Produce New Shoots at Zenaida

No Longer Dormant Vines Produce New Shoots at Zenaida

As I was about ready to leave Zenaida, I had to take one more detour on my way to the car — to get a shot of the lilacs in bloom.

Lilacs in Bloom at Zenaida

Lilacs in Bloom at Zenaida