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Shhh! This is a secret for the serious wine cognoscienti. Shimul doesn't shout out their presence: you won't find any blue and white signs guiding you off the freeway, and you won't find posted hours for tastings. No cruise ship tours visit Shimul. You might find some online reviews for Shimul, but only a handful compared to the hundreds, or even thousands for neighboring wineries. The owners like it that way. Since 2000, they have been producing less than 1,500 cases per year. L.A. Cetto might be the biggest winery in the Valley, but Shimul would rather be the best. The winery grows varietals that other growers in the area shun, such as the Mision grape, which is a heritage varietal with a reputation for being labor-intensive to grow. They also age their wines for longer times than neighboring wineries, and using more complex regimens, sometimes involving two or three barrels of different type woods, or using second-use barrels rather than new barrels.
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This small, unpretentious winery will delight travelers who enjoy getting off the beaten path and finding hidden gems. The winery includes a full-service spa and cabanas that can be rented for overnight stays. Located in the foothills along dirt roads, it takes a bit more effort than the wineries clustered on the main highways. Founded in 2006, Quinta Monasterio produce about 7,500 cases annually. The standard tasting session includes a mix of varietals and blends as well as an accompanying cheese platter. Blends include Renata, a blend of Chardonnay and Zinfandel, and Cosecha, a young blend of Cabernet, Tempranillo and Syrah.
The vineyards are actually operating on other days, but are usually booked for events and large tour groups. You can sometimes arrange to get in by calling ahead. The winery is an interesting place because they are very small (producing only about 300 cases per year) and because they focus on the Tempranillo varietal. When you sample their wines you will probably be doing vertical tastings of different years of the Tempranillo.
Modern winery with caves that honor ancient Mayan culture. The winery produces a number of award-winning wines including a line of premium wines aged in white oak barrels for 3 years before bottling.
Stylishly beautiful contemporary winery with stunning modern art works at every turn. The wine cellar holds up to 16,000 bottles. The winery has grown so popular that most available wines are fairly young. They produce a clean, oaky Chardonnay, a Tempranillo and Nebbiolo, and several blended wines.
Stunning contemporary architecture with a round main entry hall built of stone. The wine cellars were carved from the base stone. The winery produces a number of varietals and blends and a few limited edition releases, such as Casta Negra, which is a blend of Nebbiolo and Petit Syrah and is limited to 50 cases per year.
The modern winery features a large tasting room with floor to ceiling glass windows, a subterranean cave where tastings can be arranged by reservation, and fields of neatly tended vines stretching as far as the eye can see. Wines include a 100% Chardonnay aged in Hungarian oak for 4 months, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French and American oak barrels, and a 100% Malbec aged 12 months in French and American oak barrels.