Beyond Strawberries & Lemons

Oxnard's Herzog Wine Cellars Joins Forces to Create New Ventura County Wine Trail Map

        With a long and rich history of agriculture and farming, Ventura County is perhaps best known for strawberries, citrus, and avocados. Few realize that its colorful history is also dotted with grapevines and winemaking. Grapes were among the many crops planted at the San Buenaventura Mission in 1782, as well as on land around Santa Paula and Ojai. Though few plantings of wine grapes remain in the area today, that has not prevented many vintners from producing and selling wine here in Ventura County.

       With a unified goal of getting Ventura County 'on the map', so to speak, several local wineries have joined forces to produce the first ever Ventura County Wine Trail map, including Oxnard's own Herzog Wine Cellars. A benefit for visitors and locals alike, the map features seven local wineries clustered around a pictorial map of the area, as well as local restaurants, hotels, shuttle companies, and even wine-centric events. "We're extremely excited about the map," says Monica Agyekum, Marketing and Public Relations Director for Herzog Wine Cellars. "We want to get the word out that people don't need to travel further north to go wine tasting," she continued. "They can visit several wineries right here in our own backyard that produce amazing wines," she added. Participating wineries on the map include: Rancho Ventavo Cellars (Moorpark); Bella Victorian Vineyard & Winery (Camarillo); Cantara Cellars (Camarillo); Stafford Premium Wines & Camarillo Custom Crush (Camarillo); Herzog Wine Cellars (Oxnard); Old Creek Ranch Winery (Ojai Valley), and Casa Barranca Winery, also located in Ojai.

       The map was designed as a full-service tool for tourists, highlighting some of the best the county has to offer. Travelers can plan an entire trip in the area, complete with a shuttle-led wine tasting trip, hotel stay, and dining suggestions. And, the Oxnard Convention and Visitors' Bureau has also joined in on the project, offering visitors a more complete resource for information on what to do in the area.

       A launch party celebrating the new map is scheduled for Thursday, June 5, at the California Welcome Center in Oxnard from 5:30-7:30 pm. Many of the participating wineries and restaurants will be on hand, providing complimentary tastes. The event is open to the public, and provides an opportunity to sample delicious wines and appetizers from the area. The California Welcome Center is located at 1000 Town Center Drive, Suite 135 in Oxnard. The map will be distributed at numerous locations throughout the county, from the participating partners, as well as other hotels, restaurants, and informational locales. An online version of the map is also in development, with plans to provide an even wider scope of the area (www.venturacountywinetrail.com).

       For more information, contact Herzog Wine Cellars, at 805-983-1560.  For general information and for vacation planning along the wine trail, call the Oxnard CVB at 1-800-269-6273.