Set in the countryside against the shore of the Mokelumne River, Heritage Oak Winery offers an exceptional wine tasting experience just a few steps away from a 20-acre Riparian woodland. The land has been owned by Tom Hoffman’s family since 1854. Today, it is home to Tom and his wife Carmela, who encourage guests to visit and linger long enough to fully experience their wines and the beautiful property where the grapes were born.
Through five generations, the soils yielded many crops. Today, the land is dedicated to winegrapes: large blocks of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Malbec; and small blocks of Charbono, Pinot Grigio, Tempranillo, Barbera, and many more. This exciting variety of grapes (many from certified sustainable vineyards) inspires Tom, who handcrafts them into an impressively long portfolio of fine, handcrafted, small-lot varietals and blends. One of his many palate pleasers,Charbono, is very rare to California. Widely popular in the mid 1900s, it is only grown on a few acres in the entire state. Charbono is a finicky grape and requires patience in the field and the cellar, but with each vintage, Tom proves it’s worth it.
The cozy tasting room provides an inviting environment for sampling the wines. Tom and Carmela are often the hosts, and Tom frequently sits at the piano to entertain visitors with pieces by his favorite composers: Scarlatti, Bach, and Handel. Just outside, a lovely outdoor patio, replete with hummingbird feeders, provides another ideal setting for sampling the wines. But a visit to Heritage Oaks is not complete without a walk to the river. Tom and Carmela developed a delightful hiking trail down to an open riverbank with picnic tables and a sandy beach. Savvy guests call ahead and order a picnic lunch to enjoy on the river bank with a favorite bottle (if they can choose) of Heritage Oak wine.