Moraga Bel Air with Winemaker Paul Warson – Harvest Boot Camp

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Winemaker Paul Warson oversees the operations of Moraga Bel Air, a 16 -acre estate vineyard and winery unusually located in the exclusive Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles.

On Saturday, October 26 local wine aficionados will have the very special opportunity to visit the estate from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for a Harvest Boot Camp. It’s a “Crush Course” with Winemaker Paul Warson providing an up-close and in-depth look into what makes Moraga Wine so special. Guests will have the rare opportunity to see the vineyards and observe harvest and crush. Reservations are essential and the group size will be limited for the comfort of all guests.

“Moraga Vineyards is one of the most unique wine estates in California. Located at a 550-900 foot elevation in the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Angeles residential community of Bel Air, the winery and vineyard is the source of remarkably refined wines that perfectly reflect a union of distinctive terroir and the gentle guidance of focused winemaking.” The property is now owned by media magnate Rupert Murdoch but the vineyard and winery was originally founded by the late Tom Jones, the long-time CEO of Northrup Corporation and a serious wine enthusiast.

“Because they found their non-commercial vintages so enjoyable, the Joneses decided to officially launch Moraga Bel Air as a commercial entity. The first vintage, 1989, was produced by Bruno D’Alfonso at Sanford Winery in Santa Barbara County. D’Alfonso also made the 1990 and 1991 vintages. For the next several years the grapes were sent up to Etude Winery in Napa to be made by Tony Soter. Mary Hall, viticulturalist for Etude, was brought on as Moraga Bel Air’s original viticultural consultant and continued with Moraga even after she left Etude and joined Harlan Estate.”

“The 2005 vintage marked a significant milestone in Moraga’s history. A state-of-the art winery was completed on the property just in time for the 2005 harvest. This, coupled with the barrel-aging cave completed in 2004, established Moraga as an Estate Wine and one of the first commercial wineries to be bonded in the city of Los Angeles since Prohibition ended in 1933.”

“In 2013, at the age of 93 and with 24 vintages under his belt, Jones sold Moraga Bel Air to Rupert Murdoch. Mr. Murdoch made the property his West Coast home and is committed with son, Lachlan, to carrying on the Jones’ legacy of producing top quality wine from one of California’s most unique estate wineries.”

Winemaker Paul Warson joins us with all the quaffable details of the October 26 Harvest Boot Camp at Moraga Bel Air.